What’s New

Paulo Batista says, “Some audiences want to see bears and dad-bods, others want to see performers that are just really great dancers. We’re all diverse.” Credit: HNS Imagery

GoGo for the Gold—think RuPaul’s Drag Race but for go-go boys—features a swoon-inducing roster of fuzzy bears, femme dancers in heels, and trans man Paulo Batista, all competing for a cash prize of $10,000 and the title of “American’s #1 Champion Gogo Superstar Star.”  

“Not everyone is attracted to six-pack abs and big thighs,” says the 38-year-old Batista, a competitive bodybuilder and a building manager for Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. “Some audiences want to see bears and dad-bods, others want to see performers that are just really great dancers. We’re all diverse. Even within the trans community, we all present ourselves differently. You’ve got nonbinary, you’ve got feminine, you’ve got hyper-masculine alpha; which is kind of like my vibe when you watch this show. It’s important to see that we’re all different and we all bring something major and incredible to the table.”

For the uninitiated, a go-go boy (or go-go girl, or person) is basically anyone with enough get-up-and-go to dance in skimpy or revealing attire on stage or on top of the bar in a nightclub or bar setting. A go-go boy is not technically a stripper as much as he or she is a bar-employed dancer whose job is to delight, amuse, and entertain the crowd—sometimes for cash tips.

A panel of judges fleshes out the winner based on four categories: fantasy, body, dance, and individuality, with one or more contestants eliminated each week. GoGo for the Gold is currently airing on LGBTQ+ streaming service OUTtv.

Batista’s fellow contestants were “super supportive” when they discovered he is trans. “Some of them were actually surprised, because, I hate to say it—I have this passing privilege in the trans community. Ultimately, they were all just really excited to see that I could bring that representation to the show.”

GoGo for the Gold, which premiered May 13, airs weekly on OUTtv and is available via Roku, Apple TV, iOS and Android apps, and other streaming platforms.

Performing as a trans go-go dancer in the LGBTQ+ bar scene has its challenges. “Sometimes it’s hard to get work because the bar owners are afraid. Like, to be blunt—I don’t have bottom surgery. I wear a prosthetic phallus. So, if a mishap should occur while I’m performing on stage, how’s that going to affect the crowd? I’ve been turned down [for gigs] plenty of times, but other times . . . it’s not an issue. I mean, look at me: I made a reality TV show with the top 12 go-go dancers in the country!” Over the years, Batista has go-go danced at the Jackhammer and the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge—two popular Chicago LGBTQ+ bars featuring male dancers—without incident. 

Batista says the Northalsted/Boystown area is generally welcoming to transgender individuals, although improvements to enhance diversity and inclusion are always necessary no matter the neighborhood or space. “Wherever I’ve gone and shown my ID, I haven’t had any issues,” says Batista, who hasn’t legally changed his biological name. “All my legal paperwork, my credit cards, and IDs have my original birth name, Paula, but I have yet to come across a ‘wrong feel’ at all. There’s even a crosswalk for the transgender community in that area,” he said, referencing the pink, white, and blue crosswalk—the colors of the transgender flag—at Melrose and Halsted, one of 14 rainbow-hued crosswalks along Halsted in the neighborhood. 

Paulo Batista in 2020 Credit: Courtesy Paulo Batista

Batista transitioned more than 12 years ago. “I transitioned when transitioning wasn’t really even an option. But I’m a persistent, stubborn individual. I didn’t listen to people telling me what I could and couldn’t do, because I knew who I was. Over the years, I got my top surgery, I got my hormones, and I just followed my own path. My advice to others is to be persistent with your dreams. You’ll find a way. It might not be quick and instantaneous, but you’ve just got to be patient.”

GoGo for the Gold inspires viewers to think outside the (go-go) box by featuring contestants, like Batista, whose allure is ultimately rooted in their personal stories and how they connect to audiences, rather than standard perceptions of physical beauty. 

“It’s also just a good, corny show. It’s all for fun and shouldn’t be taken too seriously,” adds Batista, before describing one of his favorite backstage moments. “I think the funniest shade was me back there with three different sizes of phallus prosthetic pieces just to give different looks, like a go-go dancer would. I asked them, ‘Which one should I wear today, guys?’ and they were so jealous! They were like, ‘We’re glad you get to choose!’”

While viewer response has been largely positive, Batista admits some of the comments on social media, particularly those criticizing someone’s looks or talent, have been disappointing, but not completely surprising. “I hate to say it, but I feel like there’s too much jealousy out there in the world. And it is especially hard to hear it from our own community. People sometimes just hate seeing others living a happy, true life!”

