Chicago’s LGBTQ+ history is rich, resilient, and still unfolding. This list spotlights 15 cultural spaces, historic sites, events, and organizations that uplift and celebrate queer lives across the city, from North Side nightlife to South Side commun...
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Learn about the first U.S. gay rights organization founded here in 1924.
Henry Gerber House (U.S. National Park Service)
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One of the largest LGBTQ+ libraries and archives in the U.S.
Gerber/Hart Library and Archives
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Queer-centered performance and new works.
About Face Theatre
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Outdoor museum honoring LGBTQ+ icons.
Legacy Walk - Legacy Project Chicago
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Legendary house music club with queer-friendly events.
smartbar
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LGBTQ+ community center offering services and programs.
Center On Halsted
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Grassroots, BIPOC-centered Pride event in different neighborhoods yearly.
Chicago Dyke March Collective (@chidykemarch)
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One of the longest-running LGBTQ+ film festivals in the world.
Reeling Film Festival - Celebrating LGBTQ+ Stories From Around the World
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Black-led org supporting LGBTQ+ folks, especially women and femmes.
Affinity
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LGBTQ+-centered healthcare and advocacy, with multiple clinic sites.
Howard Brown Health
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Public art and reflection space honoring those lost to HIV/AIDS.
AIDS Garden Chicago
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Feminist bookstore with a huge selection of queer literature.
Women & Children First Bookstore
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Chicago’s first Black- and trans-led LGBTQ+ center, providing resources, mutual aid, and advocacy. A vital space for trans and BIPOC communities.
Brave Space Alliance
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A unique museum documenting the history of leather, and often highlighting LGBTQ+ subcultures and histories.
Leather Archives & Museum
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An organization founded during the AIDS crisis, now offering housing, job support, and healthcare for LGBTQ+ individuals and families.
