Chicago is currently at the center of a queer country renaissance with acts like Marlowe, Andrew Sa and #QueerCountry Bandwagon taking center stage.

The arts have played a major role in the history of activism and support for members of the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago. 

The more subdued atmosphere underscores the struggle of many retailers to cater to different groups of customers at a time of extreme cultural divisions. This year’s Pride Month is unfolding amid a sea of legislation and litigation over LGBTQ+ rights.

The bill allows Illinois residents to get a judicial order to alter the name and sex on birth certificates and other documentation issued in another state. Currently in Illinois, the process no longer requires certification from a health professional, making it easier to request this change.

Chicago’s Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer communities are embracing the city’s progress toward equality, while recognizing there’s still work to be done. Particularly when it comes to providing safe and welcoming environments for today’s LGBTQ+ youth.

The Progress Pride flag raised Monday at Daley Plaza features rainbow-colored stripes along with black and brown stripes to symbolize marginalized LGBTQ+ communities of color. The blue, pink and white stripes symbolize transgender and non-binary members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Pride Month, the worldwide celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and rights, kicks off Saturday with events around the globe. But this year’s festivities in the U.S. will unfold against a backdrop of dozens of new state laws targeting LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender young people.

Pride Parade supporters had reportedly called on Mayor Brandon Johnson to rescind plans to cut the number of parade entries down from nearly 200 last year to 125 this year due to safety and logistical concerns.

The Chicago Pride Fest, a celebration of LGBTQ+ life & community, is set for June 22-23 in the city's landmark LGBTQ+ neighborhood Northalsted.

It comes after about 1.5 years of negotiations, two strikes, a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board that found merit in charges of unfair labor practices, and the layoffs of 61 unionized workers — some of whom were subsequently brought back on due to an NLRB recommendation.

The move comes seven months after the NLRB found merit or partial merit in the Howard Brown Health Works United’s allegations. This complaint reiterates those allegations, including declaring an impasse and refusing to bargain over layoffs.

The ruling was handed down by a panel of justices on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. It marked the latest decision in a legal challenge the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed against the ban.

David Vass’ new memoir, “Liar, Alleged,” is a wildly entertaining narrative of gay life in the 1950s and ‘60s. The book moves through the hedonism of the ‘70s, the tragedy of the ‘80s and why it all matters now.

Reflecting on the impact political cartoonist and activist Danny Sotomayor had on the AIDS epidemic in Chicago during the 1980s and 1990s. 

It’s the second time Howard Brown Health Workers United has taken to the picket line this year. The first strike in January was largely over 61 unionized workers being laid off as management pointed to drastic budget shortfalls.

“They make an environment where it’s easy to be a beginner, it’s easy to not know people and find someone to talk to and work on a trick together,” longtime skateboarder Randi Rogers said of froSkate, a Chicago collective centered around women, people of color and queer people.