What’s New

This story was originally published by City Bureau.

Chicago just launched one of the largest guaranteed-income programs in the country. But how long have Americans been pushing for government-backed income as a solution to entrenched poverty and inequality?

The push to solve economic inequality and widespread poverty through a government-backed minimum level of income is nearly a century old, starting after the Great Depression. In the 1930s, populist Louisiana senator Huey Long, who blamed capitalism for the country’s poverty at the time, proposed giving every American a minimum income of $2,000. However, Long was assassinated in 1935 and his plan never came to fruition. 

That same year, a physician and political advocate in Long Beach, California, named Francis Everett Townsend wanted the federal government to establish a guaranteed income program of $200 a month for retired citizens aged 60 or older. The program garnered popular support, and 8,000 “Townsend clubs” across the country lobbied for his program. While President Franklin D. Roosevelt ultimately dismissed Townsend’s pension plan and Congress rejected it in 1939, Townsend’s ideas influenced the Social Security Act adopted as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal.

The idea of guaranteed income surfaced again during the rise of the civil rights movement and the Black Power era that emerged in the 1960s. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw guaranteed income as a path to national justice and equality. In 1966, the Black Panther Party, one of the most active Black political organizations of the era, stated that in an unjust economic system, the federal government owes guaranteed income or guaranteed jobs to its citizens. 

Calls for guaranteed income also came from libertarians and conservatives. In 1962, free market capitalist Milton Friedman proposed giving free money to everyone in the form of negative income tax to reduce the bureaucracy of state welfare programs and further enable free markets. In 1969, President Richard Nixon advocated for the elimination of welfare programs and the creation of a “basic federal minimum,” or a negative income tax. The amount of assistance would decline as incomes rose. However, his idea never came to fruition due to political opposition in Congress. 

President Gerald Ford later brought about the earned income tax credit as part of the Tax Reduction Act of 1975, which was further expanded under President Ronald Reagan. The tax credit, which is still in existence today, is similar to a negative income tax but requires that participants work, because the credit is a fixed percentage of their income. The figure fluctuates based on the number of children listed as dependents and whether people file taxes with a partner. 

Asked why the mayor changed her mind, again, her office didn’t directly answer. A spokesperson said the mayor understands that flexible cash assistance is a powerful tool to alleviate financial hardship and combat poverty. And he added that the federal dollars offered an opportunity to create the pilot program and “put hard-hit residents at the center of our economic recovery from the pandemic.”

Sky Patterson is a City Bureau 2022 Summer Civic Reporting Fellow, along with Francisco Saúl Ramírez Pinedo, who contributed to this report. Sarah Conway, City Bureau’s senior reporter covering jobs and the economy of survival in Chicago, also contributed. You can reach her with tips at [email protected].

Read More

Printers Row Lit Fest has been bringing all things literary to the streets of the Printers Row neighborhood for 37 years. The festivities return for the second weekend of September with a packed schedule of events. 

The festival is many things to many people: a homage to the publishing industry, a shopping spree for book lovers, a postable feast for Bookstagrammers, and perhaps, above all, a place for publishers, journalists, writers, poets, and agents to hobnob. Specifically, it is the place for any writer in the midwest to see and be seen, or, better yet, hear and be heard. 

Two days of live events, spoken word, readings, workshops, and panel discussions will wash over the brawny former industrial zone, and over 100 booksellers will line the streets with their tents full of actual paper books as the last cicada chirps of summer fade. Best of all, the programming is free! What could be more inviting than that? Perhaps a mere dash of sweater weather and a nicely positioned coffee truck on Polk Street could tip it into a rom-com paradise? 

If you plan to stroll the outdoor festival and take advantage of the book stalls and writers events, take a moment to cast your eyes skyward to see some of the historic architecture as well. Nestled in the South Loop, most of the old printer buildings have been converted into fancy lofts and shops. But you can still see some remnants of Chicago’s printing hub glory days (which peaked in the 1880s) in the architecture. The Franklin building (720 S. Dearborn) features a mural of the Gutenberg Bible being printed and tiles of bookbinders and printers along the building’s facade. 

The entire area is so unique that it has landed on the National Register of Historic Places and the “Printing House Row Historic District” is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Stroll over to the Printers Row Park fountain and community garden (0.38 acres of greenery hidden in the Loop at 632 S. Dearborn) and find a moment of rest in this discreet nod to the area’s printing history, featuring concrete benches resembling printers’s blocks and a kaleidoscopic fountain that would make Frank Lloyd Wright blush postmortem. If you need to escape the elements all together, you might wander into Sandmeyer’s Bookstore (714 S. Dearborn) for an authentic vibe and browse the many titles on display (since 1982).

Printers Row Lit Fest juggles over 100 author appearances and coordinates entertainment for all echelons of the publishing industry—from the romance writer to the political activist—while also providing programming for children (including a Latin American-style puppet show in Spanish and English presented by Carlos Theatre Productions). As of this writing, a full schedule of the weekend’s events had not yet been released, but a steady stream of updates is available at the festival’s Instagram (@printersrowfest). 

Printers Row Lit FestSat 9/10-Sun 9/11, 10 AM-6 PM, S. Dearborn from Ida B. Wells Dr. to Polk and Polk from State to Clark, free, full schedule at printersrowlitfest.org

Even without the full timeline to pour over, the established highlights of this year’s Printers Row Lit Fest are enough to entice a crowd. The emphasis on recognizing Chicago writers is strong and also includes diverse voices who focus on social justice and activism. Danyel Smith,the first Black editor of Billboard magazine, will talk about her recent book Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Jamie Ford will discuss his current New York Times bestseller The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, and the Emcee Skool organization will leada spoken word workshop and open mike. 

The festival does not give short shrift to Chicago’s journalists or satirists; perhaps the best known amplifiers of social justice personages and causes in Chicago. The Sun-Times and WBEZ will host a series of panels reflecting on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a conversation between Dr. David Ansell (author of The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills) and Dr. Thomas Fisher (author of The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER).

