Quad Cities Pride Month features 23 events in Davenport, Moline, Rock Island and keeps growing

Posted by Christine Hawes | May 12, 2023 | 2023, Archives, Eastern Iowa, Home Page Lead, Illinois Lead, Iowa Lead, LGBTQ+, May 2023, News, News & Features Lead, Northwest Illinois

QUAD CITIES — All throughout the Quad Cities, it’s a Pride season like never before, with 20 events currently scheduled and more coming almost daily.

Quad Citians can go to two annual festivals, four different meal events, and night of games, sports, movement, education, art and more.

You’ll find all the info you need here to participate — including dates, links, deadlines, links to sign up or register, and some fun background even. Check it out!

Protests, Banned Book Storytime, St. Patrick’s Day, billiards in Fairfield, plus Pride in Iowa City, Ottumwa, Fort Madison

Posted by Staff Reports | Mar 11, 2023 | 2023, Archives, Arts and Entertainment, Eastern Iowa, Education, Home Page Lead, Iowa, Iowa Lead, Lead Stories, LGBTQ+, March 2023, News, Topics

Starting with rallies today in Davenport and Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa is bustling with LGBTQ affirming and intersectional events coming up.

Read about Pride happenings in Iowa City, Fort Madison, Ottumwa, and more.

Find out about some fun sports opportunities soon: a huge women’s professional billiard tournament and related events in Fairfield, biking and disc golf in Iowa City, and roller derby in Eldridge near the Quad Cities, and Iowa City.

Plus, it’s a great time to make your own earrings at Beadology Iowa in Iowa City. And if you’re looking for a few recommendations for corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, we have two starting suggestions.

It’s all in the latest TRM Eastern Iowa Weekly Update.

Central Iowa businesses oppose anti-LGBTQ bills, ‘UNI Seven’ honored, Waterloo conversion therapy ban delayed, Postcards with Pints in Ames, more

Posted by Staff Reports | Mar 9, 2023 | 2023, Archives, BIPOC, Central Iowa, Fetishes and Kinks, Home Page Lead, Iowa, Iowa Lead, LGBTQ+, March 2023, News, Politics and Voting, Social Justice, Topics

More than 69 businesses in Ankeny, the West Des Moines community of Valley Junction, and Des Moines’ East Village have all joined statements opposing the anti-LGBTQ legislation moving fast through the Iowa Legislature.

Plus, learn about the UNI Seven and the stance they took in March 1970 that led to the Cedar Falls university’s Cultural Center.

Coming up, Ames Pride offers a “Postcards with Pints” event and showing of a renowned documentary as part of the International Day of Transgender Visibility coming up.

It’s all in the new TRM Weekly Update for Central Iowa.

Events planned across Iowa to fight anti-LGBTQ bills

Posted by Christine Hawes | Mar 2, 2023 | LGBTQ+, 2023, Archives, Home Page Lead, Iowa, Iowa Lead, March 2023, News, Politics and Voting, Topics

You can join five events coming up to protest or learn about the anti-LGBTQ bills proposed in the Iowa Legislature.

Find out about events happening this Sunday in Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City.

Also coming up: the online “Urgent Meeting for Iowa Trans* Families,” a chance to focus in on proposals affecting transgender youth and their families. Those bills are the ones likely to make it through this Friday’s “funnel” for committee approval.

Western Iowa to have LGBTQ Pride events in Sioux City, Fort Dodge, Orange City and Omaha/Council Bluffs

Posted by Staff Reports | Feb 27, 2023 | 2023, February 2023, Home Page Lead, Iowa, Iowa Lead, LGBTQ+, News, Topics, Western Iowa

If you live in western Iowa, you have at least four LGBTQ+ Pride events to choose from this year.

Read about plans underway for SUX Pride June 2 and 3, Fort Dodge Pride Fest coming June 24, Heartland Pride for Omaha and Council Bluffs on July 15, and Pride Orange City in October.

Kings and Queens Club in Waterloo will reopen no matter what, owner vows

Posted by Christine Hawes | Jan 20, 2023 | 2023, Archives, Central Iowa, Iowa, Iowa Lead, January 2023, LGBTQ+, News, Topics

John Hayes vows to keep Kings and Queens Club, Waterloo’s only LGBTQ+ bar, open no matter what.

He announced the bar’s temporary closing right after New Year’s and now has at least a dozen people who have made serious inquiries.

Kings and Queens Club opened in 2001 under Jona Von Blaricom, and Hayes took over in 2011. The bar has a long history of supporting causes and nonprofits and bringing out a spirit of LGBTQ+ acceptance in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area.

Cookie Walk continues MCC of the Quad Cities’ expanded social events, community service

Posted by Christine Hawes | Dec 16, 2022 | 2022, Archives, December 2022, Eastern Iowa, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa Lead, News, Northwest Illinois, Spirituality, Topics

Tomorrow and Sunday, MCC of the Quad Cities holds its annual Cookie Walk, featuring traditional sugary treats but also sugar-free, gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free cookies, cakes, candies and breads.

It’s one of many events that have grown as MCC of the Quad Cities strives to be more than a church, not just Christian, and beyond LGBTQ. Learn about Metropolitan Community Church’s history of leadership, social justice, community service, and fun events intended for everyone seeking a connection and healthy relationships.