When the Gold Coast lost s only gay bar, this drag queen got to work | SBS Voic

gold coast gay bar chicago

Fd the top gay bars Chigo, Northalsted (aka Boystown) and beyond. Disver the bt LGBTQ+ nightlife around Chigo.

Contents:

GAY IN CHUCK RENSLOW, FOUNR OF INTERNATNAL MR. LEATHER, DI AT 87

* gold coast gay bar chicago *

At the Chigo History Mm, a new exhib “Out Chigo” explor the stori of lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr Chigoans who shaped the cy and var muni over the past 150 years. In 1958, Chuck Renslow and his iends had an affy for leather that was too much for a Chigo gay bar lled Omar’s. CHICAGO — Chuck Renslow, one of Chigo's earlit openly gay entreprenrs, died Thursday, but the longtime activist's leather-clad legacy ntu on.

Renslow, 87, died Thursday after multiple long-term health issu and nearly seven s of pneerg the lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer bs scene Chigo.

Leather ntt and the Leather Archiv and Mm Rogers Park, but Renslow has a storied history of openg dozens of gay iendly bs around Chigo. Born and raised Logan Square, Renslow me out as a gay man when he was a stunt at Lane Technil High School, he told Baim, who is also the publisher of the Wdy Cy Tim. Wh jt a handful of gay bars Chigo entirely ntrolled by the the Mafia the 1950s, Renslow relled the "very ee atmosphere" they provid, safe om police raids thanks to payoffs om the syndite.

CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS

In the early 1960s, Renslow opened Gold Coast bar, one of the first leather bars the world and among the earlit gay-owned bs the cy and went on to be the olst leather tablishment before closed 1987. RELATED: Here's Why Gay Bars Are So Important, Explaed By A Chigo Gay In.

A GAY BAR FALLY RETURNS TO THE GOLD COAST WH HOP TO UNE 'DISNNECTED' MUNY

Ten years later, Renslow heard about the Stonewall Inn rts om a iend and helped anize the first Gay Pri Para Chigo. At that pot, he also owned the drag bar Sparrow's Lounge and ntued to n his semi-nu physique photography stud, Kris Stud, which sent out photos to the gay muny at large. As gay rights rose the public dialogue, Renslow beme more active polilly, phg then-Mayor Richard J.

He ntued to blaze trails bs, takg ntrol of the failg GayLife newspaper and startg Triumph, Mars and Rawhi Male magaz.

WHEN THE GOLD COAST LOST S ONLY GAY BAR, THIS DRAG QUEEN GOT TO WORK

Renslow hired the first black bartenr at a gay bar and revented bathho Chigo, addg an entertament aspect to Man's Country, which remas open Anrsonville to this day. Named for the whe outfs of guts, the Whe Party grew up to 5, 000 people when such celebratns of gay life were rare. Our gay and lbian bars have a ltle b of somethg for everyone, wh late-night loung, dance clubs, burlque and drag shows, and long-standg neighborhood waterg hol almost every rner of the cy.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GOLD COAST GAY BAR CHICAGO