The Chicago Public Librarywill host “Voices for Justice: Natalie Moore’s The Billboard,” including a staged reading of excerpts from Moore’s play. The Sun-Times also hosts an in-person episode of their series The Environmental Justice Exchange dedicated to Hazel M. Johnson. Johnson started a movement when she noticed that her neighbors on the south side were suffering from physical ailments associated with pollution, toxins, and poor living conditions, and founded People for Community Recovery in 1979 to advocate for environmental justice. The Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media also host a discussion titled “Social Justice in Chicago: The Mexican Community’s Fight to Stay in the City” hosted by Elvia Malagón (a Sun-Times reporter focusing on social justice topics) with guestMike Amezcua, author of Making Mexican Chicago: From Postwar Settlement to the Age of Gentrification.

Other featured journalists at Lit Fest include Neil Steinberg on his book Every Goddamn Day: a Highly Selective, Definitely Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of ChicagoandRay Long on The House that Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois’ Velvet Hammer.

Our city’s library pulls its weight at the festival, bestowing their prestigiousHarold Washington Literary Award to Evanston-based Natasha Trethewey (Pulitzer Prize winner and two-term United States Poet Laureate).

The Poetry Foundation is setting up a dedicated poetry tent (on North Dearborn, just south of Ida B. Wells) that will be hosting a stream of emerging and award-winning poets. On Saturday at 2 PM, a panel titled“Our City: Chicago’s Poetic Landscape” will be moderated by scholar Carlo Rotella. Panelists include Daniel Bortzutzky, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, Elise Paschen, and Sara Salgado. 

Of course, works of fiction set in Chicago will be highlighted at Lit Fest, such as Toya Wolfe’s Last Summer on State Street, Joe Meno’sBook of Extraordinary Tragedies, andthe Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago”honoree Eric Charles May (Bedrock Faith). Multiple authors whose books have recently been reviewed by the Reader recently will be present, notably Adam Levin (Mount Chicago) and Adam Langer (Cyclorama).

Fitting examples of Chicago’s outspoken heritage of audience participation and spoken word are rampant at Lit Fest. Some excellent samplings include a Literary Death Match,where four local authors will verbally duel each other in front of a panel of judges. Winners from the Moth live storytelling competition will read their work. An exciting skillshare with the public will occur as staff from The Onion will workshop writing satirical news stories (scheduled for the festival’s main stage on Saturday at 3 PM). 

Printers Row Lit Fest is one of Chicago’s core city triumphs. It’s as Chicago as the Bud Billiken parade and as eternal as a zine-filled Quimby’s Bookstore. If you attend, you’ll be part of the Chicago literary scene! Welcome to the glitterati.

Read More

Since we left her last June, Jordan Wimby has taken a rational approach to pop-ups.

“The amount of food enslaved people were given by owners was referred to as rations,” says Wimby, aka The Melanin Martha. “Corn or fatback or any of the things that the people in the house didn’t wanna eat. These small portions sustained the lives of Black folks on the plantation. But I’ve kind of reclaimed this term. I’m giving you something that sustains our culture. I’m giving you rations.”

The rations will be rich and abundant this September 12 when the Melanin Martha returns to Monday Night Foodball, the Reader’s ongoing guest chef pop-up at the Kedzie Inn in Irving Park. For the sequel, Wimby wants to put a big prix fixe plate of classic and reimagined soul food in front of you, featuring a beet salad with whipped lemon feta, candied pecans, crispy fatback and microgreens; a sweet fried buffalo chicken thigh; a vegan turnip-mustard-collard green medley; whipped orange sweet potatoes; and a hunk of salted maple poppyseed cornbread to sop up every last dribble.

It’s a Melanin Martha meat-and-four—meat-and-five, really, counting the banana pudding pop that’s going to cool your metabolic engines when it all winds down.

Wimby, who’s lately been working behind the stick at Rogers Park Social, tells me she’s in beet mode, and she’s hinted that the night’s cocktail, executed by Kedzie owner Jon Pokorny, could very well be, ahem, rooted in Beta vulgaris. Show up at 5 PM at 4100 N. Kedzie and find out. Limited walk-in orders will be available, but preorder right now to lock in all that love.

Meanwhile, prepare yourself for a night of global Asian barbecue with Umamicue and friends on September 19, and a brand-new Monday Night Foodball fall schedule. It’s coming. I swear it.

Kedzie Inn4100 N. Kedzie(773) 293-6368kedzieinn.com

Read More

This story was originally published by City Bureau.

Chicago just launched one of the largest guaranteed-income programs in the country. But how long have Americans been pushing for government-backed income as a solution to entrenched poverty and inequality?

The push to solve economic inequality and widespread poverty through a government-backed minimum level of income is nearly a century old, starting after the Great Depression. In the 1930s, populist Louisiana senator Huey Long, who blamed capitalism for the country’s poverty at the time, proposed giving every American a minimum income of $2,000. However, Long was assassinated in 1935 and his plan never came to fruition. 

That same year, a physician and political advocate in Long Beach, California, named Francis Everett Townsend wanted the federal government to establish a guaranteed income program of $200 a month for retired citizens aged 60 or older. The program garnered popular support, and 8,000 “Townsend clubs” across the country lobbied for his program. While President Franklin D. Roosevelt ultimately dismissed Townsend’s pension plan and Congress rejected it in 1939, Townsend’s ideas influenced the Social Security Act adopted as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal.

The idea of guaranteed income surfaced again during the rise of the civil rights movement and the Black Power era that emerged in the 1960s. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw guaranteed income as a path to national justice and equality. In 1966, the Black Panther Party, one of the most active Black political organizations of the era, stated that in an unjust economic system, the federal government owes guaranteed income or guaranteed jobs to its citizens. 

Calls for guaranteed income also came from libertarians and conservatives. In 1962, free market capitalist Milton Friedman proposed giving free money to everyone in the form of negative income tax to reduce the bureaucracy of state welfare programs and further enable free markets. In 1969, President Richard Nixon advocated for the elimination of welfare programs and the creation of a “basic federal minimum,” or a negative income tax. The amount of assistance would decline as incomes rose. However, his idea never came to fruition due to political opposition in Congress. 

