Smile Politely

The Rainbow Connection: April 19–25

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL EVENTS (please see below for regular weekly events and announcements)


PosterWHAT:
“Stay”: a performance piece about suicide

WHERE: Armory Free Theatre
               505 E. Armory (Room 160 — East side)
               Champaign

WHEN: Tuesday–Wednesday, April 19–20, 7:00 p.m.
             Thursday, April 21, 5:00 & 7:00 p.m.

Presented by: Inner Voices Social Issues Theatre. Admission is Free.

For more information, email Latrelle Bright (217-244-0212) or visit our website.

Larger image of poster

WHAT: Let’s Talk About Sex! Self Esteem: Sexy and Safety

WHERE: LGBT Resource Center, Illini Union (Room 323)

WHEN: Thursday, Apr. 21, 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Speaker: Carrie Keenan, Prevention Specialist, Champaign Urbana Public Health District

Lunch and safe sex give aways will be provided.

WHAT: Candy Foster

WHERE: Emerald City Lounge

WHEN: Thursday, Apr. 21, 8:30 p.m.

Candy is well-known as one of the hardest working blues singers in the C-U area and his strong vocals and high-energy style always draw interactive enthusiasm from the audiences.

Backed by his talented band Shades of Blue, Candy gives music fans “pure” rhythm and blues grooves that first originated from Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and Memphis (Delta) areas.

Cost: Free

WHAT: Emerald City Divas Present GLEE

WHERE: Emerald City Lounge

WHEN: Saturday, Apr. 23, 10:30 p.m.

Leiloni Stars, Aurora Lamont-Carrington, and Summer Hayes invite you out to Emerald City Lounge for the 1st show of Spring. This new monthly show starring The Three Divas will feature a showcase of performances starting at 10:30 p.m. and will run through the night.

Cost: $3.00
Age: 21+

WHAT: Discussion of Stonewall Riots

WHERE: Illinois Public Media’s new community engagement website, WILLConnect.

WHEN: Monday, Apr. 25, 11:00 a.m.

Illinois Public Media (WILL-TV/FM/AM) will be hosting a live, on-line chat about the Stonewall riots and current efforts to push for gay rights.

The 30-minute discussion will be moderated by Illinois Public Media’s Director of Community Engagement Kimberlie Kranich. The discussion will also feature three panelists:

  1. Miss Major, Executive Director of the TGI Justice Project. Major was involved in the Stonewall Riots.
  2. David Johnson, Department of History, University of South Florida. He has done extensive research on the Stonewall Riots: (Link to pdf)
  3. Bernard Cherkasov, Chief Executive Officer of Equality Illinois.

To receive an e-mail reminder about the chat, visit the website.

If you have questions, e-mail Illinois Public Media producer, Sean Powers.

WHAT: What’s Good Sex? Exploring Pornography

WHERE: LGBT Resource Center, Illini Union (Room 323)

WHEN: Monday, Apr 25, 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Speaker: Kim Rice, Sexual Health Educator & Heather Stapleton, Sexual Health GA

 


WHAT: Talk it UP

WHERE: The UP Center of Champaign County, IMC (Suite 102)

WHEN: Monday, Apr. 25, 7:00–8:00 p.m.

Talk it UP is a peer-run LGBTQ support group for middle and high-school youth. LGBTQ youth can expect an atmosphere of acceptance and support while meeting other LGBTQ youth. The group is co-facilitated by two UP Center board members (one teacher, one social worker); however the group is led by the youth participants.

Snacks are provided.

For more information, please contact Christina.

REGULAR WEEKLY EVENTS

Hosted by eQuality C-U

Rainbow Coffeehouse offers a welcoming, open environment to LGBT and Ally communities to socialize. Whether you’re here for a meeting, with friends or to study, we welcome all!

WHAT: Mpowerment Meeting

WHERE: Green Street Center
                24 E. Green St., Suite 14
                Champaign

WHEN: Tuesday, Apr. 19, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

Mpowerment is a local social and HIV prevention group for young gay/bisexual men. Meetings are open to all young gay and bisexual men interested in becoming involved.