Read More

Based on a book called Magisterlekarna by Kristofer Folkhammar, The Schoolmaster Games takes inspiration from high school dramas and gay porn. St. Sebastian Academy is an all-male “queer utopia” school where homosexuality is the norm. As a group of friends prepares for a (never-fully-explained) prestigious holiday singing procession, jealousy and romance cause strife among them, all under the watchful eye of the pathetically horny schoolmaster (Johan Ehn). Although he’s engaged in an affair with a young swimmer named Charles (Christian Arnold), the schoolmaster can’t stop fantasizing about all of his students, and all the while he’s haunted by the homophobia and violence of his past.

Maybe my expectations were too high coming into this film; the last time I reviewed a gay Swedish movie, I unknowingly stepped into Levan Akin’s And Then We Danced (2019), one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. But Ylva Forner’s new drama does not compare, outside of language and genre. An hour into this slow-moving 82-minute film, I was over the confusing relationship dynamics and watching the schoolmaster jerk off under his desk. A mix of flashbacks, dreamy visions, and even one random fourth-wall break cause the film to feel disjointed, with many questions left unanswered. Characters are mostly surface-level—relying on prop cues like a football or headphones to elicit personality—but they’re played well, notably the four main students: young Ryan Gosling look-alike Johan Charles as Paul, Nino Forss as Noak, Joel Valois as Fred, and Simon Kling as Tim. 

The Schoolmaster Games
One star
82 min. In Swedish with English subtitles
Stream through PrideArts Summer Film Fest, June 8-15, $10

Just as I was questioning if the movie had much of a purpose, it was directly handed to me through dialogue. Frank (Jani Blom), a teacher at St. Sebastian, professes his love for the schoolmaster, begging him to stop lusting after the young students and be with someone his own age who understands him. 

“Do you really believe you will be free like them?” Frank asks the schoolmaster, recognizing with both jealousy and resentment the experimentation and freedom of the young gay men at their school. “They just shrug at everything we struggled for. We thought we were building a sanctuary . . . but we’ve created a hell.”

It’s a slightly heavy-handed “aha” moment, but it highlights the intergenerational aspects of the story, possibly allowing the film to contribute to a very real conversation in the queer community about entitlement, history, and freedom.

Despite this message, grounding moments of music and queer love, and a genuinely surprising climax, The Schoolmaster Games feels scattered and unfinished, like a waste of potential. If you’re looking for something to watch this Pride Month, there are better queer movies—and probably better gay porn—than can be found here.

Read More

The year is 1994, and rock star Jacqueline Miller (Diana DeGarmo) is zigzagging the country on a tour. Her dishonest manager has absconded with her earnings, her deadbeat saxophonist boyfriend (Ace Young) is either cheating or has forgotten her birthday, and she’s going on Oprah tomorrow but just lost the cover of Rolling Stone to Beavis and Butt-Head. What’s a girl to do but reminisce about a roller rink and her equally disappointing adolescence? Skates, a new musical with book and lyrics by Christine Rea, music and lyrics by Rick Briskin, directed by Brenda Didier with choreography by Christopher Chase Carter, brings Jacqueline face-to-face with her 12-year-old self, Jackie (Emma Lord)—pigtails, red overalls, and all. 

Skates
Through 8/28: Tue 7:30 PM, Wed 1:30 and 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 1:30 and 7:30 PM; Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan, 312-753-3210, skatesthemusical.com, $46-$105.

The year is 1977, and Jackie is firmly in the shadow of her thinner, blonder best friend Meghan (Kelly Felthous) as they navigate the complex social scene and hair-raising drama of the roller rink: Will Jackie get creamed by local bully Russ Reiner (also played by Young)? Will she get a date with “Scotty the hottie” (Adam Fane)? Will her brother Brad (Zach Sorrow) get with Russ’s girlfriend Tonya (Adia Bell), and is this advisable? And what’s better—blue slushies or red? Tootsie Rolls make a cameo, an aptly emblematic confection of cheap and contrived affection. 

The cast is high-caliber but the content sitcom-ish and suburban. There are no real skates in this production—unfortunately no real stakes, either.

Read More

Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid,” is a load of hooey. Consider: The titular mermaid throws herself on a dagger in the end, because she can’t bear to go on after some dude she first encountered days earlier marries someone else. Also, she gives up her voice in exchange for legs so she can pursue the guy in the first place. So it goes in so-called “princess culture,” which pervades everything from Happy Meals to socks. 

The Little Mermaid
Through 6/26: Wed 1 PM, Thu 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 2 and 6 PM (Sun 6/26, 2 PM only); North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, 847-673-6300, musictheaterworks.com, $39-$106.

