Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Openly gay man runs for board at Winthrop Harbor
Special to the Online Edition of Windy City Times
by Joseph Erbentraut, Windy City Times
2011-03-30

This article shared 18720 times since Wed Mar 30, 2011
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


When former Chicagoan Steven Bigden-Russell moved to Illinois' northernmost town, Winthrop Harbor, to pursue a teaching job some 12 years ago, he probably never anticipated entering local politics. Today, that's exactly where he finds himself—one of 14 candidates running for four open positions on the Winthrop Harbor District 1 School Board.

In such a crowded field, it might seem difficult for any candidate to set oneself apart from other challengers. But as an openly gay man, married with three children in a somewhat conservative Lake County town with a population of slightly more than 6,500, standing out—or "being the square peg in the round hole," as he put it—is something Bigden-Russell has grown somewhat accustomed to by now.

While he and many of his friends and family members were initially concerned his sexual orientation could be a point of concern for the town's voters, he recently told Windy City Times the district's financial challenges have, by and large, overshadowed his somewhat unique family structure. He said he is optimistic regarding his chances for success in the town's April 5 election.

"I didn't initially believe the community would accept me and here, for the most part, it is," Bigden-Russell said. "I think, in a way, because this is such a crisis moment for so many families here, my being an openly gay man has gone into the background, but I'm not sure it would be that way if everything else was perfect."

He said the voters' largest concerns are avoiding any further increases in taxes as well as avoiding cuts—such as bus service—within the school district. He added his reputation within the community as a well-liked teacher, currently leading a third-grade classroom, has also helped him gain support. For the most part, everyone either "already knows or doesn't care."

Bigden-Russell's experience as an educator wasn't always such an asset, however. He said that when he first began teaching, he remained in the closet, fearful that his sexual orientation may be discovered and potentially lead to his firing. However, when he and husband Bob, whom he began dating nearly 20 years ago, initiated the process to become adoptive parents and underwent required training sessions, he was convinced that leading an open life would set a better example for their future child.

"One of the things they taught is how kids look to their parents for cues on how to act and feel," he said. "And they said you have to always make sure that when your kids are around you, you hold your head up tall and proud and that was it. From that day forward, I talked more about Bob and about my family and it just was what it was."

Also, while there are few families quite like theirs in Winthrop Harbor, the Bigden-Russells have turned to Internet groups like Rainbow Families to connect with other gay and lesbian parents. During Steven's summers off from school, they frequently go on camping trips to meet with other gay and lesbian-led families in places like Saugatuck, Mich., or Provincetown, Mass. It is on a Colorado-bound road trip, going on two years ago, where they decided to stop over in Iowa and apply for a marriage license.

Through living their lives more openly, Bigden-Russell said he has watched as colleagues, both at school and in the school board race, have seen their somewhat negative opinions of LGBT peoples' lives change for the better. Most notably, he referenced his alliance of sorts forged with another board candidate, Misty Bestler. They've brought their campaigns together under the slogan "A win for our kids in Winthrop Harbor" and pledged to bring the board's focus back to the students in the district.

Although Bestler's politics tend to be more conservative, he said their ideologies for the district's priorities moving forward are largely the same. In the end, that commonality is far more important, he said.

"We've become very close over the last eight weeks," Bigden-Russell said. "She's told me that she didn't understand gay people before we started working together and she said the other day that she wondered if I was sent here to help change peoples' views and lives."

"I think we've changed peoples' perceptions of the gay community just by being us and who we are, by living our lives and showing them that we're regular people just like everyone else," he added.


This article shared 18720 times since Wed Mar 30, 2011
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

WORLD Nigeria arrest, Chilean murderer, trans ban, Olivier Awards, marriage items 2024-04-19
- Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC's) decision to arrest well-known transgender woman Idris Okuneye (also known as Bobrisky) over the practice of flaunting money has sparked questions among several ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Ohio law blocked, Trevor Project, Rev. Troy Perry, ICE suit, Elon Musk 2024-04-19
- In Ohio, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook temporarily blocked a Republican-backed state law banning gender-affirming care (such as puberty blockers and hormones) for transgender minors from ...


