Chicago’s LGBTQ ‘hood has long been called ‘Boystown’, but business leaders have decided its time for a re-brand.
The move comes after a petition gained steam over the summer which described Boystown as the “only gendered nickname” of any city’s LGBTQ district.
It argued:
“Systemic transphobia, racism, and sexism have plagued our neighborhood for decades, and it begins at the top, with the all-male board of the Northalsted Business Alliance. It begins with the BOYSTOWN signs down our street announcing that this neighborhood is ‘for the boys,’ though the signs hang above our diverse Legacy Walk of several LGBTQ icons in our history.
“To promote the inclusion of transgender, nonbinary, lesbian, and intersex individuals, we submit this petition for the Northalsted Business Alliance to simply follow the other LGBTQ neighborhoods across the world by marketing the area based on its location, North Halsted, not the majority gender of those people who sit on the Northalsted Business Alliance board This is only the beginning of the many changes needed in the North Halsted area.”
The petition gained over 1,500 signatures, although a counter-petition to keep the name had over 2,000.
After the initial petition was launched, the Business Alliance conducted an online survey around the name “Boystown”; 1,580 people reported feeling unwelcome by the name.
“It definitely felt like we should be doing something about it,” Northalsted Business Alliance spokesperson Jen Gordon told the Chicago Tribune. “If it was making even a small percentage of people feel uncomfortable, it’s not something we should be using to promote the neighborhood.”
‘Boystown’ was a nickname that the area earned in the late 80s and early 90s. It became so common that it was formally adopted by the Northalsted Business Alliance, and adorns banners around the area. In 1997, then Chicago Mayor Richard Daley affirmed the area (Halsted Street from Grace Street to Belmont Avenue) as the first official gay neighborhood in the U.S.
Josh447
Understandable but just taking the legal name away doesn’t mean the boys need to stop using the name. It’s a designation that deserves respect regardless of the outside forces that aren’t gay boys. Gay men are the biggest number of visible lgbt’s and the most attacked and are on the forefront of the battle lines against discrimination, we deserve recognition for that, even if self imposed.
Dymension
Agreed. People have to remember that ALL LGBT people are discriminated against and not welcome in some areas of the country.
QNetter
Most attacked? Oh, Mary, pleeeeeease!
Catholicslutbox
Trans-women are the most attacked in several parts, with gay men being the most attacked in those 3rd-world arabic nations.
Gay women are generally left alone unless they’re mega butch.
dhmonarch89
QNetter- most attacked- ah- YES! Gay men have been attacked for the last 3000 years- run the numbers- it’s A LOT more than any of the other letters in our fractured communtiy!
Luxury
“You comment is awaiting moderation”… Really? Apparently facts need to be moderated and fallacies don’t. Or maybe it was the snark. So I’ll try it again without the snark. Here goes…
“According to hate crime statistics, Gay men overwhelmingly represent the majority of hate crime victims under the “LGBT” umbrella. So he’s right.”
jerkinns
Cancelled
wiredpup
Erased
innocentgay
Boo.
Marqus
Why in heaven’s name would they want to start destroying the base and the identity of what has long been a recognized gayborhood? Trying to turn what was something special into a common everyday pedestrian nothing?
wiredpup
The queer community is erasing GLB history and are pretty much guilty of cultural appropriation.
WayDifferent
Because Ruth Ginsburg just died and she wanted it called ItTown.
wiredpup
More gay history erasure. F’ing BS.
MISTERJETT
they’re not exactly color-friendly over there.
marshal phillips
Boys come in all colors.
Jared MacBride
Every time I’ve been to Boystown, which is often, I’ve seen plenty of non-Caucasian people, all of whom seemed to be having a grand time. Steamworks, for instance, was very diverse, when it comes to race, at least.
Dymension
You obviously don’t live in Chicago. If you did, you would remember Circuit Club back in the day. I specifically went to that club because it was the closest to the Hispanic and Black clubs I went to in NYC.
dhmonarch89
Gay men- we just don’t matter any more. We did ALL the heavy lifting 70s-90s and now we’re told to shut up and take a back seat….@8% of society is gay…@0.8% is trans- and yet, the T’s are running the show now. We’re done.