As for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the House of Mouse was smart enough to know the original would not have legs as a splashy, feel-good musical. Instead, we get an inevitable happily-ever-after from Alan Menken (music), Doug Wright (book), and Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater (lyrics). But in the charming Music Theater Works production co-directed by Stacey Flaster (who also shares choreography duties with Matthew Weidenbener) and Joshua Castille, that happy ending comes with a lightly conveyed but emphatic message children and adults would do well to consider. 

In the pastel, underwater wonderland (nice work by set designer Shane Cinal), the plot unfurls with more oceanic puns than a school of krill. But in addition to having a shamelessly stupid sense of humor, The Little Mermaid delves into the losses that incur when ignorance leads to vilification. The plot is simple: Princess Ariel (a luminous Joselle Reyes, who truly has the voice of a siren) falls for Prince Eric (Nathan Karnik, boasting a soaring tenor and raven locks as shiny and flowy as seagrass) after rescuing him from a shipwreck. Ariel’s father King Triton (Thomas E. Squires, whose galvanic bass sounds rooted in the depths of the Mariana Trench) forbids fraternizing with the human enemies. Meanwhile, Triton’s sister Ursula the Sea Witch (Caroline Lyell, channeling Mae West via Mrs.-Lovett-meets-Mr.-Limpet), spreads her witchery across the waters to comically dire effect. 

The ensemble does swimmingly throughout, but watch especially for Meredith Aleigha Wells. She uses a wheelchair, and from that chair, brings Flaster’s choreography to life with grace, verve, and enough energy and spark to power eels. 

Read More

Based on a book called Magisterlekarna by Kristofer Folkhammar, The Schoolmaster Games takes inspiration from high school dramas and gay porn. St. Sebastian Academy is an all-male “queer utopia” school where homosexuality is the norm. As a group of friends prepares for a (never-fully-explained) prestigious holiday singing procession, jealousy and romance cause strife among them, all under the watchful eye of the pathetically horny schoolmaster (Johan Ehn). Although he’s engaged in an affair with a young swimmer named Charles (Christian Arnold), the schoolmaster can’t stop fantasizing about all of his students, and all the while he’s haunted by the homophobia and violence of his past.

Maybe my expectations were too high coming into this film; the last time I reviewed a gay Swedish movie, I unknowingly stepped into Levan Akin’s And Then We Danced (2019), one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. But Ylva Forner’s new drama does not compare, outside of language and genre. An hour into this slow-moving 82-minute film, I was over the confusing relationship dynamics and watching the schoolmaster jerk off under his desk. A mix of flashbacks, dreamy visions, and even one random fourth-wall break cause the film to feel disjointed, with many questions left unanswered. Characters are mostly surface-level—relying on prop cues like a football or headphones to elicit personality—but they’re played well, notably the four main students: young Ryan Gosling look-alike Johan Charles as Paul, Nino Forss as Noak, Joel Valois as Fred, and Simon Kling as Tim. 

The Schoolmaster Games
One star
82 min. In Swedish with English subtitles
Stream through PrideArts Summer Film Fest, June 8-15, $10

Just as I was questioning if the movie had much of a purpose, it was directly handed to me through dialogue. Frank (Jani Blom), a teacher at St. Sebastian, professes his love for the schoolmaster, begging him to stop lusting after the young students and be with someone his own age who understands him. 

“Do you really believe you will be free like them?” Frank asks the schoolmaster, recognizing with both jealousy and resentment the experimentation and freedom of the young gay men at their school. “They just shrug at everything we struggled for. We thought we were building a sanctuary . . . but we’ve created a hell.”

It’s a slightly heavy-handed “aha” moment, but it highlights the intergenerational aspects of the story, possibly allowing the film to contribute to a very real conversation in the queer community about entitlement, history, and freedom.

Despite this message, grounding moments of music and queer love, and a genuinely surprising climax, The Schoolmaster Games feels scattered and unfinished, like a waste of potential. If you’re looking for something to watch this Pride Month, there are better queer movies—and probably better gay porn—than can be found here.

Read More

Paulo Batista says, “Some audiences want to see bears and dad-bods, others want to see performers that are just really great dancers. We’re all diverse.” Credit: HNS Imagery

GoGo for the Gold—think RuPaul’s Drag Race but for go-go boys—features a swoon-inducing roster of fuzzy bears, femme dancers in heels, and trans man Paulo Batista, all competing for a cash prize of $10,000 and the title of “American’s #1 Champion Gogo Superstar Star.”  

