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Northalsted, formerly called “Boystown,” is known as the center of LGBTQ life in Chicago. As Pride celebrations begin, the community has just started to recover the vibrant character that made it famous following last year’s pandemic and civil unrest.

The Lakeview neighborhood known as Boystown. (WTTW News)

In the wake of George Floyd’s killing at the hands of police, many Americans have been rethinking everyday language — and how it may contribute to systemic racism.