Chicago March for Trans Rights Makes History by Bronson Pettitt and March for Liberation in Downtown Chicago
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From the Trans March for Liberation. Photo by Gretchen Rachel Hammond VOL 32, NO. 25 MARCH 8, 2017 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com ON THE MARCH Chicago march for trans rights makes history BY BRONSON PETTITT AND March for Liberation in downtown Chicago. GREtchEN RachEL HAMMOND Beginning with a rally set against the backdrop of Trump International Hotel and Tower at Wacker and Wabash, the freezing IN THE FIGHT In what organizers called “one of the largest and most diverse temperatures did little discourage a historic turnout of transgender ACLU’s Anthony Romero on the group’s battles. mobilizations for trans equality and equity to ever take place in the and gender nonconforming activists representing the Black, Latinx, Photo courtesy of ACLU Midwest,” well over 1,000 transgender and gender-nonconforming Two Spirit, Muslim and white communities joined in solidarity to 8 individuals gathered alongside cisgender allies March 3 for the Trans Turn to page 4 MASJID AL-RABIA KIKI MR. leATHER 64TEN LONGTIME COUPLE Women-focused Muslim LGBTQIA Film to be shown in Chicago A new IML contestant is WCT profiles Bob Hoagland, group launches. at special screening/panel. chosen at Jackhammer. Thomas Senesec. 10 Photo from IFC Films 18 Photo by Ed Negron 20 Photo from Hoagland 9 @windycitytimes1 /windycitymediagroup @windycitytimes www.windycitymediagroup.com NEW YORK POST 2 March 8, 2017 WINDY CITY TIMES WE FOCUS ON HIV TO HELP YOU FOCUS ON AskTODAY your doctor if a medicine made by Gilead is right for you. onepillchoices.com © 2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC1839 03/15 WINDY CITY TIMES March 8, 2017 3 NEWS Major trans rally/march takes place in Loop 4 Grimm case sent back to lower court 6 Lambda Legal; heroic gay Illinois man killed 6 Rogers Park groundbreaking; Evanston forum 7 ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero 8 Couple Bob Hoagland, Thomas Senesac 9 Women-focused LBTQA Muslim group forms 10 In the Life 11 VIEWPOINTS: Gardenhire; letters 12 ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS INDEX Scottish Play Scott: Alvin Ailey dancer 13 DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE AND BROWSE THE ARCHIVES AT www.WindyCityTimes.com Theater reviews 14 From the Trans March for Liberation. Photo by Gretchen Rachel Hammond Euan Morton takes lead in ‘Hedwig’ 15 #InHonor portraits 16 VOL 32, NO. 25 MARCH 8, 2017 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Film: ‘Kiki’ showing coming to Chicago 18 ON THE MARCH Photo book goes inside LGBT stars’ homes 19 Chicago march for trans rights makes history BY BRONSON PETTITT AND March for Liberation in downtown Chicago. NIGHTSPOTS 20 GRETCHEN RACHEL HAMMOND Beginning with a rally set against the backdrop of Trump International Hotel and Tower at Wacker and Wabash, the freezing IN THE FIGHT In what organizers called “one of the largest and most diverse temperatures did little discourage a historic turnout of transgender ACLU’s Anthony Romero on the group’s battles. mobilizations for trans equality and equity to ever take place in the and gender nonconforming activists representing the Black, Latinx, Photo courtesy of ACLU Midwest,” well over 1,000 transgender and gender-nonconforming Two Spirit, Muslim and white communities joined in solidarity to 8 individuals gathered alongside cisgender allies March 3 for the Trans Turn to page 4 Classifieds 22 Calendar Q 22 MASJID AL-RABIA KIKI MR. LEATHER 64TEN LONGTIME COUPLE Women-focused Muslim LGBTQIA Film to be shown in Chicago A new IML contestant is WCT profiles Bob Hoagland, group launches. at special screening/panel. chosen at Jackhammer. Thomas Senesec. 10 Photo from IFC Films 18 Photo by Ed Negron 20 Photo from Hoagland 9 @windycitytimes1 /windycitymediagroup @windycitytimes www.windycitymediagroup.com Above: WCT reviews the production The Scene. NEW YORK POST Ensemble photo by Liz Lauren online exclusives at www.WindyCityTimes.com BETWEEN THE LINES Queer poets Vita E. Cleveland (left) and Kayla Weeden gave a reading at Women & Children First. Photo by Bronson Pettitt BUCKET LIST FLOWER POWER The newest Fairy Gardener article covers lilies, fish and Polish comfort food. THAT’S SHOW BIZ Find out the latest about Rachel Maddow, ‘Eyewitness’ and Whitney Houston. plus WCT reviews the book 100 Things To DAILY BREAKING NEWS Do in Chicago Before You Die. 4 March 8, 2017 WINDY CITY TIMES MARCH from cover From the candlelight vigil. protest discrimination and violence against trans Photo by Gretchen