“Not everyone is attracted to six-pack abs and big thighs,” says the 38-year-old Batista, a competitive bodybuilder and a building manager for Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. “Some audiences want to see bears and dad-bods, others want to see performers that are just really great dancers. We’re all diverse. Even within the trans community, we all present ourselves differently. You’ve got nonbinary, you’ve got feminine, you’ve got hyper-masculine alpha; which is kind of like my vibe when you watch this show. It’s important to see that we’re all different and we all bring something major and incredible to the table.”

For the uninitiated, a go-go boy (or go-go girl, or person) is basically anyone with enough get-up-and-go to dance in skimpy or revealing attire on stage or on top of the bar in a nightclub or bar setting. A go-go boy is not technically a stripper as much as he or she is a bar-employed dancer whose job is to delight, amuse, and entertain the crowd—sometimes for cash tips.

A panel of judges fleshes out the winner based on four categories: fantasy, body, dance, and individuality, with one or more contestants eliminated each week. GoGo for the Gold is currently airing on LGBTQ+ streaming service OUTtv.

Batista’s fellow contestants were “super supportive” when they discovered he is trans. “Some of them were actually surprised, because, I hate to say it—I have this passing privilege in the trans community. Ultimately, they were all just really excited to see that I could bring that representation to the show.”

GoGo for the Gold, which premiered May 13, airs weekly on OUTtv and is available via Roku, Apple TV, iOS and Android apps, and other streaming platforms.

Performing as a trans go-go dancer in the LGBTQ+ bar scene has its challenges. “Sometimes it’s hard to get work because the bar owners are afraid. Like, to be blunt—I don’t have bottom surgery. I wear a prosthetic phallus. So, if a mishap should occur while I’m performing on stage, how’s that going to affect the crowd? I’ve been turned down [for gigs] plenty of times, but other times . . . it’s not an issue. I mean, look at me: I made a reality TV show with the top 12 go-go dancers in the country!” Over the years, Batista has go-go danced at the Jackhammer and the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge—two popular Chicago LGBTQ+ bars featuring male dancers—without incident. 

Batista says the Northalsted/Boystown area is generally welcoming to transgender individuals, although improvements to enhance diversity and inclusion are always necessary no matter the neighborhood or space. “Wherever I’ve gone and shown my ID, I haven’t had any issues,” says Batista, who hasn’t legally changed his biological name. “All my legal paperwork, my credit cards, and IDs have my original birth name, Paula, but I have yet to come across a ‘wrong feel’ at all. There’s even a crosswalk for the transgender community in that area,” he said, referencing the pink, white, and blue crosswalk—the colors of the transgender flag—at Melrose and Halsted, one of 14 rainbow-hued crosswalks along Halsted in the neighborhood. 

Paulo Batista in 2020 Credit: Courtesy Paulo Batista

Batista transitioned more than 12 years ago. “I transitioned when transitioning wasn’t really even an option. But I’m a persistent, stubborn individual. I didn’t listen to people telling me what I could and couldn’t do, because I knew who I was. Over the years, I got my top surgery, I got my hormones, and I just followed my own path. My advice to others is to be persistent with your dreams. You’ll find a way. It might not be quick and instantaneous, but you’ve just got to be patient.”

GoGo for the Gold inspires viewers to think outside the (go-go) box by featuring contestants, like Batista, whose allure is ultimately rooted in their personal stories and how they connect to audiences, rather than standard perceptions of physical beauty. 

“It’s also just a good, corny show. It’s all for fun and shouldn’t be taken too seriously,” adds Batista, before describing one of his favorite backstage moments. “I think the funniest shade was me back there with three different sizes of phallus prosthetic pieces just to give different looks, like a go-go dancer would. I asked them, ‘Which one should I wear today, guys?’ and they were so jealous! They were like, ‘We’re glad you get to choose!’”

While viewer response has been largely positive, Batista admits some of the comments on social media, particularly those criticizing someone’s looks or talent, have been disappointing, but not completely surprising. “I hate to say it, but I feel like there’s too much jealousy out there in the world. And it is especially hard to hear it from our own community. People sometimes just hate seeing others living a happy, true life!”

Read More

If you’re a Chicagoan, you know we care about Pride month. Besides the many pride parades to view or join, businesses and restaurants are also actively giving back to the community with fundraisers supporting LGBTQ organizations and the community in general! So, this June, let’s all drink some beers, eat some good food, and put your dollars to good use by stopping by these top Chicago restaurants for pride month fundraisers and events!

