Carbondale candidates turn out for LGBTQ forum, plus puppet-making, prom attire, three big Rainbow Cafe events, more
Six of seven Carbondale City Council candidates are slated to participate in tonight’s candidate forum on LGBTQ issues.
That’s the first of many progressive, LGBTQ affirming and intersectional events coming up in southern Illinois.
Learn in our Weekly Update about workshops for the upcoming All Species Puppet Parade, a youth prom closet by Alton Pride, and an important milestone for the SOIL Sisters.
Plus, Carbondale United wants you! The nonprofit is looking for a programming director; read about the position here.
And find all about the latest run of Rainbow Cafe special events coming March 31, April 2 and April 8. Read on!
Springfield’s Pridefest, Bloomington’s Transgender Resource Fair, Peoria’s River City Pride, and more
CENTRAL ILLINOIS — Though the big Ritz gala this weekend in Springfield is sold out this weekend in Springfield, central Illinois is bursting with LGBTQ affirming events in coming weeks.
Bloomington offers a Transgender Resource Fair March 31. The UP Center of Champaign County offers “Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche” April 1.
PFLAG Galesburg, Skate Palace and six other groups team up for Leading with Love Skate Night April 8.
And Springfield PrideFest starts raising money for its big festival (coming May 20) with Golden Girls Drag Queen Bingo April 21.
Check out our first TRM Weekly Update for Central Illinois.
Body positivity, self-discovery through burlesque on stage in Moline at Striptease Academy Showcase
Burlesque as therapy, self-discovery, empowerment and exploring gender will all be part of tonight’s Striptease Academy 2022 Showcase at The Spotlight Theatre in Moline. It’s one of the year’s last big events for Mary Quite Contrary’s House of Burlesque. It’s one of the year’s final events for MQC’s, a Quad Cities burlesque troupe that’s been performing and providing burlesque and striptease education for six years.
Tim Sullivan thrives despite 1965 expulsion during “gay purge” at UNI
Before Stonewall, there was the gay purge. It happened at universities across the country, mostly targeting gay male students and professors, as far as any reports know.. The University of Northern Iowa is one of the few universities nationwide that have publicly...
Why you should say ‘MPX’ and other timely questions, answers about monkeypox
Read about why it’s time to rebrand monkeypox to MPX, the history of MPX, and other timely questions and answers.
‘Storyteller’ reveals regular guy Grohl
Dave Grohl never felt as though he fit in. Even around kids with which he grew up, Grohl recalls, he felt an “otherness” and wondered what was wrong with him.
Southern Illinois LGBTQ center calendar counters toxic masculinity, ageism, other stigmas
CARBONDALE -- At first glance, "Farms & Faces of Southern Illinois" seems just another calendar fundraising tool for another nonprofit. Look more closely, and this compilation of rustic pics is actually a grand statement against toxic masculinity and the rigid,...
Body positivity the focus of Des Moines’ Zach Gillette and modern-day Bear culture
Zach Gillette used to feel self-conscious and insecure about his weight, the lessening hair on his head, and the bursting hair all over the rest of his body. Then he found the Capital Bears, where the motto is “bear is a state of mind.” “When I first moved to Des...
White Male Fear: Problem & Solutions
To the Editor: Our country and our community has a White Male Fear Problem. Not all, but too many, white males think this country belongs to them: it doesn’t. They think men are superior to women: they aren’t. They think the problems in our communities are due to...
Front-lines teacher raised in Iowa remembers few childhood chances to meet, know People of Color
At a time when straight white men are leading so many fights against diversity, some straight white men are fighting the good fight. They include Kent Mick, a Grinnell High School history teacher who grew up in Humboldt, Ia., and has taught public schools in Iowa for...
“I Can’t Imagine” — But I Must Try
By KENT MICK I can’t imagine how exhausted people of color are when it comes to America. I can’t imagine how exhausted my gay friends are when it comes to America. I can’t imagine how disgusted my Native American friends are when it comes to America. I can’t imagine...
Coming out after age 40 today brings unique challenges
Coming out is a long and individual process at any age. When you’re coming out after the age of 40, you have a unique set of challenges. You may have a history of being in a heterosexual marriage. You grew up and discovered your sexuality under oppressive policies...
Springfield’s Pridefest, Bloomington’s Transgender Resource Fair, Peoria’s River City Pride, and more
CENTRAL ILLINOIS — Though the big Ritz gala this weekend in Springfield is sold out this weekend in Springfield, central Illinois is bursting with LGBTQ affirming events in coming weeks.
Bloomington offers a Transgender Resource Fair March 31. The UP Center of Champaign County offers “Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche” April 1.
PFLAG Galesburg, Skate Palace and six other groups team up for Leading with Love Skate Night April 8.
And Springfield PrideFest starts raising money for its big festival (coming May 20) with Golden Girls Drag Queen Bingo April 21.
Check out our first TRM Weekly Update for Central Illinois.
Harrisburg restaurant, drag community, LGBTQ youth group weather religious furor spreading to library board elections
HARRISBURG, IL — First, a coalition of conservative Christian churches began attacking an LGBTQ youth group, calling it a recruitment tool to the “transsexual and homosexual lifestyle.”
Then, the coalition attacked the public library, and a moderate local church. Next up: drag performers and the gay-owned restaurant that started hosting them.
Now, two anti-LGBTQ candidates are running for the Harrisburg Public Library Board.
Carbondale town hall, forum focus on LGBTQ; Royalty Pageant coming; Mt. Vernon Pride event, and more
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — Starting with Monday’s Town Hall, Rainbow Cafe has four big events coming up along with its daily work of providing support and resources to LGBTQ youth and adults.
Plus, Southern Il PrideFest sponsors a Carbondale City Council Candidate Forum.
Check out Mt. Vernon’s early start to the Pride season. And find links to learn about the Choate Mental Health crisis and how family members and activists are reacting.
It’s all part of the latest TRM Southern Illinois Weekly Update.
Protests, Banned Book Storytime, St. Patrick’s Day, billiards in Fairfield, plus Pride in Iowa City, Ottumwa, Fort Madison
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.
Pride plans from Bolingbrook, Elgin, Plainfield, Naperville and more; Green book exhibit, Elgin Juneteenth fest honor Black history
Northern Illinois is bursting with LGBTQ+ Pride events and more, including two great ways to honor Black history.
Check out Pride events this weekend and coming up in Bolingbrook, Elgin, Naperville, Plainfield, and Rockford.
Plus, explore an LGBTQ+ ‘gayming’ event in Shorewood, the upcoming Juneteenth Festival in Elgin, and a somber exhibit about The Green Book of the mid-20th century, at Skokie’s Holocaust Museum.
It’s all in the new TRM Northern Illinois & Chicagoland Weekly Update.