Chicago Renames Iconic LGBTQ ‘Boystown’ Neighborhood Over Concerns Name Was Not Inclusive Of Women

[myDNA4u]

As someone who is old enough to remember what N. Halsted street was like from Belmont up to Broadway before gay men moved into the neighborhood and redeveloped it from really sketchy to a place people wanted to go, I have always looked at the name Boystown as honoring those pioneers many of whom are no longer with us. The name had nothing to do with excluding anyone. Indeed there was a period of time when the lesbian crowd wanted nothing to do with the neighborhood to the point of having a separate pride parade in Andersonville. 

The North Halsted Street merchants can call it anything they want, but to the vast majority it will remain Boystowm. This is taking political correctness to an extreme just to placate a handful of noisy pushy people.

[Guest]

There's no need to rename it.

[Guest bluecollarotter]

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[polyglutton]

On 9/29/2020 at 2:22 PM, BootmanLA said:

When I first started hearing stories about how much misogyny there was within the gay community, some decades back, I thought surely that must be an artifact of an earlier time. But threads like this remind me it's alive and well.

Yes, and if one looks deeply enough homophobia ultimately has its roots in misogyny. The more we dismantle the patriarchy, the more liberated and safe gay cis men will be.  Also free to be sluts 🙂

[chipygmalion80]

Is Chicago getting rid of Chinatown too?  Little India on Devon?  Pfft.  Give me a break.

Technically, the ward that "Boystown" sits in is called Lakeview.  Boystown doesn't have its own Alderman ... it's more of a PR / advertising thing for the Parade and such, so this fight isn't even about how citizens are represented.  The Aldernman for Chinatown is Latino descent.  Very diverse!

Lots of gay men live in Lakeview.  Lots of Asian Indian live in northern Rogers Park.  Lots of central Asian live / work in Chinatown.  But the SJWs need to "white" wash everything that's unique into uniformity.

Edited March 30, 2021 by chipygmalion80