A gay bar fally returns to the Gold Coast wh hop to une 'disnnected' muny - ABC News</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="A gay bar fally returns to the Gold Coast wh hop to une 'disnnected' muny - ABC News"/><meta name="scriptn" ntent="There is new hope that the Gold Coast's "disnnected and sttered" LGBTQI+ scene will fd a greater sense of muny after the return of gay bar after more than two years whout one the cy."/><meta name="keywords" ntent="gay bar, gold ast, the chameleon, lgbt, lbtiq, safe, venue, rabow muni"/><lk rel="nonil" href="><lk rel="in" type="image/png" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="in" type="image/svg+xml" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="mask-in" lor="black" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="apple-touch-in" href="/news-web/assets/"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><lk rel="preload" href=" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorig="anonymo"/><meta property="ABC.ContentType" ntent="Article"/><meta property="ABC.ContentSource" ntent="remedia"/><meta name="generator" ntent="PL NEWS WEB"/><meta property="ABC.Generator" ntent="PL NEWS WEB"/><meta name="ContentId" ntent="100472218"/><meta property="ABC.ContentId" ntent="100472218"/><meta name="ABC.VersnNumber" ntent="12"/><lk rel="amphtml" href="><meta property="article:tag" ntent="gay bar"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="gold ast"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="the chameleon"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="lgbt"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="lbtiq"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="safe"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="venue"/><meta property="article:tag" ntent="rabow muni"/><meta property="article:published_time" ntent="2021-09-18T22:51:21+00:00"/><script type="applitn/ld+json">{"@ntext":","@type":"NewsArticle","thor":{"@type":"Organizatn","name":"ABC News","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":60,"url":","width":240}},"dateModified":"2021-09-18T22:51:21+00:00","datePublished":"2021-09-18T22:51:21+00:00","scriptn":"There is new hope that the Gold Coast's \"disnnected and sttered\" LGBTQI+ scene will fd a greater sense of muny after the return of gay bar after more than two years whout one the cy.","headle":"A gay bar fally returns to the Gold Coast wh hop to une 'disnnected' muny","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":485,"url":","width":862},"keywords":"gay bar,gold ast,the chameleon,lgbt,lbtiq,safe,venue,rabow muni","maEntyOfPage":","publisher":{"@type":"Organizatn","name":"ABC News","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":60,"url":","width":240}}}</script><meta property="og:url" ntent="><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="There is new hope that the Gold Coast's "disnnected and sttered" LGBTQI+ scene will fd a greater sense of muny after the return of gay bar after more than two years whout one the cy."/><meta property="og:tle" ntent="After years of wag, Gold Coast fally gets a gay bar"/><meta property="og:type" ntent="article"/><meta name="twter:rd" ntent="summary_large_image"/><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@abews"/><meta name="twter:image" ntent="><meta name="twter:image:alt" ntent="man standg lookg up"/><meta property="og:image" ntent="><meta property="og:updated_time" ntent="2021-09-18T22:51:21+00:00"/><lk data-chunk="page.ForOdysseyArticle"/><meta name="next-head-unt" ntent="48"/><script id="google-tag-manager" type="text/javascript" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">dataLayer=[{"applitn":{"ctomPageview":te,"environment":"productn","generatorName":"PL NEWS WEB","generatorVersn":"5.3.0","platform":"web","product":"PL NEWS WEB"},"bug":{"schemaVersn":"20180625"}}];(functn(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l]({'':new Date().getTime(),event:''});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';;''+i+dl;sertBefore(j,f);})(wdow,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-PB2GX');</script><script id="overri-lazy-load" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">!functn(a){"loadg"!