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class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SibarWrapper-sc-1l879b1-0 heJNCx le-mon__sgle-sponsor le-mon__sibar le-mon__sibar--ntentWidth" id="sgle_sponsor"><div></div></div><div class="articleHear__ContaerWrapper-sc-ct0iug-0 lisEqa article-hear irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleHear"><a class="eyebrow__LkWrapper-sc-tqc2sf-0 jIAEBq article-hear__eyebrow irvg__term-lk irvg__term-lk--eyebrow" href=" rel="" target=""><div class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__term-name irvg__term-name--flt">Cywi</div></a><h1 class="primaryFontHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1otf4oo-0 sgleHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1rx3zam-0 jGqHzL iTAVMZ article-hear__post-tle irvg__post-tle irvg__post-tle--sgleHeadg">Chigo’s Lbian Bars Vanished For Years, But Sapphic Spac Are Makg A Comeback</h1><p class="k__TextWrapper-sc-ktbqq9-0 jwCKVS article-hear__k irvg__text irvg__text--k">Nightlife has long been a rnerstone of the LGBTQ+ muny, but this generatn of lbian bar owners and event planners are creatg clive spac where all sapphic people are wele.</p></div><div class="articleMeta__ContaerWrapper-sc-mnxmjt-0 kiZEZ article-meta article-meta--top irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleMeta"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe article-meta__social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M15.57,15.284 C14.673,15.284 13.91925,14.5565 13.91925,13.6595 C13.91925,12.7625 14.673,12.011 15.57,12.011 C16.467,12.011 17.1945,12.7625 17.1945,13.6595 C17.1945,14.5565 16.467,15.284 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class="sibar__Avatars-sc-135rg5d-3 cYVCSw post-byle__grouped-avatars"><div class="flt__Element-sc-8r6934-0 Eajbf post-byle__left irvg__agment irvg__agment--flt"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" aria-hidn="te" href=" rel="" target="" tabx="-1"><figure class="flt__FigureWrapper-sc-1lmy-0 fjaYGN post-byle__avatar irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--flt"><span style="paddg-bottom:100%" class="flt__ImageWrapper-sc-1lmy-1 hnRmkg"><img alt="" height="799" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 1600w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 508w, 1014w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" siz="100px" width="1200" class="flt__ImageTag-sc-1lmy-2 jDWYqd"/></span></figure></a></div></div><div class="sibar__AuthorNam-sc-135rg5d-2 cqTYOK post-byle__thor-nam"><span class="flt__AuthorWrapper-sc-3fiqtm-2 cAJsvb post-byle__thor"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma post-byle__thor-lk irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Kayleigh Padar</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="timtamp__TextWrapper-sc-1uu26yx-0 fBbNtW article-meta__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp--timtamp"><div class="post-date">9:15 AM CDT on Jun 15, 2023</div> </div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-featured-image irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt" id="sgle_media"><figure class="article__FigureWrapper-sc-7s8aer-0 enkhzk irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--article"><span style="paddg-bottom:56.25%" class="article__ImageWrapper-sc-7s8aer-1 cLpHBB"><img alt="" height="675" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 1200w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1080w, 68w, 564w, 615w, 107w, 239w, 477w, 953w, 600w, 282w, 565w, 1129w" siz="(max-width: 350px) 350px, (max-width: 1058px) 768px, (max-width: 1700px) 1080px, 2400px" width="953" class="article__ImageTag-sc-7s8aer-2 ehmVhs"/></span><div class="article__ImageMeta-sc-7s8aer-3 eBXNjs"><figptn class="article__ImageCaptn-sc-7s8aer-4 hrwttr">Members of one of the sports teams sponsored by Augie and C.K's celebrate a w at the bar.</figptn></div></figure></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent-ntaer irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__CredibilyInditorsWrapper-sc-18725oc-0 iUZmNj le-mon__credibily-ditors le-mon__credibily-ditors--flt"><ul class="credibily-ditors__list"><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA credibily-ditors__tle irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Credibily:</span></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">This article ntas new, firsthand rmatn 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This clus directly terviewg sourc and rearch / analysis of primary source documents.