Cam
And gay men now have the right to serve in the military, get married, adopt, and most areas have laws blocking gay men from being fired.
Trans people are now being kicked out of the military again, can’t change gender on their documents, etc.
I don’t’ think that gay men are being silenced, it’s just that as a group the folks with the most barriers still existing are catching up in getting attention.
As for boystown. I only agree with a change if the name still signifies that it is a traditionally LGBTQ neighborhood. I would not want it to lose it’s name if it’s going to be called something like “northtown” or “centerville”. In that case it’s erasure and f*ck that.
wiredpup
@Cam, still clutching huh? Poor thing.
dhmonarch89
Cam- there is NO Federal law protecting gay men from being fired…it is STILL very legal to do so in 27 US States…and how did we achieve the others- we worked harder than any segment of this community to get those rights!
Rugby8
Could Not Agree More!!!
???
Cam
@wiredpup : Translation: You can’t dispute my comment.
@dhmonarch89: That’s why I said “Most areas”. There has been success in many areas for that, but not federally and it is something that still needs to be fought. The issue is, I don’t see that Trans people getting some attention for fighting their battles takes away from gay/lesbian/bi people pushing their rights forward.
This is the same B.S. Republicans try to push out to their base, telling them that if any black or LGBTQ people succeed, it is taking something away from them. Trans people getting more rights doesn’t take rights away from LGBs in my opinion.
dhmonarch89
ENDA was on the table to be passed in 2009- Democrats controlled the House and Senate and Obama was President, the trans community rose up and stopped it because it wasn’t trans inclusive at the time…instead of taking what we could get back then- and continuing to include trans people later, they stopped 80-90% of the community from getting rights that we STILL don’t have today.
Cam
Except they didn’t stop it. They asked to be included. If they had been included in the first place it probably would have passed un-noticed. I blame HRC for ham handed lobbying and for wasting 50 million dollars and not being able to get any of their agenda passed.
dhmonarch89
NO- IT WOULDN’T HAVE PASSED- that’s why Democrats shelved it!!!! Numerous Democrats came out against making it trans inclusive- the ones from Red States. Google it!
Dymension
Sadly, it’s all become a race to the bottom (no pun intended): it’s basically, “I’ve had it worse than you, therefore we do as I say.”
Creamsicle
I get why this may feel upsetting, but there’s nothing stopping you, or anyone else from continuing to refer to the neighborhood as Boystown. It just won’t be on official branding.
dhmonarch89
I guess majority rule doesn’t apply….
dhmonarch89
any word on what god awful 20 letter symbol they will be changing the name to?
Yooper
Yep, soon a K will be added for Klansman, because why not.
Creamsicle
They should call it QTown just to mess with all the QAnon idiots.
Flamingo Falls
How about “Gayborhood,” like Philly?
SFMike
Isn’t that offensive to anyone in the alphabet spectrum who finds the word “gay” offensive? Forget it there is no winning this and just admit gay boys are canceled due to their relationship with white male privilege.
Catholicslutbox
or “individualsofallwalksoflifethatfeelthey’vebeenmarginalizedand/ordiscriminated town.”
Shame.
dhmonarch89
they chose the name Northalsted…which has absolutely NOTHING to do with ANY group.
Dymension
So, let’s get something straight here (no pun intended). It used to be that anyone who wasn’t straight was gay. EVERYONE. Little by little, people have self-sorted and created their own label, even though they protest labels, they instead create over 100 labels from sexual “preference” to gender identification, etc. It used to be gay and bi. Then gay, bi, and lesbian, though my lesbian friends still accepted gay to refer to them. Then the T was added. Now we have an entire alphabet two times over because everyone wants to say “me, me, me! Look at me!”
We really need to remain a community because there is power in number.
Creamsicle
@Dymension. A lot of that self sorting was done so that people could clarify their orientation or identity within gay communities. Some people need labels more than others. Finding a comfortable definition can make it easier to accept yourself and feel like you’re part of a community.
It’s only been in the past decade that gay acceptance (I use the term in the biggest umbrella in this case) has become widespread in the US. The different labels we have now have only been discussed outside gay circles in maybe the past 30 years, and I’m being generous with the ’90s. Public support for marriage equality only hit an inflection point in 2009.
I’m thankful for our rapid progress. I don’t really have a dog in the fight re: Boystown, since I’ve never spent any time in Chicago.
lord.krath
Not unexpected, but still sad. Boystown wasn’t a name used to prescribe exclusivity. It was a nickname. It described a community, an area, and a culture. The mayor didn’t have to make it the first gay neighborhood in the country. That probably was the first error: basically designating a safe haven officially catering to gays? /gasp /cue reverse discrimination. This whole PC stuff is such a petty phenomena. People can refuse service to gays, but a neighborhood that took on a nickname as an official name is offensive? What is next? China Towns across america? Little Italys? I mean, 1,500 offended or feeling unwelcomed? Sad. It’s like going to Hooters and then being offended at all of the tits.
SFMike
Misandry wins again. Anything associated with boys and men is toxic in our current environment and I know I’m stupid and should just STFU for even mentioning it but I could care less what others think at this point.
RascalCali
Totally agree SFMike. Let’s just erase all past history that has anything to do with gay men. WTH
eireapparent
Agreed.
sillyme
Or they can add the “Boystown” area in other venues in that same are if there are any business still open from the 80’s or 90’s it may still keep the name if the other businesses will bring up a valid petition for keeping that same name and make it inclusive for the rest of the community.
ShiningSex
I understand the argument because of the transgender, lesbians of the community, but it could also RUIN the ‘hood.
It happened in Houston. The gayborhood has become infiltrated with suburban families that wanted it “CLEANED UP” and complained about “noise” from bars/clubs, so several venues went out of business, so WATCH OUT CHICAGO.
SoloMcDaniel
Already happened. Condo tower was built next to Circuit, which was there years before the condos. Residents who willingly moved in next to a nightclub with a 4AM liquor license then complained about the noise. Has happened at other spots along Halstead too
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
What have THEY accomplished that makes them feel they deserve a seat at the table that was established by US? Whats stopping them from getting together in a group and buying a few blocks of real estate and getting their own heaven on earth started? First they invade the military and now this. Enough with these protests from people who are actually trying to create another sex. Day by day its getting clearer that is their ultimate goal and to hell with whomever it is they have to destroy in the process.
Cam
And what do you mean by “First THEY invaded the military?”
Sounds like your bigotry is showing.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Cam, a battlefield is no place for high heels, a wig and bra. The least distracted soldier is the one you want fighting for your country, not the one there for no other reason than to make a political statement.
MetaMichael
It’ll always be called BOYSTOWN.
tjack47
I would love to go. I don’t care what it’s called. Everyone can call it what they want. In Dallas, Oaklawn, Cedar Springs or Throckmorton depending on your scene back in 1989 anyway. Hell, I don’t know what it’s called now? Nickname it as you and your friends wish. It’s more gay male history. It will always be history.
tennisguynyc
tjack47 you are so right! Paris has Le Marais, Miami has South Beach, San Francisco the Castro and South of Market, San Diego has Hillcrest and North Park and NYC has several locations: Hell’s Kitchen, East Village, Village, Williamsburg. I don’t think any of these are official gay designated names. Are they? (Certainly, none in NYC are.) I would be surprised. I’m sure everyone here knows the nicknames of various gay areas. The point is, call it what you want. Honestly, I have always thought Boystown was the least favorable/appropriate (nick)name of any city’s gay area anyway. I always called it North Halstead…or that gay area north of the park. Or, wait…NoHa! 🙂 And, good job to Queerty for goading readers with the title of this article. We all know that the Boystown name is not going anywhere….unlike all the gay bars and restaurants that are in North Halstead.
jerkinns
Can’t imagine how things are going to be here in Spain if we had cancel-culture extremists or whatever it is going on in the US. Everything here has a gender! They’d probably go bonkers
WayDifferent
They were all worried there that Trump was going to drop a bomb on Halsted Street in 2016 but it looks like they’ve done that themselves.
Roy Moss
The gender confused are the victum du jour these days and every expression of gender is offensive to them. It’s just stupid.
mateo
My take on this: Establishing and promoting an area with businesses that catered to the needs and desires of GAY MEN (sorry, “cis” isn’t part of my vocabulary) didn’t come easily; it meant years of effort and investment. If trans people, lesbians, and others want to have a neighborhood of their own, WHY DON’T THEY LOOK FOR SOME PLACE IN WHICH THEY CAN ESLABLISH IT?
LamarTrotsky
Lesbians already have their “own” neighborhood in Chicago-Andersonville, the old Swedish enclave on Clark Street. Boystown is filled with Karen types now. Not far from Boystown the residents complained for years about the noise from helicopters bringing airlifted sick & injured children (or transplant organs) to the former Children’s Memorial Hospital. These types usually leave the city as soon as their spawn are school age.
barkomatic
This is a very divisive move and the consequences of this and other similar erasures will become apparent in the medium term. Cancel culture feels good in the moment but it has no future.
BigJohnSF
There are transgender boys aren’t there? Although I’m sure they call themselves “boyz.”
Bulovaboy
Just Can’t F–king leave anything alone. If You’re uncomfortable, Don’t go there. B–ch, b–ch, b–ch.
maxlovesrio
Back in the old days, our community was just the “gay community” and then the lesbians wanted to be included so we became the gay and lesbian community and then the lesbians said their name should come first so we became the lesbian and gay community and so it has kept going until I am tired of it all. When somebody tells me they are gender fluid and start to tell me their pronouns, I just tell them I am racially fluid and that I am a different race from what I obviously am and walk away.
dhmonarch89
in the poll they did- 58% voted to keep the name, to 42% voting to change it…they clearly don’t give a damn about the majority and would rather alienate that majority than offend the creaky wheel. If Biden wins 51-49 and Trump contests that, by their logic, we should just let Trump win to keep him from bitching and moaning???!!!
Josh447
My sense is it will always be called BoysTown irregardless of non gay men complaining about the name due to their own insecurities around gender identity. This is a blatant discriminatory jab at gay men and all they have accomplished throughout history.
I totally promote that gay men world wide keep calling it BoysTown irregardless of the toxic faux pc crowd.
JudasGoat
Amen, Brother
dhmonarch89
their instagram page blocked me.
wooly101
Nothing is sacred any more.
CityguyUSA
Ridiculous, and I’m willing to bet the ultimate demise of he area.
superhq
The neighborhood is now just filled with wealthy gays and hetero couples. Most of these people commenting have never been.
Sam
It always gonna called Boystown even if the change name to gender confusing town. Anyway, Yall all gonna be outnumber by gays men, and lesbians.
GayEGO
If it stops Systemic transphobia, racism, and sexism which have plagued the neighborhood for decades, it is time for a change. We are part of normal society, no mental problems or sexual deviates, which science reported in 1970. But there will be people who will always call it Boystown!
Wolfie
Honey changing a name won’t change anything
cgerard
They still call it the Sears Tower … They still will call it BOYSTOWN !
Wentz
This is getting ridiculous. We’re only a year or so away from gay men being cancelled for not wanting to have sex with women, claiming that we’re misogynistic.
jorgecruz
Trans activists did not kill Boystown. Grindr, Scruff and petty criminals killed Boystown. Halsted hasnt been safe or fun for 10 years.
Yooper
Nothing will ever satisfy the dictatorial faction that seems pervasive everywhere. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Tombear
Next they are going after P-town cause the P stands for penus!
LumpyPillows
No reason to go all the way to Provincetown for more straight stuff. I know they are thinking about it in P-town, but it will be the end of the town. Plenty of easier places to get to on the cape.
LumpyPillows
Another example of everything wrong with the looney left. They moved on from hating straight men to hating all men. Ironically, this movement is chock full of emasculated men, which is like the crazy women fighting against equal rights and voting for Trump. I find all of them exasperating.