Sidetrack Chicago: A Sneak Peek

"On Wednesday November 20, 2013, forward thinking men and women in Chicago and all over Illinois rejoiced as Governor Pat Quinn signed marriage equality into law, making Illinois the 16th state to allow same sex couples to marry.  For some, this act was an outrage, an abomination; but for the exultant many it was a moment of immense importance.  It was a moment that celebrated the greatest of faiths in the human experience and the ultimate embrace of life and love however one so chooses to conduct it. 




Among the many colorful bars and establishments along the stretch of Halsted Street in the East Lakeview hamlet known as Boystown, celebrations were rampant.  However, not one was more meaningful than the revelry taking place at Sidetrack, one of the oldest and largest bars in the city and a central hub of the Chicago LGBT community for the last 32 years.  As the champagne bottles were popped and celebratory embraces ensued, the entire city seemed to swarm to Sidetrack.  A phalanx of news cameras, reporters and even mayor Rahm Emanuel stopped in to Sidetrack to take in the historic festivities.  For its owner and employees, November 20 was a cap to an important political fight in which they have played a large part over the course of the last 30 odd years.  Throughout its history, Sidetrack and its associates have played a crucial role in the Boystown community, fostering those who have come out of the closet and dare to live a life that only now is becoming more normalized and accepted as well as raising funds and awareness for the causes that seem to hit the gay community hardest such as AIDS organizations and civil liberties unions." 

To read the full article, check out our Spring issue HERE.