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 18 12" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><g clip-path="url(#ditor-origal-reportg_svg__clip0)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M8.524 1.632c3.228 0 6.068 3.26 6.968 4.409-.9 1.152-3.74 4.411-6.968 4.411-3.228 0-6.07-3.26-6.97-4.41.9-1.15 3.74-4.409 6.97-4.409v-.001zm0 10.368c4.082 0 7.383-4.022 8.295-5.256a1.203 1.203 0 000-1.406C15.907 4.108 12.607.085 8.524.085 4.44.084 1.14 4.108.227 5.34a1.204 1.204 0 000 1.408C1.14 7.978 4.44 12 8.524 12zm.043-8.194c1.153 0 2.088.983 2.088 2.194 0 1.212-.935 2.194-2.088 2.194-1.152 0-2.088-.983-2.088-2.194 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.644-.252.731-.694.147-.725.44-.946.76-1.23.352-.315.79-.662.966-1.544.35-1.672.03-2.996-.82-3.5-1.14-.662-2.543.599-3.274 1.387C.852 2.897.765 3.843.591 5.388c-.03.158-.03.284-.06.442-.03.22.03.441.176.63.146.19.38.284.584.315" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">On the Ground</span></button></div></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">As a news piece, this article c verifiable, third-party sourc which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and emed credible by the Newsroom.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 13 14" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><path clip-le="evenodd" d="M1 12.429V2.714v9.715zM10.247 12v1H2.304s-.759-.017-1.087-.426C1.096 12.42 1 12.055 1 11.857l9.247.143zM9.818 1H1.982C1.442 1 1 1.43 1 1.957v.25c0 .526.442.957.982.957h8.265v2.979L9.818 1zm-.752 0s-1.357 1.214.637 2.286L9.066 1zm.637 5.143c1.502 0 2.72 1.279 2.72 2.857 0 1.578-1.218 2.857-2.72 2.857-1.502 0-2.72-1.279-2.72-2.857 0-1.578 1.218-2.857 2.72-2.857z" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path><path d="M9.16 8.802l.525.77 1.106-1.143" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Sourc Ced</span></button></div></li></ul></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div><div class="articleContent__Wrapper-sc-1rqfqf-0 bDtujo le-mon__article-ntent pi-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent--articleContent" id="pi"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 1920w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 180w, 564w, 615w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-647615" alt="" src=" height="133" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/></a></figure><p>CHICAGO — Lbian bars are dwdlg throughout the untry, but the sapphic-centered nightlife scene is seeg a rurgence Chigo.</p><p>Nightlife has long served an important role the LGBTQ+ muny, providg some of the first spac where queer people uld be themselv, meet people wh siar experienc and share rourc wh each other.</p><p>Chigo’s lbian bars, clubs and gatherg spac peaked the 1970s-1980s, creatg bonds among women that rema strong s later. Those spots dwdled the early ghts. LGBTQ+ inti beme more accepted by society as a whole, and queer people started movg to “more mastream spac,” LGBTQ+ historian and journalist Tracy Baim said. </p><p><a href="><strong>RELATED: <em>Here’s How You Can Help Sapphic Nightlife Survive And Thrive</em></strong></a></p><p>Outsi of nightlife, queer women me together through choirs, bands, sports teams, church groups and more, many of which rema today, Baim said. </p><p>But as anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry spik aga, more lbian spac are startg to thrive.</p><p>Two new lbian bars have opened the past few years, along wh a slew of well-attend parti for queer women that have been steadily gag populary, Baim said. </p><p>This year, five event planners—Slo ‘Mo, Strapped, smallWORLD Collective, En and Diamond Formatn—have teamed up to host the largt lbian party sce the panmic. </p><p>“Super Sapphic,” will take over Metro and smart bar, 3730 N Clark St., at 9 p.m. June 23. Tickets st $25 and are available <a href=">here</a>. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px" srcSet=" 604w, 300w, 72w, 564w, 113w, 252w, 504w, 600w, 298w, 597w" class="wp-image-651742" alt="" src=" height="405" width="604" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Regulars hang out at Augie’s and C.K’s which closed 1994.</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 5290w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651760" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Secret Queen @ssecretqueen</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Drag kgs party at Strapped, a monthly sapphic drag show. </figptn></figure><p>Sapphic spac also have a long history of excludg people based on their genr and race. That is changg, too. </p><p>The people drivg today’s lbian nightlife are tryg to create more clive spac that better reprent the wi variety of people who intify as sapphic — which clus trans and nonbary folks. </p><p>In the face of discrimatn, sapphic nightlife celebrat and uplifts LGBTQ+ inti, and strengthens the whole muny, said Irregular Girl, -founr of the lbian drag show Strapped. </p><p>“It’s the fact that, we’re showg that we know our stori have value and that we serve to be among our muny and feel that we all have each other’s backs,” Irregular Girl said. “There’s somethg to be said about the value throwg parti where people feel seen, where they won’t be terrogated about who they are, where they n be wh other people who are disverg themselv and live out their liv together.” </p><p>“Jt the act of g together this way stands opposn to the opprsn agast queer people natnally and globally.” </p><h2><strong>‘We All Stuck Together As Women’</strong></h2><p>The prevalence of lbian bars has “ebbed and flowed over time,” but there have almost always been fewer of the spac for queer women than men, Baim said.