Archive for the ‘queer event’ Category
Genderqueer Field day / Dia de Maniobras This Saturday
May 25, 2010
Summer is here and it’s time to bust out your short shorts! For everyone interested in an outdoor safe space, here is the FB invite to the Gender queer Field Day happening this Saturday in Humboldt Park.
Queers and allies of all shapes and sizes are cordially invited to come out and play! GenderQueer Chicago is hosting a FIELD DAY. That’s right, break out your ball caps and picnic baskets because we are going to have an afternoon of games and other fun activities in Humboldt Park. We want this to be huge, so invite your friends and family.
This event lasts from 12-5 with kickball will beginning sharply at 2pm. More information will be forthcoming about the specific events you can expect, but the goal is fun, sun, grass, and a potluck picnic to usher in the summer on Saturday, May 29th.
If you are have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us. Also, if you are interested in volunteering to help organize any events, then we’d love to hear from you at genderqueerchicago@gmail.com
50 Faggots
May 6, 2010
Way to reclaim it, girls! I’ve actually had this conversation a lot lately with my buddies Davey B and Amy Nicole about how masculinity is always prioritized in gay/queer culture. Even “edgey” pubs such as BUTT and don’t showcase femme dudes flaunting their curves, and it can get a little boring. I’m still learning about 50 Faggots, but if done right, this could be really groundbreaking–I’m particularly excited about Darell Jones’s contribution. The flyer above is for the benefit party at Hydrate on Thursday the 13th, there is also a screening of the first episode on Friday, May 14th at The Center on Halsted (6-10pm, $10) with cast Q&A afterwards!
Watch the preview over at www.50faggots.com SO MUCH CHICAGO LOVING IT!!!!!!
From the FB group:
50 Faggots is a new, online documentary series educating, exploring and celebrating how individual effeminate gay men survive and thrive in today’s American queer communities. It uses longitudinal, auto-ethnographic documentary filming and educates audiences with the unprecedented access to the lives and experiences of effeminate male activists, artists, professionals and educators perspectives rarely discussed within most cultures. The series addresses the dearth of self-acceptance among effeminate men, young and old, with humorous anecdotes, important wisdom, and inspiring models of resilience. By offering individual alternatives to dominant constructions of American masculinity and heteronormative gay lifestyles, this film illuminates the on-going issues relevant to queer communities.
The first season, located in the urban neighborhoods of Chicago, Washington D.C., and New York City, dedicates two years to documenting the stories of ten effeminate gay men. These men discuss their professional and personal lives, often in contradiction to communities that demand a rigid and binary definition of gender, particularly valuing patriarchy and an appropriate presentation of straight-acting masculinity.
FKA This Thursday – Hanky Code
May 4, 2010
I’m flagging black on the left and dark pink on the right. You?
FKA is my favorite monthly queer dance party in Chicago, for many reasons. Mostly because the vibe is simultaneously hype and unpretentious. The people are fashionable, the level of attractive attendees reaches critical proportions, and yet friendliness prevails. I’ve met countless new people at FKA, and it always feels like a reunion of like minded proactive individuals. Kate Sosin wrote a thorough piece of journalism aboug FKA’s history and place in Chicago’s queer culture over at Chicago Now. Come by this Thursday, no cover and cheap drinks!
Get Ready! Vespertine, Women-Only Play Party This Memorial Day Weekend
April 28, 2010
You know how easily gay men talk about going to a bar with a back room? Or basement? (If you don’t know gay guys that easily talk about back rooms or basements, you need to get some more gay friends, just sayin’). I’ve always thought it was a shame that my queer lady pals don’t have the ability to joke about that awkard underwear hug or funny run-in at the urinal that is also a bath tub. Culturally, it’s a unique space for male homosexualists, and as long as you play safe, I think it can be a healthy experience and “fresh” perspective.
SO glad my mother doesn’t use the internet BTW.
Enter Verspertine, a private club that only comes around once in a blue moon. Women get to learn and explore their kinks and desires in an environment free from potential creeps and gropers, and I can only IMAGINE how liberating that must feel. Just last month Chicago comic and perrenial cutie Cameron Esposito was showing off her Steamworks membership card that she got when she was featured in a taping of Feast of Fun. She can’t go to the Boystown bath house to play, but she was surely excited about being a member and the first woman to hold that distinction. Congrats, Cameron! If you are serious about being in that kind of environment, Vespertine is the place to start. The next one falls on International Mr. Leather Weekend, or Memorial Day Weekend.
Vespertine is being held on May 30TH 2010. Tickets will be available at Leather 6410/Paul C Leather 6410 N. Clark in Chicago starting May 1st. You may also order by phone, 773-508-0900.
Queer Bollywood Beach Party This Friday
April 26, 2010
Just being honest, this is the hottest new queer party to hit Chicago in a looooooong time. Make sure to come and dance your asses off!
Trikone is committed to creating community among LGBTQ South Asians and their allies in the Chicago metro area. We welcome people of all sexual orientations, and gender identities, and of all national, racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds to Jai Ho! Performances at midnight! Pics from previous Jai Ho parties here. RSVP at the Facebook invite here.
Planning Meeting for Latin@ Pride Week
April 15, 2010
Latino Pride can mean different things for different people, but most of us can agree that it is about celebrating our lives, our families and our community. For the last 5 years Orgullo en Accion has put on a wonderful Picnic Celebrating Latino(a) Pride creating a space to celebrate both our Latino(a) and Queer culture, and we should be grateful for all of the work, but a growth spurt is long over due.
