The LGBTQ+ Changemakers series features LGBTQ+ people all over the country who are making a difference through visibility and ingenuity. The High Priestess of Love, The Queen of the Shameless Plug, The Empress of Pride, The Goddess of DC, The iconic, the legendary, Rayceen Pendarvis is an unstoppable force for good. An event host, community advocate, […]
Tag: LGBTQ+
Posted inTop Stories
Banned Books Week is a reminder of why we need to fight for LGBTQ+ content
Book burnings evoke thoughts of Europe nearly a century ago, but they’re being suggested here in the U.S. this year under a scary climate that is trying to eliminate all LGBTQ+ books from the shelves of public libraries and schools—and not enough people are talking about it or trying to stop it. Many hope to […]
Posted inOpinion
Queer media is here to help combat anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination
Nobody understands the LGBTQ+ community like LGBTQ+ media. Bringing people the news and opinions from our various local LGBTQ publications is what News Is Out is all about. We show you the beating heart of what drives and impacts LGBTQ people. We inform you of your rights and alert you to those trying to take […]
Posted inMusic and Podcasts
Seven LGBTQ+ culture podcasts to subscribe to right now
If you are like 41% of Americans, then you are likely listening to podcasts regularly. The world of podcasts is wide, with a niche for pretty much anyone who wants to learn something new, get lost in a story or find common ground. The number of LGBTQ+-centric podcasts is rising, featuring everything from finances to […]
Posted inTop Stories
News is Out’s LGBTQ+ international roundup
The LGBTQ+ community stretches far and wide and it’s important to know what’s happening beyond our own borders. Here are some important developments happening with the international LGBTQ+ community. Singapore In Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently announced that the government would move to strike down Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalizes sex […]
Posted inPolitics
Finding allies across the aisle
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 […]
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 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 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 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 inBooks
6 books featuring transgender or nonbinary heroes
Just as the great Bonnie Tyler once sang, “I need a hero!” so too do we. Today, as transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals are under new threats every day it seems, this Pride month feels like a fitting time to celebrate transgender and nonbinary heroes. From princes fighting for their kingdom and acceptance to a teen […]
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: […]