</p><p>Nightlife was often the “first or only pot of ntact” LGBTQ+ people had wh their muny, so bars quickly beme “ facto muny centers,” where polil groups uld have discsns and lol anizatns uld host fundraisers, Baim said. </p><p>But LGBTQ+ people often risked their own safety to gather. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px" srcSet=" 958w, 300w, 768w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 508w, 600w" class="wp-image-651747" alt="" src=" height="638" width="958" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Bartenrs and regulars pose at Augie and C.K’s before closed 1994. </figptn></figure><p>Nightclubs me wh the risk of beg outed, attacked or ught a raid, which uld impact a person’s hog, employment and ctody of their children, Baim said. </p><p>Throughout the 1960-80s, LGBTQ+ bars were sometim “hidn” wh vered wdows and si entranc to prevent passersby om knowg queer people were there, Baim said. </p><p>Lbian bar Lost & Found required visors to buzz at the ont door. It operated for 43 years before closg 2008, acrdg to Baim’s book, “Out and Proud Chigo: An Overview of the Cy’s Gay Communy.” </p><p>Police equently raid such bars until the mid-’80s, Baim said. Illois was the first state to get rid of s sodomy law 1961, but some laws banned cross-drsg and dancg wh people of the same sex until the ’70s, acrdg to the LGBTQ+ newspaper Baim -found, the <a href=">Wdy Cy Tim</a>. </p><p>Police would llaborate wh media anizatns to publicize the nam of people they found bar raids, so those people would lose their jobs, the paper reported. </p><figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-rized"><img siz="(max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px" srcSet=" 1500w, 272w, 768w, 928w, 1391w, 1080w, 43w, 564w, 615w, 69w, 153w, 306w, 611w, 1223w, 204w, 408w, 815w, 181w, 362w, 725w, 1449w, 543w, 1087w, 1366w" height="392" width="355" class="wp-image-651971" alt="" src=" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Tracy Baim/Wdy Cy Tim</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Ava Allen, one of the owners of Lost & Found.</figptn></figure><p>“The last high-profile bar raid I vered was the mid-1980s, but wasn’t like they ma some announcement that bar raids were endg,” Baim said. “People still had memori of beg raid and they didn’t know when the last bar raid would be. Well to the 80s, there was still a real fear of the police and other outsi agators.” </p><p>Lost & Found’s owners, Shirley Christensen and her partner Ava Allen, risted the laws that prohibed women om drsg men’s cloth and held firm agast police harassment, acrdg to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">The Chigo LGBT Hall of Fame</a>. </p><p>As lbian bars boomed, women found life-long iends and veloped strong support systems. </p><p>In the ’80s, Ladybug and Swan Club Lakeview were home to athlet and jocks and had a b of a “tougher” reputatn, Baim said.<a href="> Marge Summ’s </a>bar, His & Her’s, was one of the first LGBTQ+ bars to offer live entertament and wele people of all genrs.</p><p>Paris Dance opened 1984 and brought a new level of qualy and size to lbian bars the cy, Baim said. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 2048w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651755" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Kristen Kaza</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">His ‘n Hers owner Marge Summ and her wife pose for a photo at the exhib Lost & Found: An Exhib Explorg Chigo’s Dyke Spac of the ’70s and ’80s,” which they’re featured .</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-rized"><img siz="(max-width: 344px) 100vw, 344px" srcSet=" 1440w, 202w, 768w, 688w, 1033w, 1377w, 1080w, 32w, 564w, 615w, 51w, 114w, 227w, 454w, 908w, 151w, 303w, 605w, 1210w, 134w, 269w, 538w, 1076w, 403w, 807w, 1366w" height="512" width="344" class="wp-image-651972" alt="" src=" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Tracy Baim/Wdy Cy Tim</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Valerie Schepflug while DJg at Paris Dance the mid-1980s. </figptn></figure><p>Before was a lbian dance club, the buildg had been a ba shop so had ty porthole wdows, said Valerie Schepflug, who equently played mic there as DJ Psycho-Bch. </p><p>“I lled the fish bowl,” Schepflug said. “It always cracks me up. I mean, e on, a ba hoe-turned-lbian bar? That’s hilar.” </p><p>The other major dance club around that time was Augie’s and C.K’s, a merger of two bars, which was open until 1994, Baim said. </p><p>“I uld go on for days about that bar, about the people I met, the relatnships I got to be a part of,” said Victoria “Pickl” Martez, who tend bar for 10 years. “We all stuck together as women. There was jt such a love that we all had for each other, a certa rpect we all had for each other. It was like a big fay.