Image Credit: Bottleneck Management

1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

During Pride Month (June 1 – 30), for each New Belgium beer sold, New Belgium and Bottleneck will donate a total of $2 to support communities that promote equity and inclusion for ALL. Donations will be made to GLAAD, a non-profit organization working to accelerate LGBTQIA+ acceptance. This fundraiser is running across all Bottleneck restaurants, including the other two Old Town Pour House locations, Sweetwater, and South Branch as well!

Image Credit: Clayton Hauck

Drag + Daiquiri at Soif

2456 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Part of the subterranean Logan Square wine lounge’s monthly programming, drag night returns this June with special performances by iconic Chicago queens Kimberly Summer and Olaysiaqueen! The free to the public event kicks off at 7 pm and will include several showstopping routines and walkabouts through the intimate Parisian-inspired spot.

We know these drag queens are hot, so go ahead and quench your thirst with an ice cold shaken daiquiri – all proceeds from the cocktail will be donated to Brave Space Alliance in their efforts to provide resources to the LGBTQ+ community in the South and West sides of Chicago.

Image Credit: Maple & Ash

8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610

Coast hotspot Maple & Ash is celebrating Pride all day every day with its new and pretty cocktail “Midnight Kisses.” Crafted exclusively for enjoyment throughout June, the purple-hued ombre cocktail is made with Hendrick’s Gin, elderflower, kiwi, butterfly pea tea and lime — meant for sipping pretty on the patio during brunch, in the Courtyard for happy hour, or in the main dining room for dinner. $1 from each drink sold will be donated to the Center on Halsted.

224 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601

With partial proceeds benefitting Center on Halsted in their efforts to secure the health and wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community, Venteux’s cafe will be offering boxes of vibrant rainbow macarons during the month of June. Best enjoyed alongside one of the botanically-themed cafe’s honey rainbow lattes, the boxes will be sold for $15, $2 of which will be donated.

Image Credit: Ryan Beshel

2700 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Stop by Heritage for the “Swirly Shirley” a tipsy, boozy spicy take on a Shirley Temple, ($14) in celebration of pride month! The cocktail is made with Wodka vodka, house-made black cherry syrup, house-made sour mix, jalapeño pepper ice cubes – all topped w/ agua de piedra and served in a Collins glass with an edible glitter rim. For the month of June, all proceeds will be donated to the SRLP (Sylvia Rivera Law Project), which works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence.

Image Credit: Easy Bar

1944 W. Division St. Chicago, IL 60622

Easy Bar in Ukrainian Village will team up with Seattle Cider Company and Bell’s Brewery to support The Trevor Project for Pride Month. Throughout the month of June, a portion of proceeds from any Seattle Cider or Bell’s product purchased will be donated to The Trevor Project.

The Trevor Project is the leading and only accredited national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people under the age of 25.

1017 W. Lake St. Chicago, IL 60607

In recognition of Pride Month this June, Matcha Cita in the West Loop will donate a portion of proceeds from every Rainbow Waffle sold for the month to the Broadway Youth Center. The Rainbow Waffle is $9.95 and features strawberries, banana, whipped cream and sprinkles.

Broadway Youth Center offers comprehensive services to youth, ages 12-24, including a safe space for young people experiencing homelessness. The mission of BYC is to make life healthier and happier for young people who are transgender, queer, lesbian, bisexual, gay, and especially young people who do not have stable housing.

Image Credit: The Greystone Tavern

3441 N. Sheffield Ave. Chicago, IL 60657

In honor of Pride Month, The Graystone Tavern in Wrigleyville will host a month-long fundraiser for the nearby Center on Halsted. For $35, guests can enjoy a Rainbow Shot Flight, solo or with friends, featuring six shots colored red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. A portion of proceeds from all Rainbow Shot Flights lights sold in June will be donated to Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of LGBTQ Chicagoans.

Image Credit: Chiya Chai

79 E Madison St, Chicago, IL 60602

2770 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Chiya Chai will offer a specialty flight of rainbow-colored chai in honor of Pride Month. The flight consists of five, caffeine-free chais (blue, green, dark red, purple and yellow; naturally colored) hot or cold for $10. Alternatively, a flight of three chais–matcha, raspberry and turmeric–is available hot or cold for $9. The flights will be available during the entire month of June with 10% of proceeds being donated to Brave Space Alliance.

Featured Image Credit: Venteux

Read More

Here comes our favorite gathering, hangout, and WFH spot again! Are you looking for a unique pride month celebration? Check out the Juneteenth pop-up at Time Out Market Chicago, located at 916 W. Fulton Market happening on Thursday, June 16th, alongside a handful of other cool events through the weekend. (PS: don’t forget to check out other things you can do in Chicago this June!)