President Gerald Ford later brought about the earned income tax credit as part of the Tax Reduction Act of 1975, which was further expanded under President Ronald Reagan. The tax credit, which is still in existence today, is similar to a negative income tax but requires that participants work, because the credit is a fixed percentage of their income. The figure fluctuates based on the number of children listed as dependents and whether people file taxes with a partner. 

Asked why the mayor changed her mind, again, her office didn’t directly answer. A spokesperson said the mayor understands that flexible cash assistance is a powerful tool to alleviate financial hardship and combat poverty. And he added that the federal dollars offered an opportunity to create the pilot program and “put hard-hit residents at the center of our economic recovery from the pandemic.”

Sky Patterson is a City Bureau 2022 Summer Civic Reporting Fellow, along with Francisco Saúl Ramírez Pinedo, who contributed to this report. Sarah Conway, City Bureau’s senior reporter covering jobs and the economy of survival in Chicago, also contributed. You can reach her with tips at [email protected].

Read More

Printers Row Lit Fest has been bringing all things literary to the streets of the Printers Row neighborhood for 37 years. The festivities return for the second weekend of September with a packed schedule of events. 

The festival is many things to many people: a homage to the publishing industry, a shopping spree for book lovers, a postable feast for Bookstagrammers, and perhaps, above all, a place for publishers, journalists, writers, poets, and agents to hobnob. Specifically, it is the place for any writer in the midwest to see and be seen, or, better yet, hear and be heard. 

Two days of live events, spoken word, readings, workshops, and panel discussions will wash over the brawny former industrial zone, and over 100 booksellers will line the streets with their tents full of actual paper books as the last cicada chirps of summer fade. Best of all, the programming is free! What could be more inviting than that? Perhaps a mere dash of sweater weather and a nicely positioned coffee truck on Polk Street could tip it into a rom-com paradise? 

If you plan to stroll the outdoor festival and take advantage of the book stalls and writers events, take a moment to cast your eyes skyward to see some of the historic architecture as well. Nestled in the South Loop, most of the old printer buildings have been converted into fancy lofts and shops. But you can still see some remnants of Chicago’s printing hub glory days (which peaked in the 1880s) in the architecture. The Franklin building (720 S. Dearborn) features a mural of the Gutenberg Bible being printed and tiles of bookbinders and printers along the building’s facade. 

The entire area is so unique that it has landed on the National Register of Historic Places and the “Printing House Row Historic District” is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Stroll over to the Printers Row Park fountain and community garden (0.38 acres of greenery hidden in the Loop at 632 S. Dearborn) and find a moment of rest in this discreet nod to the area’s printing history, featuring concrete benches resembling printers’s blocks and a kaleidoscopic fountain that would make Frank Lloyd Wright blush postmortem. If you need to escape the elements all together, you might wander into Sandmeyer’s Bookstore (714 S. Dearborn) for an authentic vibe and browse the many titles on display (since 1982).

Printers Row Lit Fest juggles over 100 author appearances and coordinates entertainment for all echelons of the publishing industry—from the romance writer to the political activist—while also providing programming for children (including a Latin American-style puppet show in Spanish and English presented by Carlos Theatre Productions). As of this writing, a full schedule of the weekend’s events had not yet been released, but a steady stream of updates is available at the festival’s Instagram (@printersrowfest). 

Printers Row Lit FestSat 9/10-Sun 9/11, 10 AM-6 PM, S. Dearborn from Ida B. Wells Dr. to Polk and Polk from State to Clark, free, full schedule at printersrowlitfest.org

Even without the full timeline to pour over, the established highlights of this year’s Printers Row Lit Fest are enough to entice a crowd. The emphasis on recognizing Chicago writers is strong and also includes diverse voices who focus on social justice and activism. Danyel Smith,the first Black editor of Billboard magazine, will talk about her recent book Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Jamie Ford will discuss his current New York Times bestseller The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, and the Emcee Skool organization will leada spoken word workshop and open mike. 

The festival does not give short shrift to Chicago’s journalists or satirists; perhaps the best known amplifiers of social justice personages and causes in Chicago. The Sun-Times and WBEZ will host a series of panels reflecting on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a conversation between Dr. David Ansell (author of The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills) and Dr. Thomas Fisher (author of The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER).

The Chicago Public Librarywill host “Voices for Justice: Natalie Moore’s The Billboard,” including a staged reading of excerpts from Moore’s play. The Sun-Times also hosts an in-person episode of their series The Environmental Justice Exchange dedicated to Hazel M. Johnson. Johnson started a movement when she noticed that her neighbors on the south side were suffering from physical ailments associated with pollution, toxins, and poor living conditions, and founded People for Community Recovery in 1979 to advocate for environmental justice. The Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media also host a discussion titled “Social Justice in Chicago: The Mexican Community’s Fight to Stay in the City” hosted by Elvia Malagón (a Sun-Times reporter focusing on social justice topics) with guestMike Amezcua, author of Making Mexican Chicago: From Postwar Settlement to the Age of Gentrification.

Other featured journalists at Lit Fest include Neil Steinberg on his book Every Goddamn Day: a Highly Selective, Definitely Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of ChicagoandRay Long on The House that Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois’ Velvet Hammer.

Our city’s library pulls its weight at the festival, bestowing their prestigiousHarold Washington Literary Award to Evanston-based Natasha Trethewey (Pulitzer Prize winner and two-term United States Poet Laureate).

The Poetry Foundation is setting up a dedicated poetry tent (on North Dearborn, just south of Ida B. Wells) that will be hosting a stream of emerging and award-winning poets. On Saturday at 2 PM, a panel titled“Our City: Chicago’s Poetic Landscape” will be moderated by scholar Carlo Rotella. Panelists include Daniel Bortzutzky, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, Elise Paschen, and Sara Salgado. 