</p><p>“It’s hard to expla what felt like to get a bunch of women together,” Martez said. “It was a great time all the time. There’s no way to put to words what that place felt like as a woman who lov to be around other women. We all had each other’s backs.” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" srcSet=" 688w, 200w, 683w, 32w, 564w, 615w, 51w, 113w, 225w, 450w, 150w, 300w, 600w, 133w, 267w, 533w, 400w" class="wp-image-651746" alt="" src=" height="1024" width="683" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">People dance at Augie and C.K’s before closed 1994.</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px" srcSet=" 604w, 300w, 62w, 564w, 99w, 219w, 438w, 292w, 583w, 259w, 518w, 600w" class="wp-image-651749" alt="" src=" height="466" width="604" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Victoria “Pickl” Martez pos wh iends om Augie and C.K’s before the bar closed 1994. </figptn></figure><p>Bartenrs and regulars often spent time together outsi of the bar. They traveled, celebrated most holidays and played sports together, Martez said.</p><p>“We’d go out to Augie’s ttage after the bar closed and we’d go raftg on the river,” Martez said. “There were so many thgs we’d do as a fay, we’d go on vatns together sometim. It was very close-kn.” </p><p>Like most other lbian bars at the time, Augie’and C.K’s sponsored a softball team, pool league and eventually a darts league, Martez said. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 1920w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 70w, 564w, 615w, 110w, 245w, 491w, 980w, 600w, 1200w, 290w, 580w, 1161w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651968" alt="" src=" height="706" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Wdy Cy Tim</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Tracy Baim is pictured ont row, send om the left this photo of Lost & Found’s softball team om the mid 1980s.</figptn></figure><p>Schepflug said the sports teams were “very petive but credibly fun,” and she played on The Closet’s softball team for about three years. </p><p>“I have so many memori om sportg events and softball gam,” Martez said. “Afterwards, we’d all e back to the bar and lgh about the gam together.”</p><p>The bar’s Pri afterparty was ually packed. People wore their most elaborate stum to the annual Halloween party and Thanksgivg always lled for a potluck. Martez loved ratg the bar for the holidays the most. </p><p>“It was tradn that we uldn’t have any cktails until we were done ratg,” Martez said. “It would take all day to put everythg up, but when we were done we’d all s on the dance floor, all of together. We’d turn on the lights that we’d hung all around the bar and was jt so pretty. It was one of my favore thgs to do.” </p><p>LGBTQ+ bars also were also hubs for muny anizg. </p><p>Durg the HIV/AIDS crisis the ’80s, bars played a “cril role” brgg people together to support each other as thoands of people died om the disease, Baim said. </p><p>“Bar owners anized b to take people Downtown for ralli, they lobbied for legislatn related to bars but also related to the LGBTQ+ muny, they’d hold fundraisers, offer ee space for meetgs,” Baim said. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 1771w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 71w, 564w, 615w, 113w, 250w, 501w, 1000w, 600w, 1200w, 296w, 592w, 1185w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651744" alt="" src=" height="692" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Augie and C.K’s saw a number of unofficial weddgs throughout s existence.</figptn></figure><p>Martez’ group om Augie and C.K’s has kept touch sce the bar closed 1994. They all me together for a rnn a few years ago. </p><p>“We all miss each other a lot,” Martez said. “We have a Facebook [page] where we stay touch, but now, stead of good thgs, feels like I’m always postg memorials for people who’ve passed. That’s where we’re at now, unfortunately.” </p><p>Though Martez and Schepflug are grateful there are new spac that brg women together, they both agreed today’s nightlife is sparse pared to the era they grew up . </p><p>“Paris Dance and Augie CK’s were huge, they had big dance floors, good DJs,” Martez said. “People would go there and really party. They’d spend all night dancg, drkg and mglg. We’d be out ’til four the morng, wake up and go to work, then e back and do all aga. It was a whole different era back then.” </p><p>“I’ll tell you, the ’80s and ’90s were the bt time to be gay and go out to clubs,” Schepflug said. “I n’t image beg 21 now and not havg those spots. But, if you’d asked me back then if I ever thought ’d be legal to get married, I would’ve said no. We weren’t able to be open about who we were at all.” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 2048w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 64w, 564w, 615w, 101w, 225w, 451w, 900w, 1800w, 600w, 1200w, 267w, 533w, 1067w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651743" alt="" src=" height="768" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Regulars om Augie and C.K’s rned a few years ago. </figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 2048w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 64w, 564w, 615w, 101w, 225w, 451w, 900w, 1800w, 600w, 1200w, 267w, 533w, 1067w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651748" alt="" src=" height="768" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Victoria "Pickl" Martez</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Regulars om Augie and C.K’s rned a few years ago. </figptn></figure><p>The ’70s and ’80s saw the hight ncentratn of lbian bars Chigo, said Kristen Kaza, founr of Slo ‘Mo, an anizatn that has been planng lbian parti sce 2011. </p><p>Kaza created, “Lost & Found: An Exhib Explorg Chigo’s Dyke Spac of the ’70s and ’80s,” 2017. </p><p>One of the major reasons there were so many lbian spac back then was bee was simply easier to open bars: It was ls expensive and there were fewer laws, Kaza said. </p><p>“A lot of the bars were operated by elrs the muny, and the next generatn didn’t pick up the baton the same way,” Kaza said. “People started assiatg to other spac stead.” </p><p>In 1980, there were 200 lbian bars throughout the untry. Now there are only 27, acrdg to the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">Lbian Bar Project</a>. </p><p>Lbian bars n be difficult bs bee women make ls money and they tend to spend ls time nightclubs than men, Baim said. Most nightclubs Chigo are owned by men and aren’t signed for women, Kaza said. </p><p>“The spac aren’t created wh women’s experienc md, and I thk that’s where the paradigm shift is startg to take place and needs to ntue,” Kaza said. “Sce live entertament, and pecially nightlife, is a highly male-operated dtry, ’s not nducive to a lot of people’s liftyl. People of all mographics are really lookg to build -person nnectns, but they don’t necsarily feel a nnectn to nightclubs.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 2048w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651753" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Kristen Kaza</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">A visor exam Kristen Kaza’s exhib, “Lost & Found: An Exhib Explorg Chigo’s Dyke Spac of the ’70s and ’80s” 2017.</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 2862w, 150w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 48w, 564w, 615w, 76w, 169w, 338w, 675w, 1350w, 225w, 450w, 900w, 1800w, 200w, 400w, 800w, 1600w, 100w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651756" alt="" src=" height="1024" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Kristen Kaza</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Materials on display at “Lost & Found: An Exhib Explorg Chigo’s Dyke Spac of the ’70s and ’80s.” </figptn></figure><p>For all the fellowship, there was still a culture of excln. </p><p>LGBTQ+ bars often rejected people based on genr and race. Most LGBTQ+ bars tered to only one genr and many lbian bars wouldn’t allow men si bee some tried to harass women there, Baim said. </p><p>Some bars would require people of lor to provi multiple forms of ID so they wouldn’t be able to enter, Schepflug said. C.K’s was famoly the target of protts for the practic the ’70s before bed wh Augie’s.</p><p>Pat McCombs, the founr of Executive Sweet, a recurrg party for queer women of lor, formed a mtee to nont racism the muny, The Chigo Rear <a href=">reported</a>. C.K’s almost lost s liquor license bee McCombs and her mtee reported to the state’s liquor missn. The owner then agreed to publicly post the bar’s ID requirements and hold everyone to the same standard, acrdg to Baim’s book, “Out and Proud Chigo.” </p><p>“It’s jt different now,” Baim said. “As a movement gets more mature and there’s more tn our muny about diversy, thgs have started to change. It’s bad for bs not to be clive.” </p><h2><strong><strong>Sapphic Spac Return </strong></strong>— But It’s Not Jt About The Bars</h2><p>In recent years, lbian bars and sapphic-centered parti are more mted to cludg people of all inti. </p><p>“More people are realizg that they actually do want to tentnally be around other queer people, and they want to support queer and woman-owned bs,” Baim said. “People seem to want to rally around tentnally-clive muny spac, wh the knowledge that they’ll go away if we don’t.</p><p>“It’s like a new generatn is startg to see the value the spac,” Baim said. “They miss them, even though they don’t even know what they’re missg.” </p><p>Nobody’s Darlg, 1744 W. Balmoral Ave., opened 2021 and Dorothy, 2500 W. Chigo Ave., reopened 2022. The bars’ owners opened the spac to provi more opportuni for queer women and their iends to gather.