The full weekend lineup features:

Biggie vs Tupac Paint & Sip (Tupac’s Birthday)

WHEN: Thursday, June 16th at 5:30 p.m.

Artists have the opportunity to pick a side in the East Coast and West Coast hip-hop rivalry during this special paint and sip event. Each attendee will paint a canvas depicting rapper Biggie Smalls or Tupac Shakur, with some guidance from an expert instructor.

A $75 ticket includes a 16″x20″ canvas, painting supplies, an apron, and a $20 credit that can be used to purchase food and drinks to fuel creativity. Tickets can be purchased here.

Abstract Mindstate Panel Discussion & Concert

plus RSVP Gallery Art Installation – A celebration of hip hop culture

WHEN: Friday, June 17th at 6:30 p.m.

Chicago-born rappers Olskool Ice-Gre and E.P. da Hellcat — who make up the hip-hop duo Abstract Mindstate — had slipped into semi-retirement prior to 2018, when Kanye West signed them as the first artists on his new label YZY SND. Flash forward to 2021: The duo released a brand new record (titled Dreams Still Inspire and produced by Kanye West) and a documentary (We Paid Let Us In! The Legend of Abstract Mindstate) that’s been screened in film festival circuits worldwide, and were featured in the Netflix documentary Jeen-Yuhs.

Attendees can learn more about Abstract Mindstate’s resurrection at this exclusive Time Out Market Chicago panel discussion, when the duo will be joined by Chicago poet and radio show host Mario Smith for a discussion about their reunion and all things Chicago hip-hop. Plus, don’t miss an RSVP Gallery– curated exhibit featuring historic photos of Abstract Mindstate and designs by Don Crawley (aka Don C), the influential streetwear designer and music executive.

The panel discussion will include both members of Abstract Mindstate and will be moderated by Mario Smith. Space is limited for the panel and tickets can be purchased here.

Juneteenth Pop-Up Market

WHEN: Saturday, June 18th

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Guests can start off the day with unique fashion finds as Stash Market takes over the second floor of Time Out Market. This curated shopping experience where people, art, and handmade designs merge for an afternoon full of inspiration, variety, creativity, and a smashing good time, will feature black-owned local brands and vendors. The market is free to attend.

8 p.m. – 11 p.m: Those who are looking for some after-dark fun, can grab a cocktail at one of Time Out Market’s three bars and dance the night away with renowned DJ Sye Young.

Brunch & Brews

WHEN: Sunday, June 19th

To complement the market’s Sunday brunch offerings, Chicago Brewer Moors Beer will be sampling a selection of brews from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. while local artist Aziza Lisa performs. Visitors to the market are also encouraged to check out the two-story mural of the iconic fashion designer and Chicagoan Virgil Abloh. Created by local artist Rahmaan Statik in partnership with B_Line Projects, the mural graces the walls of Time Out Market’s west staircase.

For more information, please visit the website at www.timeoutmarket.com/chicago.

Featured Image Credit: Time Out Market Chicago

Read More

It’s only gay if the swords touch—and Henry Hanson’s short film Bros Before is a whole arsenal of blades. In it, Billy (Radcliffe Adler) and Elijah (Marten Katze) are two trans men who happen to enjoy jerking off together—but, like, no homo. When Billy begins dating Grace (Meadow Meyer), Elijah finds himself wrestling with what their secret ritual means. The title plays off the idea of “bros before hoes,” adding a subtle wink to the time-honored queer tradition of “experimenting” with a same-gender friend only to learn one person is experiencing their desires in a way the other isn’t—or rather, isn’t going to acknowledge after orgasm. Over the course of 19 jam-packed minutes, Hanson plays with the storytelling conventions of rom-coms, reality dating shows, and pornography to tell a comedically rock ‘n’ roll story about unrequited love and some of queer culture’s unspoken taboos.

Hanson came to Chicago five years ago. His childhood was divided between New York and LA, but upon graduating with a cinema studies degree from Oberlin in 2017, he felt called to the Windy City after several friends moved here for the queer community and relative lower cost of living. At 27, this is his debut as a writer and director. Bros Before has been making the festival rounds at places such as Wicked Queer in Boston, Translations in Seattle, and Inside Out in Toronto. Next month, the film will make its official hometown debut at Facets as part of a partnership with Full Spectrum Features that will include a curated selection of similar shorts.

The trailer for Bros Before

Micco Caporale: Tell me a little bit about the germination of the Bros Before story.