Of course, works of fiction set in Chicago will be highlighted at Lit Fest, such as Toya Wolfe’s Last Summer on State Street, Joe Meno’sBook of Extraordinary Tragedies, andthe Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago”honoree Eric Charles May (Bedrock Faith). Multiple authors whose books have recently been reviewed by the Reader recently will be present, notably Adam Levin (Mount Chicago) and Adam Langer (Cyclorama).

Fitting examples of Chicago’s outspoken heritage of audience participation and spoken word are rampant at Lit Fest. Some excellent samplings include a Literary Death Match,where four local authors will verbally duel each other in front of a panel of judges. Winners from the Moth live storytelling competition will read their work. An exciting skillshare with the public will occur as staff from The Onion will workshop writing satirical news stories (scheduled for the festival’s main stage on Saturday at 3 PM). 

Printers Row Lit Fest is one of Chicago’s core city triumphs. It’s as Chicago as the Bud Billiken parade and as eternal as a zine-filled Quimby’s Bookstore. If you attend, you’ll be part of the Chicago literary scene! Welcome to the glitterati.

Read More

Since we left her last June, Jordan Wimby has taken a rational approach to pop-ups.

“The amount of food enslaved people were given by owners was referred to as rations,” says Wimby, aka The Melanin Martha. “Corn or fatback or any of the things that the people in the house didn’t wanna eat. These small portions sustained the lives of Black folks on the plantation. But I’ve kind of reclaimed this term. I’m giving you something that sustains our culture. I’m giving you rations.”

The rations will be rich and abundant this September 12 when the Melanin Martha returns to Monday Night Foodball, the Reader’s ongoing guest chef pop-up at the Kedzie Inn in Irving Park. For the sequel, Wimby wants to put a big prix fixe plate of classic and reimagined soul food in front of you, featuring a beet salad with whipped lemon feta, candied pecans, crispy fatback and microgreens; a sweet fried buffalo chicken thigh; a vegan turnip-mustard-collard green medley; whipped orange sweet potatoes; and a hunk of salted maple poppyseed cornbread to sop up every last dribble.

It’s a Melanin Martha meat-and-four—meat-and-five, really, counting the banana pudding pop that’s going to cool your metabolic engines when it all winds down.

Wimby, who’s lately been working behind the stick at Rogers Park Social, tells me she’s in beet mode, and she’s hinted that the night’s cocktail, executed by Kedzie owner Jon Pokorny, could very well be, ahem, rooted in Beta vulgaris. Show up at 5 PM at 4100 N. Kedzie and find out. Limited walk-in orders will be available, but preorder right now to lock in all that love.

Meanwhile, prepare yourself for a night of global Asian barbecue with Umamicue and friends on September 19, and a brand-new Monday Night Foodball fall schedule. It’s coming. I swear it.

Kedzie Inn4100 N. Kedzie(773) 293-6368kedzieinn.com

Read More

If you’re downtown and want a little lunchtime terpsichore, head over to the Daley Center Plaza (50 W. Washington) today at noon for a free hour-long performance by Ballet 5:8, a company, whose mission is “to engage communities in Chicago, the Midwest and across the nation in conversation of life and faith through innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance.” The company also presents a VIP production of The Living Room Series, created by artistic director Julianna Rubio Slager, tomorrow at 7, 7:30, and 8:15 PM at the Colvin House (5940 N. Sheridan); the site-specific immersive performance includes food and drinks, and tickets are $40 at ballet58.org; reservations are limited and sales conclude today at midnight. (KR)

Summer is in its last weeks, and so, sadly is the city’s SummerDance series season, which culminates in a celebration on Sat 9/17 at Millennium Park. Tonight, you can head to Portage Park (4100 N. Long) to participate in Cuban Salsa. The evening kicks off with a performance by Filament Theatre at 4:30 PM. Orquesta Charangueo will be on hand at 6 PM to play salsa, guaracha, and son montuno. For those who need some dancing instruction, show up early as Edson de Cuba will do a primer at 5:30 PM. (SCJ)

Kristin Emery from the Newberry Library and Paul Durica of the Chicago History Museum team up tonight to host tonight’s Hideout Trivia, a monthly three round evening of trivia questions, Chicago history, and more. Musicians Lily Emerson and Charlie Malave perform throughout the evening, and a sliding scale admission fee of $10-$25 supports a different local mutual aid organization each month. Doors open at 5:30 PM with the first round starting at 6. It’s all at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia); advance tickets are more information are available here. (SCJ)

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If you thought chat rooms ended with the 90s, you’d be wrong. They’re more popular than ever, especially adult chat rooms.

There are two types: classic/text and video. Remember old-school AOL chat rooms? They’re a huge hit with adults looking to talk dirty on the Internet. And video chat rooms take the beauty of classic rooms and add video capability.

Adult chat sites have become the go-to for any busy adult looking for that quick gratifying fix. You don’t have to leave your couch to find excited sexy people who want to talk about naughty things. There’s a little something for everyone here, no matter how specific your sexual kink is.

But some sites do it better than the rest. It’s going to take far too much energy for you to peek through the Internet looking for the best. Some are too expensive, others are too boring, and some are just plain bad. Skip all that nonsense and read below to find the top free adult chat sites (or almost free) with the sexiest users.

Top 15+ Adult Chat Rooms for Sex Chat Reviewed

Sl*tRoulette: Best overall adult chat site321 SexChat: Most entertaining siteJerkmate: Get off with sexy strangersChatAvenue: One of the most popular chat roomsChaturbate: Most well-known video chatChatRandom: Quickest way to meet someone newChatropolis: Kinkiest chat room categoriesAdultFriendFinder: Meet horny strangers on AFFFlingster: Most discreet option on this listAshley Madison: Best for affairsChatville: An adult site that offers a sense of communityChatzy: Old-school, no-frills chattingDirtyRoulette: Sexy roulette-style websiteChatroulette: Most active roulette websiteOmegle: Free chat site for random encountersiSexyChat: Share nudes with new friendsLewdChat: IRC platform for adultsFlirtLu: Sexiest webcam experience

Honorable Mentions

Flirt: A hybrid of erotic chat and a dating siteWeird Town: Chat about any weird thing you can think of. It doesn’t have to be weird sex, but it can be!CooMeet: Like Chatroulette with more attractive people!Cuckold Chat: Cuckold-oriented chat roomsChat Zozo: Run-of-the-mill free adult sex chat siteFreeChatNow: Quick free sex chat site with forums and discussion boardsKinksters Chat: BDSM and kink chat roomsChatPig: Sexy chat rooms with regular and adult actress usersTempoCams: Naughty roulette-style chatShagle: Meet new hotties through video chat!

