Center on Halsted - Chigo's Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Queer Communy Center

Contents:

• THE BT GAY HANGOUT SPOTS OF HALSTED
• TOP 5 BOYSTOWN GAY BARS
• CHIGO PRI PARA 2022: MAP, TRANSPORTATN TAILS AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAY RIGHTS CHIGO
• THE BT GAY HANGOUT SPOTS OF HALSTED
• CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS
• TOP 11 GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS CHIGO BOYSTOWN
• GAY MART CLOS AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS SELLG KNICKKNACKS BOYSTOWN

THE BT GAY HANGOUT SPOTS OF HALSTED

Gay guys sip their nctns om the DIY Bloody Mary bar.

Gay and lbian upl are monly seen htg the StairMasters or takg yoga class, but there are also tons of sgl spg out same-sex partners they’ll later meet via Craigslist’s Missed Connectns. Furnure shoppg Two thgs only gay men and rich straight women seem to have a knack for are fashn and furnure shoppg—a walk down North Clark Street provis you wh a great al of the latter at plac such as urban antique store Sut (5221 N Clark St, 773-275-5700, ), ntemporary boutique Urbant (5228 N Clark St, 773-271-1000) and the new vtage addn Room Service (5438 N Clark St, 773-878-5438, ).

T’s nearby “sister” bar, the man-heavy Sofo (4923 N Clark St, 773-784-7636, ), don’t tout self as a gay bar but don’t have to: Men tight te starg up at mid-’80s, Madonna-heyday vios do all the toutg any nongay gay bar uld need.

TOP 5 BOYSTOWN GAY BARS

This zy gay Cheers of Ravenswood is among the most relaxed, easygog queer bars the cy.

CHIGO PRI PARA 2022: MAP, TRANSPORTATN TAILS AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAY RIGHTS CHIGO

GentryThere are two kds of people (both ually men) who unwtgly wanr to Gentry: those who don’t know and those who “don’t know” this downtown spot wh dark wdows is a gay bar. Intersectn of Clark Street and Devon AvenueThe gay muny isn’t aaid to travel to the Far North Si for s fun. Hollywood Beach Straight girls, take note: When the men at this beach look too good to be te, they’re probably gay—pecially when they’ve got the balls to don tight swim tnks.

THE BT GAY HANGOUT SPOTS OF HALSTED

The southernmost patch of sand, where even the bathrooms are known to host some gay actn, is for the boys. While the mm’s not jt for the homosexual crowd, ’s possible some heteros won’t be able to fully appreciate some of the sectns, such as the toy-filled dungeon (whips, chas and masks) or the leather-bar exhibs, which feature artifacts such as posters, trophi and drs- tails om leather bars’ 50-year history. The downstairs space, Hamburger Mary’s, serv up spectacular burgers wh homo-tastic nam (don’t miss the Barbra-Q Ban Cheeburger), while the upstairs Attic gays up wh theater, dancg and “Mary-oke”.

Swedish BakeryAnrsonville ed to be known for s Swedish settlers, but now that herage is rivaled by s rep for gay habants. The sweet shop is a neighborhood favore, as gay and straight alike appreciate baked goods such as ffee k, sweet rolls or a cholate-suici torte at reasonable pric.

CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS

Center on Halsted provis a vast array of programs and servic signed to advance Chigo's Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer (LGBTQ) and allied muny. Center on Halsted is the Midwt's most prehensive muny center dited to advancg muny and securg the health and well-beg of the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chigoland. A thrivg lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer muny, livg powerfully supportive clive environments.

TOP 11 GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS CHIGO BOYSTOWN

Why we love Northalsted (also known as Boystown) is one of the most untry’s clive LGBTQ+ muni and the olst officially regnized gay neighborhood the Uned Stat. Chigo’s Northalsted neighborhood – Ameri’s first regnized gay village and a Chigo LGBTQ+ historic landmark. The 2-day street ftival the Northalsted neighborhood featur live mic on 3 stag, a Youth Pri Space for teens, bt of Chigo drag performance, Proud Pet Para, dance exhibns, Chigo Gay Men’s Chos, high heel race for priz, gut speakers and over 150 food and merchandise vendors.

While there are tons of bars the neighborhood terg to gay men, queer women (like myself), and other members of the LGBTQ+ muny, the are my 13 favore plac to go to the Northhalsted area (prevly known as Boystown). This bar is jt one of those plac where I nstantly n to old iends and say, “Oh wow you’re gay now too?

GAY MART CLOS AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS SELLG KNICKKNACKS BOYSTOWN

The North End, which is probably the bt sports bar on North Halsted, is big and open, filled wh mostly gay men, and has lots of iendly staff who will happily pour you a rose cir while you watch the Cubs lose cred: Kim KovacikJt next door to The North End, Bobby Love’s has a quieter, zier feel that’s perfect for grabbg a beer and sgg your favore karaoke songs. Photo cred: Kim KovacikJt a block off the ma Halsted bar area, The Closet has a dive bar feel and is one of my favore plac to meet other people the muny, whout the prsur of tryg to look hot while dancg and yellg over other dnk gays wearg speedos. And while most bars the area are geared towards gay men, The Closet mak sure ’s open for all queer people—cludg a clumsy lbian like cred: Kim KovacikMuch like the Replay Lln Park and Anrsonville, this bar has fun vio gam, like Cis’n World, and a list of 26 beers they rotate out weekly.

Gay Horizons begs as a volunteer-n rmatn clearghoe and a meetg place for gays and lbians. The HELPLINE is the first program of Gay Horizons tablished for people to accs rmatn and referrals for social, profsnal, recreatnal, and medil purpos.

Gay Horizons gurat s youth ffeehoe at Liberty Hall on Lln Avenue. Some volunteers, who are gay medil stunts and serve clients through the Horizons Clic, form an anizatn to provi medil servic to the LGBTQ muny.

Gay Horizons be rporated [501(c) 3 stat is granted]. Gay Horizons mov to the Beckman Hoe and tak up operatn of the "Gay Swchboard. Gay Horizons mov to 2745 N.

Gay Horizons begs to shift om s ial foc on social activi to providg mental health and social servic to those most need. A peer unselg program begs: Gay People's Counselg Service.

) Gay Horizons' Executive Board vot to allow the Howard Brown Clic to bee a separate anizatn. Gay Horizons mov to a one-room basement space on Oakdale. Gay Horizons' first Youth Group meets—a group of fewer than ten—mostly Csian and two Ain Amerin middle- and workg class teenagers, and their lone advisor—a mental health profsnal who volunteered his servic as program ordator.

) Gay Horizons forms the Women's Unn as part of a mpaign to reach more women. At the same time, the "Gay Swchboard" be the "Gay and Lbian Swchboard. The precursor to the Speakers Service is started as part of the Gay Peopl' Counselg Service.

Gay Horizons holds the first "Inty Conference, " begng a tradn that ntu for several years. It's one of the natn's premier statns for gay nightlife, and on any given night of the week, 's one of the cy's most vibrant nightlife districts.

There’s a reason so many young queer people flock to Chigo and never leave: the cy’s gay scene is fun as hell. Boystown, of urse, is the cy’s official gayborhood, wh LGBTQ-iendly bars, rtrant, and clubs occupyg nearly every storeont on Northalsted.