==document.readyState?a():document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoad",a)}(functn(){for(var e=document.querySelectorAll("img"),d=[],a=0;a<;a++){var b=e[a],(document.documentElement.clientHeight,nerHeight),(document.documentElement.clientWidth,nerWidth);if(b.parentElement){var c=b.parentElement.getBoundgClientRect();>0&&>0&&>0&&<0&&>0&&<0&&(b)}}for(var a=0;a<;a++){var b=d[a];b.hasAttribute("data-lazy")&&b.removeAttribute("data-lazy")}for(var a=0;a<;a++){var b=d[a];"lazy"===b.loadg&&(b.loadg="eager")}})</script><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-g=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><lk rel="preload" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" as="style"/><lk rel="stylheet" href="/news-web/_next/static/css/" data-n-p=""/><noscript data-n-css=""></noscript><script fer="" nomodule="" src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/pag/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/chunks/pag/news/document/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/z32ZrECd1wj0XMu2XHefJ/" fer=""></script><script src="/news-web/_next/static/z32ZrECd1wj0XMu2XHefJ/" fer=""></script></head><body><script> </script><div id="__next"><div data-ponent="NotifitnsProvir" style="width:360px" class="NotifitnsProvir_ntaer__2sehb NotifitnsProvir_bottom__MHZPb AppContaer_notifitnWrapper__lgzgy"></div><noscript><iame src=" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibily:hidn"></iame></noscript><div id="app-ntaer" class="GlobalStyl_dls___J5Yr" data-ponent="GlobalStyl"><div><div data-ponent="Lotn"><div><hear class="Masthead_mastheadBox__qe8iR" data-ponent="Masthead"><a class="ScreenRearSkipToContent_skipLk__ZXOqn ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv ScreenRearOnly_focable__xp3DW" data-ponent="ScreenRearSkipToContent" href="#ntent">Skip to ma ntent</a><div class="Masthead_row__76rdH"><a href="/news" class="MastheadLogoLk_lk__wLQU0 Masthead_logoLk__aFBdU" data-ponent="MastheadLogoLk"><span class="MastheadLogoLk_logo__XY0lt"><svg aria-hidn="te" class="BrandLogo_svg__W378d" data-ponent="ABCNewsLogo" height="44" prerveAspectRat="xMYMid meet" viewBox="0 0 123 44" width="123" xmlns="><path d="M113.367 10c4.455 0 7.635 2 7.635 2l-1.586 3.241s-2.911-1.662-5.984-1.662c-2.361 0-3.913.706-3.913 2.63 0 4.524 12.624 2.465 12.624 10.466-.034 4.86-3.747 7.325-8.675 7.325-5.74 0-9.081-2.906-9.081-2.906l2.091-3.171s2.939 2.499 6.787 2.499c2.869 0 4.59-1.251 4.59-3.274 0-4.694-12.559-3.004-12.559-10.735 0-4.321 3.343-6.413 8.07-6.413zM9.283 11.648c.407.413 1.213 2.345 1.286 2.52l.005.012 4.95 13.215c.285.753.883 1.167 1.486 1.22a1.588 1.588 0 001.518-.96l.059-.15 1.565-4.156 2.63 6.904c-1.293 2.321-2.53 2.917-3.98 3.453a6.534 6.534 0 01-1.742.291c-.133.004-.35.003-.483 0-1.077-.038-2.138-.322-2.99-.827-.467-.314-1.674-1.118-2.528-3.037l-.109-.256-5.218-14.564V28.58l.079-.223 1.911-5.384 2.475 7.012c-.372 1.618-1.506 2.967-2.848 3.615-.43.199-.783.315-1.21.364l-.22.02-.133.004a4.969 4.969 0 01-3.016-.818c-1.28-.93-1.686-2.058-1.762-3.95L1 28.957V14.563c.163-2.377 1.667-3.67 3.015-4.264.64-.216.911-.269 1.611-.269 1.182-.054 2.634.43 3.657 1.618zM17.14 10c1.175-.014 2.347.253 3.278.84.465.307 1.667 1.065 2.522 2.98l.11.257 5.16 14.613V15.368l-.122.36-1.81 5.253-2.47-7.012c.32-1.566 1.505-2.914 2.849-3.563.322-.15.72-.26 1.092-.327l.272-.043c.033-.008.068-.01.101-.012l.014-.002.014-.002c1.075-.083 2.162.215 3.078.766 1.289.98 1.687 2.058 1.764 3.99l.008.27v14.346c-.159 2.425-1.717 3.72-3.065 4.314-.588.215-.861.269-1.557.269-1.182 0-2.688-.432-3.657-1.673-.414-.408-1.213-2.346-1.285-2.522l-.005-.012-4.95-13.16a2.036 2.036 0 00-1.608-1.222c-.572-.015-1.133.295-1.443.955l-.067.159-1.508 4.157L11.22 13.7c1.291-2.323 2.526-2.859 3.977-3.4.409-.129.95-.217 1.444-.264l.289-.024.052-.005h.051L17.14 10zm55.654.285l-.5 3.463H62.74v6.026h9.222v3.563H62.74v6.693h10.122v3.563h-14.25V10.285h14.183zm-30.004-.032l9.356 16.948V10.253h4.162v23.308h-5.095l-9.156-16.415V33.56h-4.162V10.253h4.895zm35.888 0l4.263 18.48h.133l4.328-18.48h3.996l4.494 18.48h.134l4.096-18.48h4.429l-5.928 23.308h-4.928l-4.262-16.249-4.228 16.249h-4.962l-5.96-23.308h4.395z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">ABC News Homepage</span></span></a><div class="Masthead_actns__sbno_"><a href=" class="global-search-lk_lk__yZ7eR Masthead_searchLk__MBRYo" data-ponent="GlobalSearchLk"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Search" class="in_in__BezvR global-search-lk_in__YUQN7 in_size24__1oTgD" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="m21 21-6.904-6.904m0 0a6.5 6.5 0 1 0-9.192-9.192 6.5 6.5 0 0 0 9.192 9.192z"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Search</span></a><div class="Masthead_globalLog__8lnS4" data-ponent="GlobalLogLoar" role="img" aria-label="Loadg ABC Acunt stat"><div class="global-log_skeletonLoar__OgKG2"><div class="global-log_skeletonAvatar___E12h global-log_shimmer__dSe2R"></div><div