For the first time in 50 years, the Lyric Opera of Chicago will stage Donizetti’s comic opera The Daughter of the Regiment (Nov. 4-25). Lisette Oropesa, Lawrence Brownlee, Ronnita Miller, and Alessandro Corbelli star in the production from the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The performance (pictured […]
Posted inReproductive Justice
Volunteer Pilots Help Hundreds Seeking Abortion Travel for Care
For most Chicagoans, flying means packing luggage, checking in, security checkpoints, and navigating the mess that is O’Hare International Airport. Pilots flying for Elevated Access, however, have very different travel days. No TSA. No baggage claim. There might be one employee sitting behind a desk, if that. These pilots are traveling through the country’s numerous […]
Posted inFeatured
Riot Fest Interview: Cure Violence Global on Stopping Violence and Building Relationships
Music is the great uniter and Riot Fest brought people of all walks of life together to enjoy three days of performances in Chicago’s Douglass Park on Sept. 15-17. This year, Cure Violence Global (CVG) – a non-profit organization founded in Chicago – was on hand to connect with bands, fans, and media teams to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Chicago Exhibitions Examine Society’s Past, Present & Future
Bertolt Brecht famously wrote, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.” Regardless of the medium, the work on display in Chicago exhibits visually relays and conceptually conveys specific cultures of the past, present and future. The PastHellenic Heads: George Petrides is currently on view at […]
Posted inFeatured
Photos: Ani DiFranco, The Dresden Dolls, & Tegan and Sara delight during Riot Fest
Another Riot Fest has come and gone. This year’s festivities built upon the fest’s punk/metal heart by boasting an eclectic array of sounds – folk, synth-pop, cabaret – all of which were firmly rooted in rebellion. With out a doubt, Ani DiFranco put on one of the best sets of the fest performing to a […]
Posted inSexual Health
The State of Reproductive Justice in Illinois: Abortion Access & Maternal Care
In the year since the landmark Dobbs decision overturned abortion as a constitutional right, the landscape of reproductive justice has continued to evolve with access to abortion varying greatly from state to state. Abortion remains legal in Illinois, serving as a travel hub for those seeking reproductive care. This is just one piece of the […]
Posted inFilm & TV
Review: Being Female is a Curse in ‘Perpetrator’
Jennifer Reeder’s Perpetrator (2023) is many things, most notably a self-described feminist horror-noir movie. The Chicago-based director and writer’s screenplay revolves around Jonny Baptiste (Kiah McKirnan), a super hip and motherless teen whose inept father (Tim Hopper) sends her to live with her estranged aunt (Alicia Silverstone) right before she turns 18. The exaggerated, and […]
Posted inJust the Tip
Just the Tip: I’ve Got the Hots for Moms. Is that Okay?
Just the Tip is a sex and relationship column hosted by queer non-monogamous kinkster Jera Brown. Here you will find interviews with sexuality researchers and educators as well as smart and compassionate responses to anonymous questions. If you would like to be interviewed or have a sex or love question you’d like Jera to answer, […]
Posted inFilm & TV
Review: ‘The Lady from Shanghai’ is Still Killer
“They don’t make ’em like that anymore,” is a phrase that applies to the film noir favorite The Lady from Shanghai (1947). Based on Sherwood King’s novel “If I Die Before I Wake” (1938), this thriller is best known for its legendary stars, artsy black-and-white shots, masterful sets, and climactic hall of mirrors shootout scene […]
Posted inFeatured
Many states don’t require schools to teach sex ed. A new bill hopes to change that.
Originally published by The 19th The type of sex ed students in this country receive depends largely on the state they call home. Some youth learn about the importance of consent or contraception, while others receive instruction on abstinence or sexually transmitted infections. Some don’t get any sex ed at all. What nearly all students […]