Gay bars bloomington il
Welcome to the 'gayborhood': LGBTQ transplants on finding B-N's evolving queer community
Adjusting to a novel place can be tough. But for LGBTQ people, moving to a modern city can be especially complicated.
Lawrence Lair is a Twin Cities transplant originally from San Diego.
“Living in California was becoming untenable,” said Lair. Escalating housing costs were making life unaffordable for Lair and their spouse.
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Lawrence Lair
“We both work, but we couldn’t support the rent that we had to pay along with the cost of living,” they said. “We weren’t able to put anything away in savings, and we calculated out that, at this rate, we would own a dwelling, uh, never.”
Lair looked at several states for a possible move. A graphic design job at Illinois State University brought them here.
“Deciding to move out of California as a queer person of color, there’s a lot of things to consider,” Lair said.
Lair moved to Bloomington-Normal in at the height of the pandemic and against a backdrop of discrimination against people of Asian descent.
“There was a lo
Gay Illinois
From Chicago to Bloomington, Illinois offers diverse gay-friendly havens. Progressive cities enjoy Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park boast lively LGBTQ neighborhoods and pride events. College towns like Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale exude youthful queer energy. And Bloomington's longtime advocacy makes it an LGBTQ hub.
Where Are the Top Gay-Friendly Suburbs Around Chicago?
Just outside the Windy City, suburbs fond of Oak Park, Evanston and Oak Lawn have extended nurtured vibrant queer communities. Head to Oak Park for LGBTQ bookstores, bars and neighborhood vibe. Evanston's proximity to Northwestern University contributes to its gay-friendly repute. And Oak Lawn balances LGBTQ nightlife with city access.
What Other Areas of Illinois Offer Thriving LGBTQ Culture?
Beyond Chicagoland, pockets across Illinois celebrate Pride loudly. Peoria, Rockford, Springfield, Alton and Galesburg all host annual Pride fests. And throughout the express, advocacy groups, community centers and university LGBTQ organizations empower queer residents to live out, loud and proud.
The Bistro's 'Momma' crafts a safe space for LGBTQ people — one cocktail at a moment
Jan Lancaster is a business owner, a community organizer — and soon-to-be History Maker.
But to many in Bloomington-Normal, she is simply known as "Momma.”
Lancaster joins the class of McLean County History Makers with Julie and Bob Dobski, John Penn and Barb and Bob Hathway.
That she is counted among McLean County’s greatest citizens is perhaps the greatest testament to Lancaster's work.
“You wouldn’t think they’d grant this award to someone that says f*** as much as I do,” Lancaster said from her perch at the terminate of The Bistro’s elongated bar.
“I felt very honored and humbled to be considered,” she said. “It’s really been thrilling, and I’ve enjoyed this journey. I’m very proud of what we’ve done here.”
Lancaster grew up in Normal. Like many of her peers, she got married at 18 and had two children shortly after that.
But Lancaster’s life has been anything but average. She worked for Johnny Martin Chevrolet, then for the Music Shoppe, and enjoyed letting off steam at the bars an
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