</p><p>“As a muny, we really have a need for spac and events that ter to women, bee we don’t have as many spac as we should,” said Renda Riddle, -owner of Nobody’s Darlg. “Guys have more spac for a number of reasons. Part of is that women aren’t gog out every night necsarily, but we do love to have curated spac that are cute and lean to our muny.” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 5184w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651766" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Block Club Chigo//Kayleigh Padar</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">The -owners of Nobody’s Darlg, Angela Barn and Renda Riddle, pose for a photo their bar.</figptn></figure><p>There’s also more mand for a wir variety of sapphic-foced events, both wh and outsi the typil bar scene.</p><p>Dorothy offers a variety of events, om s Dandy Dorothy fashn show last fall to s equent watch parti for lbian-foced TV shows. </p><p>Whney LaMora, the -owner of Dorothy, said she’s always open to workg wh people who want to anize events or other ways to build muny, like a bar sports team. </p><p>Dorothy’s monthly open mic F Salad has grown exponentially sce started October 2021 and now ually sells out about 10 mut. <strong>T</strong>he open mics have raised more than $3,000 for LGBTQ+ anizatns, LaMora said.</p><p>“We’ve given a platform to hundreds of artists to share their vulnerabili wh , as well as a chance for performers get paid and to perform very specific queer ntent ont of an dience who’s jt dyg for that,” LaMora said. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 1280w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 600w, 1200w" class="wp-image-651764" alt="" src=" height="682" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Riané Human</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Co-owners of Dorothy, Zoe Schor and Whney LaMora, pose for a photo at their bar. </figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 3120w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651765" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Riané Human</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">The si of one of Chigo’s lbian bars, Dorothy, 2500 W. Chigo Ave.</figptn></figure><p>Thoands of queer women have flocked to var pop-up parti, such as Slo ‘Mo and </p><p>Tamara Allen found 2004 to create a culturally diverse event seri for queer women. At first, the events were party-foced but also aimed at troducg atten to a variety of mic and art. </p><p>“There’s been an evolutn, where we’re creatg more spac for the arts, bs and for fai to enjoy together,” Allen said. </p><p>As has evolved, the group now offers more events that help people work wh each other and learn about tertg projects gog on the LGBTQ+ muny, said Tara Honeywell who helps to lead the anizatn. </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 3000w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651752" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid/Kristen Kaza</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">People enjoy a Slo ‘Mo party.</figptn></figure><p> offers events where people n try new foods, learn about health and wellns, get fancial planng tips and sually work wh others their dtri, Honeywell said. The group started a job-trag program at Center on Halsted, where young people n learn how to create solid rum and succeed job terviews. </p><p>“People the LGBTQ+ muny, pecially young people, don’t always have the same exposure other profsnals have or the abily to accs rmatn,” Honeywell said. “It’s a way to vt our muny.</p><p>“As I’ve gotten olr, partyg has bee sendary for me,” Honeywell said. “I love to go out every uple of months, but I’m much more terted tryg to grow and expand my knowledge of my muny and the dtry I work .” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" srcSet=" 800w, 300w, 768w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 600w" class="wp-image-651757" alt="" src=" height="533" width="800" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">People enjoy ’ 15th anniversary event.</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" srcSet=" 800w, 300w, 768w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 600w" class="wp-image-651759" alt="" src=" height="533" width="800" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Dancers perform at ’ 15th anniversary event. </figptn></figure><p>In 2021, Irregular Girl and Siichele started “Strapped,” a monthly sapphic drag show at Berl, 954 W. Belmont Ave. </p><p>The duo started bee they noticed there weren’t many lbian-centered drag shows the cy, even though “lbians love drag,” they said. </p><p>“When we talk about the renewal or revigoratn of lbian and queer spac, I thk ’s ultimately trsilly tied to drag,” Irregular Girl said. “Drag performers have always been at the foreont of social change. Bee of that, there’s a lot of parti wh drag fluenc that are g up right now, and I thk we’re experiencg somethg amazg.”