For more information, please contact Carrie Keenan.

WHAT: eQuality C-U Meeting

WHERE: Rainbow Coffeehouse at the Wesley Foundation

WHEN: Tuesday, Apr. 19, 7:00–8:00 p.m.

eQuality C-U is an LGBTQ activist group for students and community members. If you’re interested in helping in the struggle for LGBT liberation and equal rights for all, then this is a group for you!

For more information, please contact: John Kenealy.

WHAT: Brother II Brother Meeting

WHERE: Green Street Center
                24 E. Green St., Suite 14
                Champaign

WHEN: Wednesday, Apr. 20, 6:00–8:00 p.m.

B II B is a social group for young men of color who have sexual or loving relationships with other men. The goal is to create a strong positive and healthy community for men of color in Champaign-Urbana.

For more information, please email.

WHAT: Boys Night Out

WHERE: Boltini Lounge

WHEN: Wednesday, Apr. 20, 9:00 p.m.

Every Wednesday is Boys Night Out at Boltini Lounge.

  • DJ Randall Ellison at the decks.
  • FREE candy and condoms
  • $4.00 X-Boyfriend & Well Hung martinis; $9.00 carafe Long Island Iced Tea; $1.50 Miller High Life bottles; $5.00 Classic & Baby Mama Bellinis
  • Half price food specials (4:00–6:30 p.m. only)

WHAT: Among Women: A Support Group for Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer and Questioning Female Women

WHERE: Please email for location

WHEN: Thursday, Apr. 21, 6:30–8:00 p.m.

We are: an informal support group made up of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women students; a place to meet other women who share your concerns and to form or broaden your social support network; an opportunity to decrease the alienation and isolation of being a lesbian or bisexual woman in a majority heterosexual environment; and a great chance to exchange ideas, experiences, and opinions. Among Women is open to all graduate and undergraduate students.

For more information, please contact: Allie.

WHAT: Same Sex Sunday Podcast

WHERE: Right here. And also here.

WHEN: Sunday, Apr. 24, 2011

This week, we discuss the brutal, apparently anti-transgender beating in a Maryland McDonald’s, and a discussion of whether or not publicizing this video is helpful.

We also dissect the Tennessee Senate’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which attempts to silence public school employees from discussing “homosexuality” and all things adjacent in Tennessee’s K–12 schools.

Finally, we also go full-force at the House Republicans’ incredibly expensive defense of the so-called “Defense Of Marriage Act,” the legal landscape, the law firm behind the move, and what some activists want to do to send a message to opponents of equality.

We also get an update on the Chick-fil-A anti-gay charity fiasco: is one University about to say goodbye to the chain because of their anti-gay donations?

This week, we’re joined by:

  • MetroWeekly‘s Chris Geidner
  • Change.org’s Michael A Jones
  • Log Cabin Republicans’ Casey Pick
  • LGBTQ advocate and activist, Meghan Stabler.

With so many lawyers on one round table, you can bet there was some very deep discussion of the DOMA and Tennessee law realities.

Check it out:

WHAT: Drag Workshop

WHERE: Illini Union (Room 407)

WHEN: Monday, Apr. 25, 8:00 p.m.

This week’s Pride is holding a drag workshop. The ever lovely miss Leiloni Stars will be our guide into the fabulous world of drag! Join us for some dragtastic adventures!

WHAT: Nekromancy

WHERE: Chester Street Bar

WHEN: Monday–Tuesday, Apr. 25–26, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.

Every Monday, DJ SorceryKid crafts a continuous audio-visual mixshow of the latest and the greatest in dark alternative and underground dance music.

Doors: 9:00 p.m.
Cover: $2.00
Age: 19+

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Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list of all LGBTQ events in our community. Please always feel free to email me or post other events/updates/corrections in the comments.

Except on rare occasions, all language is taken directly from event pages and websites and only slightly edited. If I attempted to write this myself, I’d never get it done.

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