Right: Gary Chichester & the Chicago Pride Flag Photo credit: Rich Pfieffer/Gary Chichester As the march became a parade in 1971, activist Gary Chichester became involved by co-founding the Chicago Gay Alliance that same year, which created the first gay and lesbian community center in the Windy City. Left: Chicago’s First Gay Pride Parade, June, 27, 1971. 1971 was the first permit-applied-for official parade, and the guy behind it is here to tell all about it, Chicago LGBTQ+ Hall-of-Famer Gary G. 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of the first official Gay Pride Parade in Chicago – the first “march” took place a year earlier in 1970, honoring the first anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Uprising. From the Bulls family to yours – be proud, be you.Chicago – It’s Pride Week, ya all, part of Pride Month, culminating in the upcoming Pride Weekend … the more the Pride the better.
![chicago gay pride 2021 chicago gay pride 2021](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2019/06/09/USAT/6a9347b4-d664-4d3e-804b-0383f3852328-EPA_POLAND_WARSAW_PRIDE_PARADE.jpg)
It's important to the league and organization that the LGBTQIA community feels like a welcome and celebrated part of Bulls Nation. Pride Night is just one of the ways the Bulls demonstrate its support for diversity, equity, inclusion, and everyone's right to be who they are. The global landscape for LGBTQ+ rights, protections and acceptance varies tremendously by location, with some destinations attracting millions of visitors to their events like Madrid Gay Pride, Sao Paulo Gay Pride or San Francisco Gay Pride, while more than 70 other countries have laws that allow discrimination or persecution of LGBTQ+ people. The purpose of the show was to commemorate the LGBTQIA community's contribution to pop-culture, music and fashion and highlight drag – an authentic artform of the gay community. AFC is a proud 2010-2011 inductee into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, a two-time winner of Best. Both JT and Tony wrote and composed a custom music score with help from Bulls DJ, DJ Flipside, co-choregraphed the performance and designed one-of-a-kind costumes.
![chicago gay pride 2021 chicago gay pride 2021](https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/06/D90A8531-e1564021156119.jpg)
This year, the Bulls partnered with the pioneer of the musical theater department at Northwestern University and Broadway producer, JT Horenstien, and his husband, Tony Guerrero as the creative visionaries on the project. But the halftime show for Pride Night was one for the books! WCPA is a local nonprofit organization, and its performances aim to inspire change, celebrate diversity, and honor the dignity of the LGBTQIA community.īulls home games are known for their unmatched entertainment during timeouts and halftime, performed by the organization's talented Bulls Entertainers, including the Luvabulls, Incredibulls and 312 Crew.
#Chicago gay pride 2021 how to
In the future, the Bulls and Swish will also work together to host a training for youth coaches on how to create inclusive environments specifically for trans and nonbinary students.Īt the top of the game, Bulls fans enjoyed a special National Anthem performance from the Windy City Gay Chorus and Treble Quire from Windy City Performing Arts (WCPA). The Bulls have supported Swish through a year-long partnership, sponsoring the team's basketball tournaments at Green Street Courts and providing them with gear. The Honorary Ball Presenter for the night was Jamiece Adams, co-founder of Swish Basketball Club – Chicago's first queer, trans, BIPOC-centered basketball league and one of the Bulls' nonprofit partners.
#Chicago gay pride 2021 professional
The organization is also working on building an inclusive coaching professional development course with CPS Athletics to inform youth coaches on how to create safe spaces for LGBTQIA athletes. This year, the Bulls adopted the GSA at Suder Montessori Magnet Elementary School and plan to support the annual CPS GSA Summit in June. In addition to the panel, the Bulls have partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to support the growth and development of GSAs across the city.
![chicago gay pride 2021 chicago gay pride 2021](https://graphics.chicagotribune.com/chicago-pride-fest-parade-2018/img/prideparade_tribune.jpg)
![chicago gay pride 2021 chicago gay pride 2021](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article18806105.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200/0_Brighton-Pride-2018.jpg)
Panelists shared their experiences of navigating coming out with students from the Gay Straight Alliances (GSA) at Nobel Network Charter Schools, demonstrating the Bulls ongoing efforts to create inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA youth. Pride Night kicked off with a pregame panel and reception with representatives from the Pat Tillman Foundation, GEP, White Claw Seltzer Works and Mike's Hard Lemonade. Since 2016, the Bulls marched with BMO in Chicago's annual Pride parade and this year were excited to celebrate with fans at the United Center. The Bulls and BMO Harris Bank partnered for their 4th Pride Night – a highlight of the Bulls' year-long Pride initiatives to support the LGBTQIA community in Chicago – on Friday, January 7.