class="global-log_skeletonName__yxtee global-log_shimmer__dSe2R"></div><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Loadg</span></div></div><button class="Masthead_globalNavButton__fHTfS global-navigatn-button_openButton__9xhrL" type="button" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatnButton"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Drawer" class="in_in__BezvR global-navigatn-button_in__ibfas in_size20__uN3m_" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 12H3"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 6H3"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M21 18H3"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">More om ABC</span></button><div class="global-navigatn-ntent_drawer__XIsPy Drawer_drawerPanel__cwo96 Drawer_drawerPanel__cwo96" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatn" id="global-navigatn-drawer"><nav aria-label="More om ABC" class="global-navigatn-ntent_drawerContent__dfhpC" data-uri="app://module/globalnavigatnntent"><h2 class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly" id="dls-global-navigatn__label" tabx="-1">More om ABC</h2><div class="global-navigatn-ntent_actnsWrapper__umHsB"><button class="global-navigatn-button_closeButton__Zfw2M" type="button" data-ponent="GlobalNavigatnButton"><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="1em" height="1em" data-ponent="Close" class="in_in__BezvR global-navigatn-button_in__ibfas in_size20__uN3m_" aria-hidn="te"><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M19 19 5 5"></path><path stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" d="M5 19 19 5"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">Close menu</span></button><a href=" class="global-navigatn-ntent_logoLk__a__oi lk_foc__WeZws lk_unrleNone__PmrQv" tabx="0"><svg aria-hidn="te" class="global-navigatn-ntent_logo__VtKA0 BrandLogo_svg__W378d" data-ponent="ABCLogo" height="44" prerveAspectRat="xMYMid meet" viewBox="0 0 101 44" width="101" xmlns="><path d="M5.625 10.044h.188c1.151 0 2.501.5 3.475 1.619.412.412 1.217 2.34 1.29 2.515l.004.012 4.957 13.214c.288.743.886 1.175 1.494 1.22a1.616 1.616 0 001.513-.97l.058-.15 1.56-4.157 2.634 6.906c-1.295 2.328-2.534 2.927-3.983 3.459a7.026 7.026 0 01-1.385.265l-.353.023h-.486c-1.074-.033-2.136-.321-2.988-.82-.467-.319-1.675-1.116-2.534-3.036l-.11-.257-5.223-14.555V28.59l.077-.221 1.915-5.388 2.478 7.006c-.376 1.619-1.505 2.971-2.855 3.614-.436.2-.783.318-1.207.368l-.22.02H5.79a5.028 5.028 0 01-3.02-.81c-1.281-.932-1.691-2.058-1.763-3.95L1 28.968V14.578c.155-2.372 1.66-3.67 3.01-4.257.57-.197.852-.262 1.397-.275l.218-.002h.188zM90.341 10c4.467 0 8.127 2.36 9.49 6.108l.092.264.143.406-.385.22c-.143.088-.967.472-2.538 1.208-.416.208-.76.362-.872.415l-.03.014-.593.297-.164-.638c-.517-1.834-2.121-3.823-5.088-3.823-3.704 0-5.825 2.692-5.825 7.383 0 3.67 1.506 7.58 5.715 7.58 2.291 0 4.163-1.25 5.051-3.353l.092-.228.208-.539 4.495 2.022-.22.494c-1.681 3.834-5.374 6.163-9.692 6.163-.143 0-.286 0-.429-.01-6.395-.187-10.362-4.78-10.362-11.964 0-8.668 5.472-11.887 10.582-12.008.11-.011.22-.011.33-.011zm-59.09.787c1.303.976 1.693 2.052 1.744 3.997l.005.27V29.4c-.155 2.416-1.715 3.713-3.065 4.312-.586.221-.863.277-1.56.277-1.184 0-2.689-.444-3.663-1.674-.401-.413-1.206-2.35-1.278-2.526l-.005-.013-4.957-13.147a1.989 1.989 0 00-1.605-1.22c-.565-.01-1.13.295-1.438.96l-.067.16-1.504 4.157-2.634-6.961c1.284-2.328 2.523-2.86 3.972-3.404.415-.138.96-.223 1.451-.266l.287-.022v-.01h.11l.056-.006.055-.006v.011c1.173-.011 2.346.255 3.275.843.467.308 1.665 1.064 2.524 2.98l.11.257 5.167 14.6V15.386l-.122.355-1.814 5.255-2.468-7.017c.321-1.563 1.505-2.916 2.844-3.559.327-.16.726-.27 1.099-.335l.273-.042v-.01h.1c.01-.012.022-.012.022-.012 1.084-.089 2.18.21 3.087.765zM51.012 10l8.462 23.763h-5.495L52.11 28.28h-8.044l-1.868 5.482h-5.462L45.186 10h5.825zm18.571 0c3.583 0 7.847 1.066 7.847 6.141 0 2.153-.902 4.01-2.374 5.032 1.901 1 3 2.977 2.978 5.504 0 4.407-2.928 6.985-8.058 7.083l-.305.003H60V10h9.582zm-.186 13.71H65.22v5.504h4.505c2.055 0 3.077-.89 3.132-2.724.022-.802-.198-1.45-.637-1.9-.572-.572-1.539-.88-2.824-.88zm-21.297-6.734l-2.495 6.767h4.934l-2.44-6.767zm21.428-2.516H65.22v4.68h4.154c1.9 0 2.857-.835 2.857-2.504 0-1.011-.308-2.176-2.704-2.176z" fill="currentColor" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg><span class="ScreenRearOnly_srOnly__aJfWv" data-ponent="ScreenRearOnly">ABC</span></a></div><div data-uri="app://module/globalnavigatnems"><svg xmlns=" style="display:none"><symbol viewBox="0 0 233 76" id="iview-global-navigatn-logo"><tle>iview .

TOP