Equality Illinois leader at 2026 gala: Organization “built to face” political challenges
Equality Illinois’s new CEO, Channyn Lynne Parker, gave the keynote at the rights-advocacy’s 2026 annual gala the evening of Jan. 31, where she asserted that the event, which according to estimates hosted about 1,500 attendees, was “not just a gala—it is a sanctuary.” Parker praised both Chicago Mayor…
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HRC Foundation takes next step in class action litigation against Trump administration, files complaint with EEOC over prohibition on gender-affirming healthcare coverage for federal employees
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) took the next step in the litigation process against the Trump administration on behalf of federal employees and their families, filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) over the Administration’s prohibition on health insurance coverage for gender-affirming care under the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and…
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OPINION A ring of forgotten keys unlocks my nana’s life
In May, I wrote a column about a bag of keys I found in my mom’s house. This is another story from that bag of keys. One day, about a month after my mom died, I put the quart-sized bag of loose and ringed keys into my aunt’s hands. She reacted the same way I had—surprised…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Appropriations bills, NYC Pride, marrying abroad, queer Sundance events, Mariah Carey
NATIONAL The U.S. House and Senate negotiated final appropriations bills to fund the federal government through Sept. 30—and all anti-transgender provisions have been removed, per The Advocate. The “most extreme” ones were in the bills to fund the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, Erin Reed noted in her Erin…
Theater / Dance
THEATER ‘Holiday’ update: Wesley Taylor makes Goodman debut in writer Richard Greenberg’s take on the 1928 classic
Gay actor Wesley Taylor (Only Murders in the Building, Smash) is very grateful to be back in Chicago performing in another theater world premiere—except for one crucial detail. “I really wish I could be hired to work here in the summer,” Taylor said. “Every time I come to Chicago, it has been between November and…
Music
Queer ‘rapbrarian’ Roy Kinsey talks hip-hop, dandelions and representation
Have you heard of the “Rapbrary?” For those who haven’t, it’s the brainchild of Roy Kinsey, who developed the one-of-a-kind library to preserve rap and hip-hop as culturally significant literary art forms, foster creativity, preserve marginalized voices and fight censorship, among other things. Kinsey hopes that the Rapbrary will lay the groundwork for an expansive…
Film / TV / Gossip
Tonatiuh spins a web in the Windy City for Kiss of the Spider Woman
Multi-hyphenated singer-dancer-actor Tonatiuh brought the story of Luis Molina to life in the movie musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, released in theaters in October of 2025. Spider Woman continues to have legs and brought this talented queer performer to town to host a special fundraising screening at Music Box Theatre on Jan. 13. Proceeds from the event…
Books / Art
Trans
Calif. anti-trans Democratic group files lawsuit against Giannoulias over its name
The California-based organization Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender (DIAG) filed suit Jan. 27 against Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias over the right to use the word “Democrat” in its name, The Chicago Tribune noted. According to a little-known aspect of Illinois law (the Party Name Provision), organizations can be banned from incorporating under names containing the…
Lesbian
WCT issues call for 30 Under 30 nominees
CHICAGO—Windy City Times is seeking to recognize 30 more outstanding LGBTQ+ individuals (and allies) who live and/or work in Chicagoland. Nominees should be 30 years or younger as of June 30 and should have made substantial contributions to the LGBTQ+ community in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas. The…