When we lived in the East Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, we used to pick up the Chicago Free Press (weekly LGBT newspaper) on Wednesdays.
Sadly, it has been announced that after 11 years, they will be closing their doors. As we reported before, the staff had a walk-out this past December, including the editor-in-chief, for not receiving their pay. Managing editor Kerrie Kennedy made the following statement in a letter, Due to health problems, publisher David Costanzo is no longer funding the operation of Chicago Free Press and subsequently the paper will no longer publish. The community was curious since there were no papers for last weeks issue in the stacks. It had a readership of 50,000 and we hope that maybe someone will pick it up one day in the future. To Read more CLICK HERE
We are very proud that we marched with Deb Mell back in ‘04 in Chicago for equal marriage. We are very happy to have been legally wed in California, but, like Mell, we too would love to exchange vows in our home state of Illinois.
Openly Lesbian, Illinois State Representative Deborah Mell will marry her fiance (Christin Baker) in Iowa. Mell announced her engagement on Chicago Public television last night. We wish them the absolute best!
We met Deb Mell one day in March 2004, when we all marched for equal marriage rights (photo above left was taken of us in the protest in March of 2004 and right is Deb Mell’s photo taken that same day). Mell, who was little known then, was arrested that day as we all did a sit-ins in Chicago’s city hall and Washington Avenue down the street from city hall and Daley Plaza. It was a small surprise to the police when they realize the woman they arrested is the daughter of a Chicago Alderman, sister of the First Lady of Illinois, at the time, Patricia Mell Blagojevich and of course sister-in-law of the infamous Governor Rod Blagojevich (now impeached).
According to Mell, she said she would use a point of personal privilege Wednesday on the state house floor in Springfield to spark conversation about marriage equality among her colleagues and the public. “I’m going to talk about Christin, and I’m going to talk about how we have built this life together, and how just being with her has made me a better person, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I want to get married in Illinois”
We are in love with our community and love our friends in it! We’re proud of two young sisters in the fight who’ve taken the leap and decided to give the greatest gift of one’s eternal self to eachother. We have been so blessed to have someone to cherish and grow with, and we wish them all the years of joy and happiness we’ve had.
However, their local on the map (Illinois-our home state) unfortunately limits their equality (when will we learn?) BUT they are some smart, funny, talented women, and below is their wedding announcement/fundraiser video which turns their day of rejoice into a day for all to support the future of equality for all. We love weddings and their power to unite, how inspirational for their nuptials to be a rally of support and a better future for all.
A man and a woman walk into the county clerk’s office, they spend $40.00 USD and they are wed and legally protected.
A man and a man, or woman and a woman walk into the county clerk’s office and they, well really don’t get anything.
To organize a will, benefits, and other legal protections could cost thousands, and that just the beginning. The Chicago Tribune featured the Wax-Pooley Family. Unlike the majority of heterosexual couples, they had to pay $10,000 USD for using wills, trusts, and powers of attorney (the protections a $40 marriage could afford). This family knew it was important to do this since they are parents to toddler twins who need to be protected as well. Similar situation happened to the Walker-Ferguson Family-a Lesbian couple who are expecting (Melissa Walker is pregnant) and Erin Ferguson needs to spend $2,000 to adopt the child so they are both legally parents.
Whats common between these two couples is that they are doing it for the best interest of their partners and their children. In regards to protecting the family, homosexual couples are the same as heterosexual couples, yet, because of unfair recognition, there is a clear story here of inequality.
A state that includes Chicago (a very liberal, democratic city) one always puts Chicago and the state of Illinois in one liberal box, however, for Gays and Lesbians, not so much. There’s a whole horse of a different color beyond the Chicago metropolitan area that does not support rights for same-sex couples.
At this point, Illinois does not legally recognize same-sex couples at any level and residents are wondering if and when that will happen. Same-sex couples feel that they are picking at table scraps to create a meal at the table.
Tonight, Lambda Legal marks their 9th Annual Freedom to Marry Galain Chicago and we hope to hear that there are at least some positive winds of change for the prairie state. We here in the Golden state, are still waiting to hear word on Perry vs. Schwarzenegger.
As Chicago and Chicagoland natives, it hurts when you fight for LGBT rights nationally and you still hear about the multitude of hate crimes that happen in your own neighborhood back home.
In Blue Island, Illinois an African-American, Gay, HIV+ male by the name of Demetrius Anderson is suing the Blue Island Police Department for alleging excessive force, malicious prosecution, and hate-crime worthy verbal assault on his supposed religion, sexuality, mental health, and HIV+ status.
Bilerico.com’s D Gregory Smith covered the story and when I saw the town he mentioned, my eyes bugged out. I grew up with some of the BIPD’s children and the one’s I knew were good people. Unfortunately, there are always some bad apples. I realize that no matter how many 1,000’s of miles away we moved, part of the rights we fight for are for our neighbors’ rights back home.
Attorney Jacob Meister decided to leave the race for U.S. Senator of Illinois (President Obama’s old seat). The only openly Gay candidate, Meister will now support State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ race for that seat. Meister stated that at this point it is best, for the party, to pull out of the race and support Giannoulias. The Illinois State Treasurer is most likely the democratic party nominee for the senate seat.
We had the pleasure of meeting Meister in DC and we are sad to see him leave the race, but his campaign alone is a victory.
When we lived in the East Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, we used to pick up the Chicago Free Press (weekly LGBT newspaper) on Wednesdays.
A man and a woman walk into the county clerk’s office, they spend $40.00 USD and they are wed and legally protected.
A state that includes Chicago (a very liberal, democratic city) one always puts Chicago and the state of Illinois in one liberal box, however, for Gays and Lesbians, not so much. There’s a whole horse of a different color beyond the Chicago metropolitan area that does not support rights for same-sex couples.
Attorney Jacob Meister decided to leave the race for U.S. Senator of Illinois (President Obama’s old seat). The only openly Gay candidate, Meister will now support State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ race for that seat. Meister stated that at this point it is best, for the party, to pull out of the race and support Giannoulias. The Illinois State Treasurer is most likely the democratic party nominee for the senate seat.
