Leaving and Longing: The Journey of Queer Youth from Rural Communities
Trevor Ladner knew he was queer before he knew he was gay. He enjoyed dressing up, playing with dolls, and other activities that members of his family and rural community…
Inside Long Beach’s Soon-To-Be LGBTQ+ Cultural District
“Our businesses have been part of this community for a long time—we’ve been part of the movement since it began.”
How Philly’s only permanent LGBTQ+ housing supports queer young adults
When Markese Williams turned 18, he left his home in search of a place more accepting of his sexuality. After dropping out of college after freshman year, he began years…
As coverage of the trans community increases, journalists work to get it right
Legislation attacking the rights of transgender people has kept the community in the news cycle almost constantly this year. Trans journalists and advocates say the increased newsroom focus on accurately…
Borrowing banned books from the oldest LGBTQ+ lending library in the U.S.
The John J. Wilcox, Jr. Library isn’t exactly “a fancy joint,” according to Tom Wilson Weinberg. There are no chandeliers, marble columns or a grand circulation desk, but that’s what…
LGBTQ+ center pushes to expand affordable housing
William Way Community Center in Philadelphia is working toward expanding affordable housing for LGBTQ+ seniors as the city’s queer population ages and the need for essential services and safe spaces…
Resistance Remains in Renaming of Chicago’s ‘Boystown’ Neighborhood to ‘Northalsted’
When Boystown changed its name to Northalsted in 2020, not everyone thought it was the inclusive move it had been billed as.
Can a play bring justice to a gentrifying neighborhood?
Ricardo Gamboa is tired. The playwright and Chicago native, who identifies as nonbinary and uses the gender-neutral pronoun “they,” has been running around in a frenzy lately. Starring and producing…
Finding a Home in the Gutter: Queer People in the Alt Scene
This Ain’t a Scene, it’s a Home The two groups of middle school kids most likely to utter the phrase “it’s not a phase, mom!” are young people in the…
LGBTQ+ inclusive school caught in political crossfire makes students feel like they belong
Before Evelyn Fasking enrolled at the Magic City Acceptance Academy, their view as they walked from class to class was their shoes. “I wouldn’t look up until I got to…