March CLAW - Where do I fit? March 24 - NEW DATE!

CHICAGO — Join us for a rousing game of where do I fit in the community and what are the roles/names that I attribute to yourself or how others might see you.

We will discuss the various terms used for people in the scene and how we define them and how the "communities" may define them.

CLAW is open to all those 19 and older living their life as a woman or queer identified that are comfortable in a womens space.

We start at 7:30 ish... this month we moved from the 3rd Thursday due to St Pats
https://fetlife.com/events/424839.

If you need the address please RSVP to clawchicago@gmail.com.

LadyMJC312
Chicago Leather Alliance of Women

Mr. Leather 64TEN Contest

CHICAGO - Come and join the crowd as judges select a new title holder that will go on to compete at International Mister Leather in May 2016. Events will be at the Leather 64Ten store and The Jackhammer Complex. 

The judges for the contest are Will Boyd-Bohaczek, Mr Wisconsin Leather 2015; Justin St. Clair, 2014 International Trainer and a producer of the Illinois Puppy Contest; Tina MacKay, deputy director of CLAW 2016; Dan Ronneberg, American Leatherman 2015; and Michael Pacas, Mr. Leather 6410 2015.

Those interested in competing for the Mr. Leather 64Ten 2016 title can pick up applications at the store, or download the application at our website, www.mrleather64ten2016.com.

WINNERS PACKAGE: VALUED AT OVER $4500!!!!

'Raggedy And' previews to benefit Chicago non-profits

Delia Kropp (center) plays poet Ondi Rivers, pictured with her wife Clem (Katurah Nelson) and their son Ben (Averis I. Anderson) in Raggedy And at Pride Films and Plays. (Photo by Paul Goyette)

CHICAGO – Pride Films and Plays is excited to present the World Premiere of David Valdes Greenwood’s comedy Raggedy And, opening March 12, 2016 at Rivendell Theater. Delia Kropp will be the first transgender actress to portray a trans character for a major Chicago stage production. And the previews for the production will benefit two non-profit organizations – Illinois Safe School Alliance on Thursday, March 10, and the Legacy Walk on Friday, March 11 – with $5 from each ticket sold for those performances benefiting the organization.

GD2 Events This Weekend

CHICAGO - Hi everyone! We hope you'll join us at one (or all!) of our events this weekend!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26GD2 FIELD TRIP: FIFTY SHADES OF SHAKESPEARE
8:00 p.m.
Fizz Bar
3220 N Lincoln
Open to Everyone 21+
GD2 Member Discount
Before coming out to the club, check out this show from (re)discover theatre:
"an orgy of hilarious, powerful, and revealing explorations of gender-roles, sexuality, kink and relationships all told through the bard's sexiest scenes."

Leather Archives & Museum receives The Society of Janus Records and Collection

CHICAGO – The Leather Archives & Museum has received a collection of records and published materials from The Society of Janus. Janus was founded in 1974 by Cynthia Slater and Larry Olsen. SoJ has been providing support and education for people learning about BDSM in San Francisco ever since. