It’s a well-established fact that Lori Lightfoot takes absolutely no shit from anyone.
When the out Mayor of Chicago learned a group of gay men in speedos were ignoring social distancing guidelines and partying on the beach over the weekend, she was not pleased.
It all started Saturday afternoon when someone on Twitter alerted her to what was going on.
“Hey Lori, sorry to bother you,” @brbeeter tweeted at the mayor. “I know the ‘BoYs In BlUe’ are SUPER busy over policing the south and west sides but if they find some free time can they get this mess on the north side at Montrose Beach.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Hey Lori, sorry to bother you. I know the “BoYs In BlUe” are SUPER busy over policing the south and west sides but if they find some free time can they get this mess on the north side at Montrose Beach
Thanks!!! @chicagosmayor @LoriLightfoot pic.twitter.com/vOGaDHp17E
— brendan (@brbeeter) August 8, 2020
The tweet was sent at 4:45 p.m. A little over an hour later, at 6:08 p.m., Lightfoot informed everyone that she was taking care of the situation.
First, she shared her own photo of the gathering, along with the caption: “It’s called a pandemic, people. This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
It's called a pandemic, people. This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don't make us take steps backwards. pic.twitter.com/FHxeYfH7Wf
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) August 8, 2020
Then she followed that up with a second tweet letting everyone know, “In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed.”
In case you were wondering, I stopped by to see for myself. It’s being addressed.
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) August 9, 2020
Shortly after shutting down the beach party, Lightfoot ordered fencing to be put up around the area, Michele Lemons, a Park District spokeswoman told the Chicago Tribune.
“The Chicago Park District installed fencing at Montrose Beach to deter large gatherings like those observed (Saturday),” Lemons said. “While the lakefront trail is open, Chicago’s beaches and parkland east of Lake Shore Drive remain closed under the Chicago Department of Public Health’s executive order.”
Last week, health officials in Chicago said social gatherings, like Saturday’s beach party, were the leading cause of coronavirus cases in the city.
Related: Lori Lightfoot is all of us when she tells Kayleigh McEnany, “Hey Karen. Watch your mouth.”
Cam
Did I miss something? The mayor didn’t say one thing about “White” gays. She talked about reckless behavior and a pandemic. She didn’t mention race ones.
Why is Queerty putting up a headline to make it seem like she did?
craigbrew2
You’re 100% correct. She never called them out by race and it is irresponsible for Queerty to say that she did.
Cato
Montrose Beach is a popular gay hangout and from the picture it looks like there is only a single woman in the picture — so there are more women than masks in the picture..
HDTex
Graham, classless racist again. Lori, handling issues with class and grace.
ChrisGMN
What a disgusting headline in this article. What are you trying to do, stoke racial issues? The mayor said absolutely *nothing* specific to white people. Plenty of black and hispanic gays use that same beach. Who writes this crap?
jayceecook
“Who writes this crap?”
For future reference the answer to that will *always* be Graham.
Luxury
Alwaaaaysssss….
Creamsicle
You’d think people would learn after that Fire Island fiasco a few months ago!
But…I went and visited a friend in June because I was having a rough time following a breakup. We went to a lake in the Sierras and there were way more people there than shown in this tweeted photo. They were only slightly more spread out, and very few people were wearing or even carrying masks. Thankfully, my friend had found a more secluded spot on her hike a few days before, so we were able to get away from the crowd and talk.
For context, I’d just gotten a negative test result a few days before going to see her, and she’s a nurse on the covid unit of her hospital in SF, so she was getting tested periodically and self-monitoring as part of her job.
Jussie_Racist_Clown
Way, way TMI Mary bout your breakup and your covid status. Leave it. Nobody cares
MISTERJETT
Mayor Lightfoot wasn’t targeting any one group in particular. she’s just trying to keep everyone safe. these people, whether gay, straight, black, hispanic or white seem to think they’re immune to the virus or they just don’t care. she said nothing about race or sexual orientation.
[email protected]
Looks like @Brbeeter is a little snitch, Just because he wasn’t invited he has to call the mayor. j/k
So why is a group of men outside such a big deal while all the riots and looting are going on downtown last night?
Let’s address all the crime and shootings first.
Boy’s stand a little further apart please!
Jussie_Racist_Clown
Tell it bro.
Cam
Awwww, the right wing troll account here to try to deflect.
It’s always interesting how any time Republicans support something that is wrong, they try to say “Well we can’t talk about this because of this other thing”.
i.e. “We cant talk about same sex marriage, school shootings, women’s health….because some crime was committed in some city in a blue state.
Here’s a thought, let Republicans clean up cities in red states like Memphis, Birmingham, Houston, St. Louis, etc. and then they can try to use Chicago crime as an excuse to deflect from Covid.
fauxsherrrr
@Jussie_Racist_Clown Stop being heinous. Who calls people Mary anymore, boomer?
craigbrew2
Mayor Lightfoot is doing a great job given the situation. These young adults are being irresponsible and should be held accountable. I’ve walked past these gatherings for weeks and it was only a matter of time.
Graham – the headline of your piece shows your racist bent. You should be ashamed of yourself.
wikidBSTN
It’s a bunch of really fit guys wearing Speedos. Why would you think they are gay???? (tee hee)
Tyrone Johnston
Really fit guys? LOL, I immediately noticed several who don’t have the body for a speedo.
sam83
Wow Graham finally took a break from his constant Madonna hating and instead posted an offensive and racist click bait article? How is he considered to be a “writer”.
lord.krath
I also missed the part where she singled out white gays. Seriously people, stop trying to invent drama where there is none. We have enough of a mess in the White House and it’s handling of Coronavirus to do that. Even if she did mention white gays, they are all I see in the pictures so it would be an accurate description. I’ve spent time in Chicago. They can be reckless, certainly, but come on.
BigThug
Another garbage headline. Such losers the editors are with no better than FOX News headlines.
LumpyPillows
The mayor has a point. What were these boys thinking? Oh, that, yes that. Dang.
DarkZephyr
“White Gays”? Seriously? I don’t see any mention in any of those tweets about “White gays”. Why does this kind of gratuitous racial talk get a free pass when the word used is “white”? And if you look closely at those pics, not everyone present is white.
ThinkPIease
Chicago is a disaster. Beetlejuice is in way over her head. She should resign.
Cam
Let’s see, it’s a wealthy city and has a lower crime rate than red state cities like Memphis, Birmingham, St. Louis, Houston, etc.
Chris
But social distancing recommendations are being followed when rioting and looting, oops, I mean protesting??
JB
Why does the title of this article mention “white gays”??? What does race have to do with any part of this story??? Damn, Queerty…seems like you’re trying to feed the frenzy with click-bait headlines like this one.