</p><p>“Strapped” has sold out every show sce s ceptn.</p><p>“Strapped” parti are a place for anyone who intifi as sapphic to meet each other. The energy is “unhged,” “feral,” and “so validatg and upliftg,” Siichele said. The name of the party and s acpanyg monthly sex-toy giveaway f the party’s vibe, Irregular Girl said. </p><p>“Before Strapped, beg a lbian the drag scene felt a b lonely,” said Siichele, who’s done drag Chigo sce 2017. “It’s ma drag so much more enjoyable for me. Performg for an dience of lbians is all I want to do for the rt of my life.” </p><p>“We’re very upont that the vibe is horny and will rema horny,” Irregular Girl said. “Lbian yearng and lbian sire are feelgs people have had to supprs for so long. This is opposn to all of that bulls–t. It’s very polil, jt to e together that way.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 5387w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651762" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Secret Queen @ssecretqueen</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">People watch a drag show at Strapped, a monthly sapphic drag event.</figptn></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 5760w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-651761" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//Secret Queen @ssecretqueen</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Drag performers pose for a photo at Strapped, a monthly sapphic drag show. </figptn></figure><p>Sce 2011, thoands of queer women have partied together at Slo ‘Mo events, Kaza said. </p><p>The parti feature queer performers and anizers aim to create a space for “joy and self-exprsn,” Kaza said. About 5-10 percent of Slo ‘Mo’s monthly sal go towards LGBTQ+ anizatns, Kaza said. </p><p>Kaza said the group has noticed more of a mand for outdoor, daytime events more nducive for fai and offer opportuni to nnect whout alhol. In rponse, they’ve creased efforts to create events that draw people of all ag by bookg a range of artists and rporatg more historil storyellg. </p><p>“I thk havg more variety our spac is really important, and that’s where we will see a lot more women start showg up,” Kaza said. “The club, ankly, jt don’t work for everybody and that’s okay. Clubs historilly have been queer sanctuari and they always will be, ’s a sacred space, but we need to have more spac.” </p><p>“Beg queer, or even a queer woman, is not a monolhic experience,” Kaza said. “I’m happy to see how much expansn there’s been spac for queer people.” </p><h2><strong>‘It’s Like A Home Base</strong>‘</h2><p>Although society has bee more acceptg of LGBTQ+ people over time, spac where queer people n safely gather rema val amid ntued homophobia and the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ legislatn across the untry. </p><p>Event anizers equently meet people who say the spac give them support they stggle to fd elsewhere. </p><p>“I never stop thkg about this person who me up to me recently, lerally cryg ont of me and said ‘thank you,’” Allen said. “She said, ‘I don’t have a place where I feel safe. My mother don’t accept me for who I am. I’m a 40-somethg-year-old woman and I jt cut my hair, but you immediately ma me feel seen.’” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" srcSet=" 800w, 300w, 768w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 600w" class="wp-image-651758" alt="" src=" height="533" width="800" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid//</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">People party at ’ 15th anniversary event.</figptn></figure><p>Even for LGBTQ+ people who feel fortable beg themselv most plac, there’s a certa strength that om knowg they have “somewhere to land,” said Riddle, of Nobody’s Darlg. </p><p>“It’s like a home base, somewhere we n always e back to and know that we’ll see our people,” Riddle said. “We created Nobody’s Darlg so that people uld fd that monaly. Sometim people are jt about bondg about the cktail they both like, but ’s about seeg each other and makg space for each other.” </p><p>Spac for queer people not only benef dividuals but also provi a llective sense of power agast opprsive systems that ntue to lim the rights of LGBTQ+ people, Irregular Girl said. </p><p>“The kds of spac stand opposn to anyone that’s policg people’s inti,” Irregular Girl said. “They’re so important bee, ultimately, they’re exactly what queer liberatn is all about. Nightlife has a real power to energize as we move throughout the rt of our liv. I believe the power of the party.” </p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">Subscribe to Block Club Chigo</a>, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods.</em></p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em>Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em> </p><p class="pi__show-for-payg"><em>Thanks for subscribg to Block Club Chigo, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. 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