1.  Sl*tRoulette: Roll the dice to find someone nice

Sl*tRoulette helps shake things up in the adult chat room world, where many sites look and function in basically the same way. Sl*tRoulette is pretty much like it sounds—you get a random cam model on your screen. You can then select “Next” if you want to move onto someone else. 

(Fun fact: Sl*tRoulette is a new take on ChatRoulette, a similar site whose adult version was taken down.) 

Like many adult chat rooms, Sl*tRoulette is free, which is always a plus, right?  All you have to do is simply verify your age. After that, you’ll be free to sit back and enjoy a wide range of women performing cam shows. The Sl*tRoulette uses an algorithm that selects top-rated models, helping ensure a more enjoyable experience from the get-go.

Sl*tRoulette Live is a platform within SlutRoulette that has more diverse offerings instead of the stream of solo women on the regular platform. Here you will see men, straight and gay couples, group sex, trans performers, and more. 

Like most other adult chat sites, Sl*tRoulette uses a tip system that incentivizes the performers to use the platform and put on an enjoyable show for viewers like you. You can also upgrade to Premium for more features. 

Pros:

Fun conceptAttractive modelsFree

Cons:

May not appeal to everyoneMinimal control can be frustrating

Price: Free (with option to upgrade) 

2.  321 SexChat: Quirky and silly chat site

321 SexChat is for someone who doesn’t take their sex chat needs all that seriously. Don’t get us wrong, 321 SexChat has got the goods. It’s designed like a normal adult chat site, but it’s designed in a way that’s bubbly, over-the-top, exciting, and a whole lot of fun. It’s not dark or serious in any way, but it will seriously get you off if that’s what you’re looking for.

For one, 321 SexChat has tons of unique rooms for you to join, whether you are into furries, nymphs, saunas, or whatever else. All the rooms have fun names, too, like The Lurker Zone, Yes Daddy, or Pegging Palace. Once you are in the chat room, there are so many fun features for you to play with. You can send emojis, fun texts, memes, and even GIFs.

321 SexChat is a fun way to explore your adult fantasies with strangers online. It keeps everything lighthearted, which is a welcome change of pace in comparison to many of the other video chat sites on this list.

Pros:

Fun and quirky approachExtremely niche roomsFree

Cons:

Not a ton of users in the roomsMale users dominateSome ads

Price: Free

3.  Jerkmate: Masturbate with new friends

Jerkmate is a free sex chat site that claims you’ll never have to masturbate alone again. It also calls itself the ultimate live masturbation experience. It’s a bold claim, but a very real one. If you couldn’t tell by the name, Jerkmate will help you find a jerk-off partner through their group chat sessions or one-on-one chats. This person could be your average guy or gal, but they might also be a professional adult star.

Signing up for Jerkmate is fairly simple. Create a free account by adding your e-mail, nickname, and password. From there, you’re guided to a page full of beautiful people who want to share this journey with you. It can tend to feel more like an adult video chat experience, but it’s a fantastic way to meet someone.

Enjoy shows performed to a wide audience, or settle into a more private one-on-one setting. Use their great search features to filter by category, body type, or fetish. Aside from being a unique adult chat experience, Jerkmate has a lot to love in terms of usability.

Pros:

Fantastic enthusiastic usersHigh-quality showsTons of search options

Cons:

Can sometimes be a struggle to find someone hot enough to go one-on-one withMore cammy than adult chat

Price: Free, but can pay for upgraded features

4.  ChatAvenue: Clean-looking naughty chat site

ChatAvenue is one of the cleaner options for chat sites on this list. If you’re concerned about someone checking out your Internet history or a nosy neighbor peering into your window and seeing what you’re up to, ChatAvenue will make you feel secure in its squeaky appearance.

ChatAvenue isn’t designed just for dirty talk. There are all types of rooms available to everyone, like sports, teen, and college chat. There are also flirtier options like dating chat. Of course, there’s an adult section, otherwise ChatAvenue wouldn’t make the cut for us!

The 18+ Adult Chat section on ChatAvenue is one of the most active adult rooms on the site. There are tons of users online at any given time with floods of messages from the moment you enter! Before you can come into the room, you’ll be agreeing to a list of reasonable terms. One of those terms is no solicitation, so you know you won’t be enticed to purchase anything you weren’t planning on buying. Offering services will actually get you banned from the room, which is good news when you just want a free good time! Also, there isn’t any registration required.

Pros:

No sign-up necessaryVery active roomSolicitation of any kind will get a user banned

Cons:

Only one adult chat room availableIt’s both good and bad that it is flooded with users

Price: Free

5.  Chaturbate: Sexy online video chat

Chaturbate offers webcam video chat where you can message and watch the stunning users and their livestreams through the platform. There’s nothing that’s not drenched in hot sexual energy over at Chaturbate, which is why it’s one of the hottest places to engage in erotic chat room discussions with likeminded adults.

This site is one of the biggest players in the adult world, so they’ve got their ducks in a row in terms of functionality and navigation. It’s not a totally free site, though, which is the one drawback. Transactions on Chaturbate are done through a credit system, which you can use your credit card to purchase or even some forms of cryptocurrency.

The main pull to Chaturbate is that it’s a well-known site full of beautiful people. What’s not to love about that? You’ll need to shell out some cash to get the full experience, but it’s worth it on this amazing platform!

Pros:

Attractive usersWebcam video chatEnthusiastic members

Cons:

It’s not the cheapest option

Price: Credit-based system

6.  ChatRandom: Speedy random chat site

ChatRandom is a chat site that randomly pairs you up with others around the globe who are also on ChatRandom at the same time as you. You don’t have to do anything, aside from have a working camera and microphone, to find someone to talk with. Just allow the site to access your camera, and instantly you’ll be met with a new Internet buddy.

