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“It has always been a white, cisgender, gay men’s world in this community, but that’s changing,” Varela said. Varela said she’s also experienced racism in Northalsted since she started visiting the neighborhood as a kid under 21. “I think the most racism I ever felt - and I lived in Arkansas for five years - was right here in Boystown.” “One thing the LGBTQ community doesn’t talk enough about is our community is just a smaller version of the larger community, and there is intense racism,” Brady Davis said. The panelists discussed the neighborhood’s “intense racism” problem, which has been highly publicized in events like bars trying to ban rap music and a store selling confederate flag merchandise. Credit: Jake Wittich/Block Club Chicago People listen as panelists share ways that Chicago’s gay bars can be more inclusive of all people.
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They also shared solutions to make the bars more inclusive. “Our goal today is to hear directly from you to hear about your experiences, challenges and hopes for bars and restaurants - gay and straight - and how they can serve all members of the LGBTQ community,” said moderator Jo MaMa, head co-chair of the Chicago Black Drag Council, which organizes the annual Drag March for Change.įrom selectively checking for multiple forms of ID at the door or enforcing nonsensical dress codes to banning certain types of music, the panelists shared the many ways they’ve witnessed discrimination in the Northalsted neighborhood. It was the first of many town halls across the country aimed at gathering feedback and insight to create these trainings. The Open and Proud panel was organized by Miller Lite and the Equality Federation to develop training materials for the 55,000 bars where Miller Lite is sold. Credit: Jake Wittich/Block Club Chicago Milani Varela and Myles Brady Davis speak during the first “Open and Proud” town hall about inclusivity in bars. “Bar owners should take that extra step to train their staff on how they could put a trans person in a very uncomfortable situation if they ‘out’ them by saying, ‘This doesn’t match.'”īrady Davis was joined on the panel by Kim Hunt, executive director of Pride Action Tank and co-host of Outspoken, a monthly storytelling show at Sidetrack and Milani Varela, a Latinx, gender-nonconforming drag queen and activist. “When you’re trans and change your name, it’s $500 and a very long process, so getting your ID changed is not accessible to everyone,” Brady Davis said. “I’m also Black, so it’s like on top of being Black, now I’m trans, so this person is really in a situation to bring harm on me.”īars need to do better at educating their staff about respecting transgender people to make their establishments more inclusive of the community, Brady Davis said. “Before I got my name changed, I had an ID that listed my dead name, so if I was to go to a bar, it would be a very uncomfortable situation for me,” Brady Davis said. Halsted St., who shared their experiences in the neighborhood’s gay bars and discussed ways they could be more inclusive. Brady Davis, communications director at Equality Illinois, was among three panelists Thursday at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. read less Bridget M.NORTHALSTED - Human rights activist Myles Brady Davis has always steered clear of Northalsted’s gay bars because they don’t feel comfortable as a person of transgender experience.įor starters, being asked to present an ID can be traumatic for transgender people, Brady Davis said. We were even surprised by a magic mike performance towards the end, which made it that much more worthwhile. Music was loud when the performances were on, between music resumed to a normal volume so you could reengage in conversation with your table. All around we had a great experience! I had the chicken and waffle(s) for brunch, which I enjoyed but wish there was another waffle to pair with each bite of chicken.The Drag Show performance was so much fun from her singing karaoke, to outfit changes, some dancing, and emceeing to engage the crowd - on a Saturday morning everyone was there celebrating some occasion or life. read more Was in town for a bachelorette party, had a reservation for a table of six, ordered bottomless mimosa's, bloody's, and bellini's with our brunch. All around we had a great experience! I had the chicken and waffle(s) for brunch, which I enjoyed but wish there was another waffle to pair. Was in town for a bachelorette party, had a reservation for a table of six, ordered bottomless mimosa's, bloody's, and bellini's with our brunch.