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As a patron in Boystown, Rice said they have been forced to open tabs to buy drinks, have faced what they called “oppressive dress codes” and higher scrutiny of their ID.
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Jae Rice, a black queer DJ in Chicago, said they started their weekly party in the South Loop neighborhood to create space for queer women of color because of the racism they experienced.Īs a DJ, Rice said they have been asked by managers and promoters at bars and venues not to play hip hop music. The incidents only fueled conversations in the community about whether the queer enclave is welcoming to people of color.Īmid these incidents, queer activists, performers and everyday patrons of color alike said they have turned to other neighborhoods that haven’t been hit by the same allegations of racism, classism and profiling that have dogged Boystown in recent years. Around the same time, costume and vintage clothing store Beatnix made headlines when a customer found a Confederate flag vest for sale at the store. Last May, a leaked email showed that management at Boystown gay bar Progress Bar aimed to ban rap music at the bar.
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In 2012, the Legacy Project selected the unique rainbow pylons as the location for the first outdoor museum recognizing the significant world achievements and contributions of LGBTQ people.Īs of 2019, the pylons have been enhanced with 40 illuminated bronze plaques dedicated to historically important figures, including Frida Kahlo, Jane Addams, Sally Ride and Alan Turing. The plaques are mounted with stainless steel frames on the sidewalk-facing sides of each pylon and is known as the Legacy Walk, the world's only outdoor museum dedicated to LGBTQ history.Queer people of color are turning away from Chicago “gayborhood” Boystown after two anti-black incidents last year and what some say is a pattern of hostility and racism in the neighborhood.
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The 25-foot-tall pylons were designed and installed by architecture firm DeStefano+Partners as part of a series of streetscape projects under Mayor Richard M. Daley. They were officially dedicated in 1998. It was the first time a city government officially recognized an LGBTQ community. While visiting Boystown Chicago, it won’t take long to notice the 20 rainbow pylons that adorn "Chicago's proudest neighborhood." Boystown hosts a number of annual events - Chicago Pride Fest, the Chicago Pride Parade and Northalsted Market Days - drawing over one million people to the North Side neighborhood each summer. The neighborhood is also home to the Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ community center that welcomes over 1000 people per day. 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. and Broadway dominate the heart of this commercial and entertainment district. The two main (north-south) avenues of Halsted St. Rainbow crosswalk rendering (credit: northalsted business alliance)īoystown is situated just southeast of Wrigleyville in Lakeview. The first officially recognized gay village in the United States, Boystown Chicago is the commonly accepted nickname for the eclectic East Lakeview neighborhood that is home to Chicago's visible and active gay and lesbian community.