ChatRandom has over 35K daily users, so there’s never a shortage of people to meet while you’re engaged on this roulette-style adult chat. If you want to make the experience a little less random, you can filter by country or gender you wish to talk with.

Though it was developed a decade ago, it still has a modern feel and works very quickly. In fact, it’s way more modern than a site like Chatroulette or Omegle. That’s why it’s higher on our list! It also offers rooms in addition to random chat. These rooms have themes like gay, adult dating, role-play, flirt, and more.

Pros:

No sign-up requiredInstant random chatTons of people to meetChat rooms along with random one-on-ones

Cons:

No major filtering or search featuresChat rooms are on the smaller side

Price: $17.99/month

7.  Chatropolis: Most diverse chat room options

Chatropolis is fairly average in that it directs you to chat rooms once you’re on the website. The dark colors and nude images give you the indication that all these rooms are going to be adult themed. There are no gamer rooms or anime discussions on this website. What gives Chatropolis its edge (aside from the edgy colors used throughout the site) is the fact that it has a plethora of themes that cater to unique types of individuals. For example, there are chat rooms called Celeb Flesh, Cougars Till Dawn, and Office Seduction. There are plenty for you to choose from aside from these highlights, as well.

It would be surprising to learn that you didn’t find any room (among their 200+) that hit your sweet spot on Chatropolis. If you want to create your own room, that’s possible on this site! You can come up with the name, choose your colors, etc. However, in order to create a room, you need to sign up and pay for Chatropolis. It’s pretty reasonable, though, and won’t break the bank if you’re dead set on starting your own room.

Chatropolis gets a good amount of engagement and activity on a daily basis. You are able to be in multiple rooms at a time if you’re someone who likes a lot of action.

Pros:

Plenty of chat room themesPremium members can create their own roomsPretty active site

Cons:

Some of the rooms you might want to enter could be fullNo exciting features on Chatropolis

Price: $12.95/month

8.  AdultFriendFinder: Best way to find a new kinky chat

If you’re privy to the world of online adult fun, you’ve probably been introduced to AdultFriendFinder at least once. It’s one of the most popular ways for kinky adults to meet each other. While AFF has various means and methods of introducing people, their chat function is one of the best.

We love AdultFriendFinder because it has so many users. The site has millions of members, but about a quarter-million of those folks use the AFF chat capabilities. Members of AFF seem to love doing sex broadcasts that invite other users to join in and meet new users. There are also fantastic rooms and one-on-one options.

Being so popular, AFF does a fantastic job of creating unique categories and opportunities. You can search the site for various groups, forums, and chat rooms broken up by fetish. For instance, do you have a thing for older women? They’ve got you covered. Do you enjoy being a voyeur on your naughty neighbors? There’s a discussion for that too. Whatever you are into, you’ll find (and more) on AdultFriendFinder with plenty of other adults who are into the same thing.

Pros:

Tons of usersUnique groupsNo shortage of fun featuresEveryone is kinky

Cons:

ExpensiveTends to have a lot of annoying ads

Price: about $40/month (that price decreases if you sign up for a longer time)

9.  Flingster: Anonymous adult video chat

Flingster is another random video and chat site for kinky adults. You might be puzzled as to how it could be an anonymous video chat site. Well, Flingster makes anonymity a possibility by implementing two very important features.

For one, Flingster doesn’t require anything aside from choosing a gender to begin talking. Also, it allows you to mask your face if you wish! Think of this mask as something similar to a social media filter. You can cover your face with an emoji or disguise. These masks follow your face, so you can move around and your face will stay hidden. It’s a fairly advanced feature that other random chat sites don’t have, making Flingster totally unique!

It’s a free chat site unless you want to take advantage of its premium features. We don’t think you need it as you can access the video option without paying a dime. However, premium members do enjoy their ability to use the search features and perform non-video calls.

Pros:

Virtually no registrationTotally anonymousFun filters to cover your faceTons of users who get right down to business

Cons:

Some people report fake usersTends to have a lot of annoying ads

Price: Free unless you upgrade

10.  Ashley Madison: Chats between taken people

Are you someone who isn’t technically single, but you’re still looking to get your kink on with someone on the Internet? Listen, we aren’t here to reprimand you for your choices. Maybe you’re in an open relationship or separated! Again, we aren’t your parents. What we can tell you is that Ashley Madison is a fantastic way to meet others who want to have a naughty chat with you, taken or otherwise.

As far as chat sites go, Ashley Madison is a lot more personal than the others. It’s not totally anonymous (unless you disguise your identity, which you are welcome to do) and it doesn’t lead you to a page full of video models or chat rooms. It uses a matching algorithm to effectively pair you up with horny people in your area to have a sex chat with.

Ashley Madison attracts over 10K new users per day, so finding someone you’re attracted to is a cinch. It also gives you the ability to take your sex chat into a real-life experience.

Pros:

Easily meet real horny adultsGenuine interactionsNon-judgemental environment

Cons:

Video isn’t availableNeed to payLong registration process

Price: About $50 for 100 credits and about $150 for 500 credits

11.  Chatville: A video chat community

Chatville is an adult video chat room similar to the likes of Omegle. In fact, it dubs itself as the best Omegle alternative site. It also calls itself a virtual nightclub. Chatville does offer random one-on-one options similar to other roulette-style chats, but it also has features that set it apart from those.

For instance, when you hop onto the Chatville homepage, you’ll be given the option to instantaneously jump into a 16-way video group. It makes Chatville more of an adult video community than it is just a roulette-style adult site. You can also video up to four feeds at a time if you wish. Also, you can register, but you don’t have to. It’s free either way, which is another reason to hop aboard the Chatville train.

Chatville is a great mix of a chat site and a social network where you can meet new friends. It’s like a forum site but with video capabilities. You can create your own room if you want and become the moderator. There are tons of naughty rooms already, though, like Foot Fetish, Swingers, and Nudists. You’ll need to register to do that, but it’s not complicated and you won’t be asked for credit card information.