I am reaching out to you with a bold proposal, that during the week of June 7th to June 12th, we declare “Latino(a) Queer Week”. Now many of you may be asking, “well what does this mean?”, and what it simply means is that at least for this one week during the year, we can come together as community and celebrate our individual lives and organizations. It sounds like a large undertaking but it does not have to be. There is so much energy, power and passions within us that we can make anything happen.
Please come out to the Latino(a) LGBTQQ Community Meeting
April 22, 2010 at 7pm
Efebina’s Café
1640 S. Blue Island Ave.
Chicago IL. 60608
Queer Social Club This Wednesday
April 5, 2010
What I like about this little club is just how unpretentious the invites are. It’s a dive, , the $2 beer special is Hamm’s, there are no DJ’s (although you are invited to bring your own mp3 player if you want), and they list the available table sports so you can plan ahead: free pool, free darts, a couple Jengas, some Trivial Pursuits, Spongebob Operation, Scrabble, Candyland, Yahtzee! First Wednesdays and a casual situation sound pretty refreshing! Archie’s Tavern, 2600 W. Iowa, 8-2am.
Vespertine: All Play Party For Women
August 9, 2009
Kinky queer women have no need to fear unwanted male advances at Vespertine, the play party for women. Demos are planned to run throughout the night with CANDY XXX, Miss Ammo, Mistress Natalya Sadici, Daddy OH! and the rest of the beautiful Vespertine Team. Play piercing, medical role play, fire and wet cupping, rope bondage, spanking and flogging and…what else is there??!! Vespertine happens on Saturday August 22nd at Mephisto’s Lair, 6410 N. CLARK, CHICAGO.
Membership for Vespertine will be available at Leather 6410/Paul C Leathers from July 22nd through August 22nd at 8pm NO CASH WILL BE TAKEN AT THE DOOR. Cost is $25.00 and the event is 21+. The store is located at 6410 N. Clark St. (Clark and Devon) and Membership may be purchased during regular store hours: Tuesday and Wednesday Noon-8pm, Thursday Noon – 10pm, Friday and Saturday Noon – 4am. Membership fees may only be paid in cash, a membership agreement must be signed and proof of age is required, as VESPERTINE IS A PRIVATE CLUB. If you have any questions, please e-mail directly at skyvespertinechgo at yahoo dot com, Fetish attire required, BYOB.
IML Day Three – Texas Wins!
May 25, 2009
*Mr. Texas and International Mr. Leather 2009
Sunday would be my last day at IML this year, and it was the best. The market was in full tilt, the people feeling the end and needing to show off:
The Alien Egg seemed to be retired for most of the day, with the space being used for heavy bondage. I saw this dominant top having his way with a poor sub. The dom had his right arm in his pocket the whole time, and I realized that he didn’t have use of it, making his disability fierceness all the more deserving of an obedient boy:
Boris, alas! You are the one that got away. I had been trying to get this cute, tattooed, dancing bootblack to shine my shoes but I showed up too late every fucking day and I was so disappointed. He won 2nd runner up in the Mr. Bootblack competition, so I’m sure he’ll be back. I got his card and if you need your boots shined, he’d love to hear from you: bootblackboris((@))gmail.com
The International Mr. Leather Contest got off to a great start. Chuck Renslow, the founder of IML, presented the opening words and he delivered quite the plea. With HIV infections on the rise, and this being the 31st year of contests, he was shocked that our community had not contained this disease. He asked everyone who knew someone who had passed away from AIDS to stand up and shout out their name. Fortunately I did not have to stand, but looking around the room, most everyone was standing and shouting. VERKLEMPT, to put it lightly and that energy was turned around to start the show. The contestants came out and Mr. Marcus announced the top 20. Besides having 6 of TPR’s 8 faves in the top 20, Mr. Marcus was the snappiest, funniest, sweetest highlight of the whole weekend. Loose teeth, a sharp tongue and grandpa jeans made me swoon:
Each of the top 20 had a speech prepared, and their words were a sincere attempt to communicate what message they would bring to the world in 2009. I wasn’t expecting much, as Pecs and Personality really had ZERO personality, but these guys delivered. A couple of running themes: repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, eliminating HIV stigma, and expanding the boundaries of what it means to be a leather man. All in all, this thing ran 5+ hours with two intermissions and it was quite the party. Singing performances by Linda Clifford and (outdated and WAY TOO LONG) filth-cabaret puppet Madame with an E were there to keep us going while the judges deliberated. After Mr. Texas Leather 2009, Jeffrey Payne got sashed, there was celebrating and shenanigans all over the place:
What a great year! Closing thoughts: Every woman that I knew who went to the hosting hotel this year got asked by security why they were there, one of which got asked to leave. Considering the Market is open to anyone 21 and over, that’s sexist BULLSHIT. The entertainment for the events are all standard fare for mainstream gays and I wonder why a community that prides itself on being edgy plays it vanilla when it comes to the music and performances. However in the end, this is a contest for Mr.’s, and any amount of intellectualizing intent and execution probably just says more about me than anything else. The organizational element of IML is pretty impeccable, and this is a gay holiday that is HUGE for the city if Chicago. Looking forward to next year!