Henry Hanson: I really wanted to make something that was inspired by Gregg Araki. For years, I had all these different visuals just waiting for the right story, like displaying prominent text that gives more meaning to the scene or bright colors. The story itself actually came out of a very personal experience where my friends and I had this inside joke that went on for years where they would say that I was gay. I would deny it in these really funny ways that showed that I was obviously gay—like I would come up with this funny logic as to why things I was doing weren’t gay and blah blah blah. But after a while, I realized that it was negatively affecting me. I became so committed to the bit that it sort of fucked with my mind, like I couldn’t actually express being attracted to other men anymore. It’s so ironic. Like, how come I can be visibly trans and medically transitioning and in this totally queer world where everyone I know is gay and trans, and yet I still have this weird hang-up about, like, being gay? That’s so funny and weird. So I wanted to write about that. 

I’ve also always loved dumb rom-coms and boy humor that’s, like, so stupid. I think a bromance is such a funny concept, and I don’t think queer stories fit into straight narrative structures. There’s something about the actual narrative structure of rom-coms that I think is built for a certain type of relationship, so that was part of my motivation: expanding the idea of what a happy ending could be, offering a structure that could be a little bit different. I would love there to be more content that’s made for queer and especially trans people.

Why is it important that Billy and Elijah are both trans?

I’ve seen a lot of movies in recent years made by trans people or about trans issues that feel like they are edutainment for straight people—like begging them to care about us. Not only do I think that’s ineffective propaganda, it’s bad art. Like, what are you even doing? I don’t know, I just wanted to make something that I would want to watch and assumes a trans audience. I think there’s a universality in specificity, but that makes people uncomfortable. I think it’s part of why Americans don’t watch foreign films. They assume they can’t relate, but once you actually watch one, you realize you don’t need to know every single piece of cultural information to think about the story. You can actually learn more about this culture just by being thrown in and gradually having stuff explained to you. I haven’t gotten any play in any venues that weren’t explicitly for queer people, though, and I guess I hope that [Bros Before is] not seen as something that can only appeal to queer people.

Where did you find your actors?

I put my casting call on typical casting call sites like Backstage Post, but there were basically no trans people. I had to use Lex, Instagram, and Twitter—just working my personal networks. I didn’t care if people had previous experience. I just wanted people who were like the characters, and I think that approach worked.

Why do you think it took you so long to write and direct your first film project?

I was holding myself back for a lot of reasons. Obviously, I wouldn’t have been able to make this movie before my transition because it’s so much about being trans. But I also produce a lot of other people’s work. I felt like I was being selfish pursuing my own project. I couldn’t admit to myself what I really wanted to do because I was embarrassed by my taste or what I had to say or that I wanted to make stuff that was stupid and horny. I went through a certain amount of transitioning before I was able to be OK with all that stuff about myself.

I love how specific Elijah’s room got, from the chaotic sharps container to the artwork. It felt so much like it could be any number of my friends’ rooms. Tell me a bit about the production design.

Well, I definitely have to give major props to my production designer, Jade Wong. The Chicago artists we used were Jade’s ideas, like Chloë Perkis and Money Kaos. I think those two’s work totally encapsulates the aesthetics of the film. And there are a few other pieces in there. Martin, who plays Elijah, is primarily a visual artist. So we put one of his prints in there, as well as a few other of my trans friends’. And then there were a lot of printouts from J.D.s, which is an 80s zine from Toronto by G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce, who is one of my favorite filmmakers. J.D.s helped start the queercore movement, which is another big inspiration to me. 

Then we had a few other posters that were trying to show that Elijah had evolved from a very specific sort of lesbian culture. That was also Martin’s idea: using specific bands, like, “Oh, Elijah would have a Team Dresch poster.” I think I was trying to give a bit of context as to why he might be struggling with being gay. In the past, his lesbian identity was, like, really important to him. And a lot of times, lesbians can feel like it’s a point of pride to not be with men.

The reality dating show Monogamy House is shown in Bros Before, which Hanson created with local trans filmmaker Mitch Mitchell.

Yeah, I think so much of lesbian identity gets defined in opposition to maleness or masculinity in a way that can be hard to come to terms with later.

Totally. I think a lot of trans men coming out of, like, queer feminist spaces feel very conflicted about becoming “the bad gender.”

And to not only be attracted to the bad gender. It’s like you love the bad gender so much, you want to be it while fucking it.

Exactly. Just double whammy.

Like, “You must really hate women.”

Exactly. And I think that what I wanted to explore in the story was like . . . even though I’m sympathetic to that perspective, I think it’s a bit silly and reductive, and I think it can lead to this sort of weird neutering of trans men and masculinity. Like, “Oh, we’re not men like those men. We’re different!” Or better, or whatever. I kind of wanted to make something where trans guys were those men: disgusting and horny and idiotic and obsessed with their dicks. And I wanted to say, like, that’s also fine. They’re still sympathetic and human. They’re not monsters.

