Category: Archives

New “Long Live Community!” showcases events, performers, audiences and organizers

Christine Hawes
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What’s a great way to honor and inspire community? Showing other communities in action! Long Live Community! is The Real Mainstream‘s new section devoted to pics and videos of intersectional, LGBTQ-affirming and progressive community events across Iowa and Illinois. Our first photo packages are from Davenport, Iowa City and Sioux City in Iowa, and Belleville, Buffalo Grove and Moline in Illinois. Take a peek at the event of your pick: In this new feature, you can submit pics and video of events you attended. You can submit pics and video…

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Juneteenth in Davenport (NEW: Long Live Community!)

Christine Hawes
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WHAT: Juneteenth Celebration WHERE: Davenport, IA WHO: Black-owned businesses and community groups celebrating the formal abolition of slavery in 1865. Coordinated by the Friends of MLK Davenport. WHEN: June 19, 2021 PHOTOS BY: The Real Mainstream Team

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Quad Cities Community Happenings (NEW: Long Live Community!)

TRM Team
quad cities community

WHAT: MICHELLE NIXON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISING BRUNCH WHERE: Mary’s on 2nd, Davenport, IA WHEN: June 5, 2021 WHO: Community members, plus friends and family members of Michelle Nixon, honoring her for her community service as a member of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities and Quad Cities Pride Festivals. The event raised more than $5,000. PHOTOS BY: The Real Mainstream Team WHAT: OUTDOOR SERVICE AT METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE QUAD CITIES WHERE: Davenport, IA WHEN: Late April, 2021 WHO: Members of MCC of the QC, which is…

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From Sioux City to Iowa City (NEW: Long Live Community!)

Guest Writer
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WHAT: ECLIPSE NIGHTCLUB PRIDE PARTY WHERE: Sioux City, IA WHO: Queens, performers and community members celebrating Pride at Eclipse Nightclub & Cabaret. WHEN: June 5, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Vanessa Nevarez (Divine) WHAT: A night out at Studio 13 WHERE: Iowa City, IA WHO: Rio S. Suave and Corey Alan, founders of Key City Pride, and Studio 13 personalities WHEN: June 12, 2021 PHOTOS BY: Rio S. Suave, founder of Key City Pride

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Juneteenth highlights from Hanover Park to Carbondale // Bisexual Pride offerings // Expanded health care in Central Illinois (Community Briefs-Illinois, June 17)

Christine Hawes
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ILLINOIS — Juneteenth events are the top priority throughout Illinois this weekend, especially now that the federal goverment and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker have declared June 19 official paid holiday, and the federal government also fast-tracked its -tracking a federal holiday designation, too, for the formal abolition of slavery. Carbondale, the Quad Cities and Springfield are among the communities with large Juneteenth recognitions this year, starting Friday and continuing through Sunday. In addition, the Black and Proud IV online comedy extravaganza Sunday showcases Black, queer performers from across the country…

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Juneteenth, Iowa City’s mini-Pride, more Pride in the Quad Cities, and Dubuque gets rolling (Community Briefs-Iowa, June 15)

Christine Hawes
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(updated 11:30 pm June 16) IOWA — Juneteenth-themed events — some of which are intersectional and overlap with LGBTQ Pride celebrations — are happening from Sioux City to Mason City to Iowa City this year. Communities holding larger-than-ever Juneteenth events to celebrate the formal abolition of slavery in 1865 include Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque and Iowa City. Meanwhile, this week is Iowa City’s mini-Pride (the main festival was rescheduled to October), with a week of activities centered around Studio 13. The mini-Pride starts tonight with a bar crawl that…

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Existential condemnation of LGBTQ people continues five years after Pulse (TRM Blog)

Christine Hawes
pulse pic

“Even life, it’s like funeral practice,” wrote the beloved nonbinary poet Andrea Gibson in their piece, “Orlando.” “Half of us already dead to our families before we die, half of us on our knees trying to crawl into the family photo.” These brutal words are the most pivotal part of Gibson’s amazing tribute to Pulse Nightclub victims.  Yet, they seem to be the least-quoted, I find in the five years since Pulse. When it comes to Pulse, we’re all aware of the location (Orlando, Fl.), number of victims (49 killed,…

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Strong, sexy, busting stereotypes: “From My Lips to Yours” explores kink and leather

Bettie Rage
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The lightbulb moment. We’ve all had them, and mine was when a man walked up to me 21 years ago and asked to lick my boots. I have many loves and passions. Flowers (they are so beautiful, and bring a smile to my soul). Horror movies (can we please get some scary ones? come on!).  Make-up (I own enough of it to make you laugh or cry). Oh… and I am a Leather Woman that loves to play. In fact, I’m your current Ms. Iowa Leather. I’m an educator, and…

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