Rachel Hammond people and to fight for equal rights. There was also a strong contingent of sex workers demanding an end to the criminalization of the profession. The emotionally charged rally was hosted by organizers and Trans Liberation Collective members Stephanie Skora, Jacob Milhouse Record and LaSaia Wade. Skora recognized the eight trans and gender nonconforming individuals who have been murdered in the United States in 2017 Mesha Caldwell, Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, Jojo Striker, Jaquarrius Holland, Keke Collier, Chyna Doll Dupree, Ciara McElveen and Sean Hake. Collier, aka Tiara Richmond, was gunned down in the South Side Chicago neighborhood of Englewood Feb 21 and became the second trans woman of color to be killed in the city in as many years following the slaying of T.T. Saffore on the West Side in 2016—a crime that still remains unsolved. Hake was killed by police officers in his Pennsylvania home on Jan. 6, 2017. “We say their names now, tonight and in perpetuity as we fight for the liberation of all trans people,” Skora said. “This direct attack on our trans siblings will not go unanswered. We will take to the streets and loudly, proudly and fiercely make our voices heard as we struggle Left: Protest signs. for our own liberation and the liberation of all Photos by Tracy Baim oppressed peoples.” Below: #TransUpFront. There was a deafening roar of anger as Skora Photo by Gretchen Rachel Hammond gestured behind her towards President Donald Trump’s building. On Feb. 22, Trump’s administration revoked federal guidelines extending Title IX protections to transgender students, causing a national outcry which was echoed by rally attendees who promised community-wide protection for trans youth. “[We] decry the heinous actions of the Presidential Administration in targeting trans students, who are some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” Skora said. “We will not be hoodwinked by propaganda and other falsehoods; trans people know that 45’s directive to the Department of Justice and the Department of Education does not change the reality of our rights under the law.” However, Skora also asserted, “The laws of the United States are not intended to protect us. They were created and supported by a government that continues to condemn trans people to poverty, homelessness, death and violence.” In a repeat of the demands read at the October 2016 rally for Saffore, activist and DAB of Consulting Director Xavier D. MaatRa called for an end to police brutality against trans people, better and broader healthcare and equal employment opportunities in all neighborhoods, regardless of socioeconomic status. DeMaatRa sought community-wide education on “Black, trans misogyny, and the unique barriers that keep Black, trans people from living full lives, living wage jobs for Black, trans and [gender nonconforming] people in all fields of employment, especially in leadership roles within Left: Photo by Tracy Baim. Turn to page 5 Above: Photo by Bronson Pettitt WINDY CITY TIMES March 8, 2017 5 Speakers included (left to right) Reginald Sawyer, Xavier D. MaatRa, LaSaia Wade, Afrika Lockett, Madison Madhia Lynn and Alex Corona. Photos by Gretchen Rachel Hammond Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois representatives. Photo by Gretchen Rachel Hammond Photos by Bronson Pettitt NEW LUXURY ELEVATOR BUILDING MARCH from page 4 Windy City Times that, “Some of the biggest 3-5 BEDROOM RESIDENCES challenges come from within our own community organizations that claim to fight for trans issues, around transgender acceptance and so we’re kind shelters and affordable housing designated of past the point of acceptance and past the specifically for trans youth and elders, in the point of tolerance. We want to be fully included, neighborhoods in which they choose to live, free we want to be at the table, we want to be access to hormones, needles, gender-affirming leading the battle, we want to be steering the surgeries, STI testing, and all other basic conversation.” health needs [and] free access to mental health In a fitting illustration of their intention to lead that battle, transgender and gender WEST647 MELROSE services—provided by other trans and [gender nonconforming] people—who view us as in need nonconforming individuals were at the front of of healing, not fixing.” the passionate but peaceful march which closed down a number of Loop streets, including State, BRAD LIPPITZ GROUP Other speakers included Choccaw-Cherokee Boutique Real Estate, Worldwide tribe member and Two Spirit Society President Van Buren, Dearborn and Clark. 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