I must admit—and maybe this is my revealing my own biases—the promo of the movie made me think there would be a lot more sex. I was kind of pleasantly surprised there wasn’t. The sex that was there was really sexy, but I also liked how coy it was. Tell me about that balance.

I asked myself, “What do I want to see that would excite me and be sexy but also use sex as part of the story to express something?” John Cameron Mitchell talks about this with Shortbus. For so long, because of the Hays Code [a set of industry guidelines imposed between 1934 and 1968 that aggressively regulated swearing, nudity, and depictions of sexual expression or violence], sex could only be shown through visual metaphor. And now that we can actually show sex, what if we use it to say something else? 

On a similar note, I definitely want to shout out my intimacy choreographer, Kayla Menz. Intimacy coordination is more than a safety practice; it’s an art form. Kayla helped stylize and choreograph the sex scenes, but she also found moments where intimacy could be added to the script, like a fake-out kiss on Billy and Grace’s first date. She coached all three actors on subtle things that never would have occurred to me and really helped the movie work while keeping everyone comfortable.

Read More

Lebanon and Armenia are separated by vast stretches of Syria and eastern Turkey, but when Mary Eder-McClure and Kat Stuehrk Talo compared notes about the heroic family meals they grew up on, they discovered that similarities in the food they ate shrank the distance.

For one thing, there’s the abundance of generosity. And the stuffed grape leaves.

“Both of our families’ food and table experience is this sensory overload of bowls and plates everywhere,” says Galit pastry chef Eder-McClure, “with meat, rice, cheese, dips, pickles; it’s like a block party of smells and tastes—salty, sweet, acidic—all of that happening at the same time.”  

That’s why it makes perfect sense that Eder-McClure and Stuehrk Talo of Butter Bird Bakery have joined forces for an epic, family-style Lebanese-Armenian feast at the next Monday Night Foodball, the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up series at the Kedzie Inn.

The menu, which they dropped last week, doesn’t do justice to the love and effort that’s going into this Foodball. They’re starting out with a lavish mezze spread, including fresh lavash to scoop up an array of pickles and dips with a chunky sumac-spiked Armenian salad and Eder-McClure’s Nana’s tabouli. “Everybody says, ‘My grandma’s is the best,’” she says. “But honestly, my grandma’s is the best.” She’ll also be bringing out sumac-kissed spinach pies, along with Stuehrk Talo’s lahmejun: pizza-like ground beef and tomato flatbreads, reimagined in croissant form.

And then come the grape leaves—the Lebanese variety stuffed with cinnamon and black pepper-spiced beef and lamb, simmered in a lemony broth, side-by-side with the Armenian version, vegetarian stuffed with onions and herbs and served cold.

If you haven’t toppled to the floor by then there’s tender braised and pomegranate-glazed lamb shanks, and rice pilaf with toasted vermicelli, almonds, and bits of sweet apricot. To finish—or more likely, take home for later—a baklavah sampler drawn from both cuisines.

Spinach fatayer Credit: Mary Eder-McClure

“Come hungry,” says Stuerhk Talo, who also suggests you bring your own takeaway containers because, in the spirit of grannies the world over, you will be taking food home with you.

Sounds marvelous, but this is an urgent situation. There is a slim-to-none chance to walk in and order on the spot this Monday, June 13. (I’ll let you know if it’s possible on Sunday.) The first round of tickets to both the 5 and 7:30 PM seatings have already sold out, but Stuerhk Talo and Eder-McClure (a Foodball veteran, formerly with the pozole pop-up Limon y Sal) have released four more spots for each seating. Look alive, get them here!

Meantime, behold a full summer schedule of Monday Night Foodball below:

Lavash Credit: Kat Stuerhk Talo

6/20: Jordan Wimby, aka The Melanin Martha

6/27: Chinese-Viet-inspired barbecue from Charles Wong of Umamicue

7/4: Off for Independence Day

7/11: Dawn Lewis of D’s Roti & Trini Cuisine

7/18: Mazesoba from Mike “Ramen Lord” Satinover

7/25: Asian stoner snacks from SuperHai

8/1: Keralan food from Thommy Padanilam of Thommy’s Toddy Shop

8/8: Oskar Singer aka Whole Grain Hoe (formerly Rye Humor Baking)

8/15: Dylan Maysick of Diaspora Dinners

8/22: Vargo Brother Ferments

Kedzie Inn
4100 N. Kedzie
(773) 293-6368
kedzieinn.com

Read More