Pros:

Tons of options and roomsBest way to meet friends through videoOpen-minded users

Cons:

Not for beginnersCould be more user-friendly

Price: Free

12.  Chatzy: Old-school chat room

The ideal Chatzy user is someone who has been to chat rooms before, might be on the older side, and has an affinity for the classic setup. Chatzy is one of those sites that has been around for ages and really hasn’t changed with the times. It’s stuck in the early 2000s. It was created 20 years ago and refuses to add any bells and whistles, which we kind of respect.

If simplicity is important to you, Chatzy delivers. There are no confusing features, no additional portals, and no frills. There’s nothing to distract you from your chat. The only thing that might get in your way is that Chatzy is used for all sorts of discussions. They aren’t all kinky conversations. In order to find the juicy stuff, you’ll need to do a little bit of research, but it’s not complicated.

When you hit Chatzy’s home page, look to the left and click on the tab titled “Find More Rooms.” From there, you’ll be given the option to search for a phrase or word of your choosing. Look up your favorite fetish or anything related to sex. You will then be directed to the appropriate rooms.

Pros:

Simple as can beNo distractionsFree

Cons:

Not modern at allNeed to search for your room in the “Find More” section

Price: Free

13.  DirtyRoulette: Naked roulette video chat

DirtyRoulette is a site that’s powered by Flingster, so you can bet that it’s just as interesting and suitable for sexy video chat. It’s a free chat site that employs straightforward navigation capabilities rather than bogging you down with nonsense.

DirtyRoulette keeps things engaging while maintaining its simplicity. All you need to do is press the “Start Chatting” button to be launched into viewing a free random live sex chat. If you enjoy what you’re watching, you can stay on the show and begin chatting. If you’d like to see something else, you can hit “Next” to view another random feed. Once you land on something that whets your appetite, you can start communicating with the other DirtyRoulette users. Enable your own video camera if you wish to show off your raunchy side.

DirtyRoulette is a saucy platform that invites people to let their freak flags fly. There’s no prudishness on DirtyRoulette. The feeds load very quickly and you can also check it out on your mobile device!

Pros:

Easy navigationNo distractionsExciting and fresh

Cons:

A handful of reported fake usersSome users are boring

Price: Free

14.  Chatroulette: Best roulette chat site

Chatroulette used to be a roulette-style chat site that wasn’t for nudity. They’ve since updated their site to include two sections: Random Chat and Unmoderated. For the purpose of dirty sex chat, you’re going to want to enter the Unmoderated section. It still gives users the chance to report anything that they deem unsavory; however, nudity isn’t banned from this section.

Chatroulette is potentially the most famous sex chat site around. It’s a cure for boredom, a way to meet cool Internet folk, and totally addictive. The website has undergone some cosmetic changes over the years to keep it modernized and entertaining, and we think it’s done a really good job. For quick adult chat, there really isn’t a better option than Chatroulette.

There are over 30K people on Chatroulette at any given moment! In terms of what to expect, with that many people, you never really know what you are going to get. But that’s the beauty of Chatroulette. It’s completely random, mostly kinky fun!

Pros:

No sign-up requiredDownright addictingA huge amount of users online at any given time

Cons:

Seedy past reputationMust enable camera

Price: Free

15.  Omegle: Random free chat

Meet new friends without registering on Omegle, the ultra-famous randomized video chat site that allows you to plug in some keywords so that the site can match you according to your interests. Omegle is only for adults; however, like Chatroulette, there are two types of roads you can travel while you are on Omegle. You can either head into the monitored section, where dirty video chat isn’t allowed, or the unmonitored section. You’re going to want to swiftly head into that unmoderated section.

Unlike Chatroulette, Omegle will give you the opportunity to list things that are exciting to you, things that interest you, or keywords that help express what you’re looking for while on the site. This will inform the algorithm and help to pair you with someone you’ll enjoy chatting with.

Omegle is totally free and most people take advantage of the randomized video option; however, you can also go into “spy mode,” which means that your camera is off, but you can still chat with strangers. If anonymity is your thing, try Omegle with spy mode! Just don’t expect strangers to completely open up to you without that camera turned on!

Pros:

No registrationEasy way to meet hot strangersYou can plug in keywords for a more filtered random chat

Cons:

Not that modernA dime a dozen

Price: Free

16.  iSexyChat: Erotic free chat site with nudes exchange

iSexyChat is a really intuitive, welcoming, navigable chat site that gives you more control than many of the other websites we’ve covered. It’s free, anonymous, and completely dedicated to sexual chat between adults. Though it was started back in 2006, the site itself is very modernized, making going from page to page feel like a total breeze.

There are a lot of refreshing features on iSexyChat, but it doesn’t bog you down with unnecessary bells and whistles. We also appreciate that iSexyChat is transparent about the fact that it’s totally supported by ads. Something about mentioning that on the homepage makes the presence of ads way less annoying.

Ok, here’s what’s special about iSexyChat: The rooms are very pointed. Yes, there are your run-of-the-mill chat rooms like sex chat, video, gay, singles, live, and video. There are also neat rooms like Trade Skype/Kik?Etc. In a room like that, there’s no guessing as to what you’ll get. You are trading usernames for the purpose of sexting. There are also rooms titled Sex Modeling and Trade Pics.

Pros:

Unique chat roomsModern interfaceErotic-centric chat site

Cons:

Lots of ads, just be preparedSome rooms redirect to other sites

Price: Free

17.  LewdChat: Sext chat site

LewdChat is dubbed as an adult matching site, but it’s really an Internet Relay Chat platform that connects adults who want to sext. This free site allows for a seamless registration that will take you seconds. Once you confirm that you are over the age of 18, you will be brought to the chatting platform where you’ll be prompted to give your name, sex, age, and location.

LewdChat is pretty advanced in terms of the users it attracts. If you choose to enter the #Lewd room, you’ll be met with other online users on the gray message feature. While not all that complex, LewdChat doesn’t shy away from throwing you right into a chat room without any real explanation of what you’ll be met with. It’s essentially a sexting message forum filled with a handful of online members discussing sexual topics.