Gay News

BOOKS Frank Bruni gets political in 'The Age of Grievance' 2024-04-18
- In The Age of Grievance, longtime New York Times columnist and best-selling author Frank Bruni analyzes the ways in which grievance has come to define our current culture and politics, on both the right and left. ...


Gay News

Hunter leads resolution declaring April 2024 as Minority Health Month 2024-04-18
--From a press release - SPRINGFIELD — To raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health, particularly among minority communities, State Senator Mattie Hunter passed a resolution declaring April 2024 as Minority Health Month in ...


Gay News

Supreme Court allows Idaho ban on gender-affirming care for minors 2024-04-18
- The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a request by Republican Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador to lift a lower court's temporary injunction preventing the state from enforcing its felony ban on gender-affirming care for minors, The ...


Gay News

City Council passes Lesbian Visibility Week proclamation 2024-04-17
- Chicago alderwomen Maria Hadden (49th) and Jessie Fuentes (26th) introduced a resolution at Chicago's April 17 City Council meeting to declare April 22-28 as Lesbian Visibility Week in Chicago. This is part of a nationwide effort ...


Gay News

Morrison to run for Cook County clerk (UPDATED) 2024-04-17
- Openly gay Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison has decided to run for the Cook County clerk position that opened following Karen Yarbrough's death, according to Politico Illinois Playbook. Playbook added that Morrison also wants to run ...


Gay News

Q FORCE launches 2024 election efforts in Chicago 2024-04-14
- More than 100 people attended the launch of 2024 election efforts by Q FORCE Midwest Action Group at Sidetrack April 12. Q FORCE is a Chicago-based, all-volunteer, grassroots movement organizing to recruit and activate "at least ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Trans woman killed, Tenn. law, S. Carolina coach, Evan Low, Idaho schools 2024-04-12
- Twenty-four-year-old Latina trans woman and makeup artist Meraxes Medina was fatally shot in Los Angeles, according to the website them, citing The Los Angeles Times. Authorities told the Times they found Medina's broken fingernail and a ...


Gay News

LPAC, Arizona LGBTQ officials denounce Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion 2024-04-10
--From a press release - Washington, DC — Yesterday, in a decision that starkly undermines reproductive freedoms, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to enforce a 160-year-old law that criminalizes abortion and penalizes healthcare providers who ...


Gay News

Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison announces inaugural Cook County LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition 2024-04-10
--From a press release - Schaumburg, Ill. — April 9, 2024 — Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison recently announced the firs ever LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition. The competition's theme is "Pride is Power!" and will set the ton for Pride celebrations ...


Gay News

For Deb Robertson, the end-of-life issue is very real 2024-04-07
- For just about everyone, life is hard enough. However, talking about ending that life—especially when one is terminally ill—is just as difficult. Ten states have authorized medical aid in dying, although Illinois is not one of ...


Gay News

KFF survey shows extent of LGBT-related discrimination 2024-04-07
- KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism—released "LGBT Adults' Experiences with Discrimination and Health Care Disparities: Findings from the KFF Survey of Racism, Discrimination, and Health." This ...


Gay News

Lightfoot may be hired to investigate Dolton mayor, trustees 2024-04-06
- A group of Dolton trustees is aiming to hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot—who is also an ex-federal prosecutor—to investigate Mayor Tiffany Henyard, media outlets reported. The group wants Lightfoot ...


Gay News

NATIONAL mpox, Trans+ Day of Visibility, police items, Best Buy, Gentili's death 2024-04-05
- The CDC has concluded that mpox cases are on the rise in the United States, increasing to almost double what they were at the same time last year, according to ABC News. There is a national year-to-date estimate of 511 cases ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor
Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.