Gay in chicago
LGBTQ+ nightlife in Chicago: gay and homosexual woman bars, clubs, and more
Chicago’s nightlife is a lot fond of the city itself — inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. It’s also a whole lot of fun. Our gay and sapphic bars have a little bit of something for everyone, with late-night lounges, dance clubs,burlesque and drag shows, and long-standing neighborhood watering holes in almost every corner of the city. And each comes with their own singular history and vibe.
Check out some of the best homosexual bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s queer nightlife scene.
Jeffery Pub
One of the city’s oldest male lover bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood institution. The South Shore staple is also one of Chicago’s first black-owned gay bars, making it all the more meaningful for the spot’s many regulars. Don’t neglect the live business, like karaoke nights, Silky Soul Sundays, and a lively dance floor featuring everything from pop to house music.
Big Chicks
This lively and colorful spot is part LGBTQ hangout, part art gallery. The walls are plastered with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and photos, including great names like Diane Arbus. But don’t think for a second that makes the pla
As one of the busiest industrial centers and transportation hubs in the United States, Chicago at the beginning of the twentieth century attracted thousands of unattached women and men with new employment opportunities and nonfamilial living arrangements in the lodging-house districts of the Near North and Near South Sides. The anonymous and transient character of these neighborhoods permitted the development of Chicago's lesbian and gay subculture. During the early years of the century, much of this subculture was centered in the Levee, a working-class fun and vice district. Here, several saloons and dance halls catered to gay men and featured female impersonation acts. By 1911, the Vice Commission of Chicago noted the presence of “whole groups and colonies of these men who are sex perverts,” many of them operational as department-store clerks in the Loop. The womxn loving womxn presence in the city was less visible during these years, in part because many working-class lesbians “passed” as men in instruct to gain access to better-paying jobs; Chicago newspap
Northalsted, Chicago's Proudest Neighborhood
The first officially recognized gay village in the United States, Boystown Chicago is the commonly accepted nickname for the eclectic East Lakeview neighborhood known as Northalsted that is home to Chicago's visible and active lesbian, same-sex attracted, bisexual and transgender community.
Northalsted, the first official gay neighborhood in the country (credit: northalsted.com)
Northalsted is situated just southeast of Wrigleyville in Lakeview. The area is bordered by Broadway Ave. on the east and Halsted St. on the west, Grace St. to the north and Belmont Ave. to the south.
The two main (north-south) avenues of Halsted St. and Broadway dominate the heart of this commercial and entertainment district. Broadway primarily offers a variety of themed shops and restaurants stretching throughout the neighborhood while Halsted caters to a lively nightlife with more than 30 different gay and lesbian bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
The neighborhood is also home to the Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ community center that welcomes over 1000 people per morning. Northalsted hosts a n
Chicago Gay City Guide: A Midwestern Jewel for the LGBTQ Community
Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is an industrious metropolis that’s an invigorating place for the LGBTQ community. An international hub of culture, commerce, and creativity, the city provides a multitude of same-sex attracted resources to make every new resident feel at home.
A Brief History of the Windy City
Like many Midwestern regions, the Native Americans were responsible for cultivating a lot of the land. The actual term “Chicago” is roughly translated from a Native American word that means “wild onion,” something which grows abundantly to this day.
The city was born in 1883 and in 1983, Chicago saw its first black mayor. In 2019, for the first time in history, all three city-wide elective offices were held by women. Chicago is a forward-thinking and progressive town that has a lot to offer LGBTQ residents.
Quick Stats About the 312
- The municipality is 227.63 square miles.
- Chicago has both a commuter rail and rapid transit system. (Metra and cta).
- Chicago is the third-most populous city in the Joined States (approx. 2,705,994 people).
- Spray paint was invented in Chicago.
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