If you wish to head over to another channel, you can click the magnifying glass on the left-hand side. Then, click “Find More Channels” to be given the option to search for specific keywords. Those keywords will direct you to channels containing similar titles and you can explore from there.

Pros:

No hefty sign-up requiredLots of channels to choose fromTalkative members

Cons:

Small user baseLess than intuitive navigation capabilities

Price: $12.95

18.  FlirtLu: Video sex platform

FlirtLu is a video sex chatting platform that makes it easy to find women and men on camera who are willing to flirt with you. The site doesn’t require that you register at all; however, it will prompt you to register later by tempting you with free credits. These credits are what will allow you to have a private chat with anyone you meet on FlirtLu. Until then, you are welcome to watch the gorgeous people on FlirtLu in a group setting.

FlirtLu is not a random chat platform. It’s designed so adults can get their rocks off to beautiful people who are on their webcams. They are hoping you’ll want to pay for credits to enjoy private time with the people on the site, which you likely will. Your options for who to watch are laid out in the form of thumbnails, making it very easy to choose. You can easily move from room to room for free if you wish to look around.

When you click a thumbnail, you’ll launch into a model’s room and profile. There, you’ll find hot pictures and a livestream where you can join in on the chatting and sex conversation. The women on this site are absolutely beautiful, so there’s a good chance you’ll want to spend some money in order to spend some private online time with them.

Pros:

Beautiful usersVery erotic and sensualNo buffering on your computer or mobile device

Cons:

Need to pay for one-on-one actionFeels sort of cammy

Price: Free unless you decide to buy credits for private chat

Adult Chat Sites 101

How to have the best sex chat site experience:You’d think that chat rooms are pretty self-explanatory, but as you’ve read, these sites are all different with features that make them unique. In order to make the most of your adventures, you’ll want to be sure that you’ve found the absolute best adult chat site that fits your specific needs. Figure out if you want to find a website that introduces you to random strangers or one that allows you to learn about someone on a deeper level. Are you someone who gets off on one-on-ones, or would you prefer a group setting? These are questions you’ll want to ask yourself before landing on a site.

How we came up with this list:We’ve spent a fair amount of time on many websites and apps to determine which are the best. Essentially, the list came down to a handful of factors. We wanted to find the fastest, most effective, and most user-friendly sites that are either free or low cost. We looked at some reviews and reflected on our own time spent on each of the sites.

All the things you can do on sex chat sites:Believe it or not, sex chat sites serve many purposes. You can use them for sexting, video chatting, watching a livestream, broadcasting, sharing nudes, and meeting friends. People also love to get onto these sites when they’re going through a fit of boredom. There’s nothing more entertaining than meeting someone totally new on the Internet for some naughtiness. People also use these websites to link with folks they plan on meeting in the real world. If you go this route, make sure you do it safely.

Free adult chat sites vs. paid ones:Yes, there are plenty of free sex chat sites for you to enjoy. You’ve got nothing to lose by testing those sites out for yourself. Of course, the sites that want you to pay will offer a greater array of features and a bit more enjoyment. Most randomized chatting sites won’t make you spend a nickel, which is a nice touch. If that’s all you’re after, don’t bother paying anything. However, if you want something with a bit more excitement and frills, you might need to get your wallet out. Don’t worry though, these sites usually don’t cost that much and allow you to pay monthly. Usually it’s less than $1 per day, which is very manageable.

Are sex chat sites anonymous?All of the sites listed allow for anonymity. Discretion is important and the creators of these sites get that fully. But if you’re really worried about the outside world knowing your dirty little secrets, check out one of the sites that doesn’t require registration at all. They won’t ask for your e-mail, name, or anything else. These types of chat sites are also the quickest in terms of getting straight to the saucy stuff.

Safety tips:Make sure you’re speaking with an adult; some of the best chat sites aren’t fully adult. They include some PG-13-type rooms that attract a younger crowd. Tread carefully on this site. In other words, don’t pull out your junk on one of these non-18+ sites before figuring out who is on the other side of that webcam.

If you meet up, be careful. Most of these websites don’t cater to meeting up for a romp or a date. However, if you do decide that the person you’ve been hitting it off with online is worth a trip into the real world, make sure you meet in a public setting first.

Stay anonymous. All of these websites let you keep your identity a secret. When dealing with the combination of sex and the Internet, staying anonymous is the best way to stay safe!

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If you’re downtown and want a little lunchtime terpsichore, head over to the Daley Center Plaza (50 W. Washington) today at noon for a free hour-long performance by Ballet 5:8, a company, whose mission is “to engage communities in Chicago, the Midwest and across the nation in conversation of life and faith through innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance.” The company also presents a VIP production of The Living Room Series, created by artistic director Julianna Rubio Slager, tomorrow at 7, 7:30, and 8:15 PM at the Colvin House (5940 N. Sheridan); the site-specific immersive performance includes food and drinks, and tickets are $40 at ballet58.org; reservations are limited and sales conclude today at midnight. (KR)

Summer is in its last weeks, and so, sadly is the city’s SummerDance series season, which culminates in a celebration on Sat 9/17 at Millennium Park. Tonight, you can head to Portage Park (4100 N. Long) to participate in Cuban Salsa. The evening kicks off with a performance by Filament Theatre at 4:30 PM. Orquesta Charangueo will be on hand at 6 PM to play salsa, guaracha, and son montuno. For those who need some dancing instruction, show up early as Edson de Cuba will do a primer at 5:30 PM. (SCJ)

Kristin Emery from the Newberry Library and Paul Durica of the Chicago History Museum team up tonight to host tonight’s Hideout Trivia, a monthly three round evening of trivia questions, Chicago history, and more. Musicians Lily Emerson and Charlie Malave perform throughout the evening, and a sliding scale admission fee of $10-$25 supports a different local mutual aid organization each month. Doors open at 5:30 PM with the first round starting at 6. It’s all at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia); advance tickets are more information are available here. (SCJ)

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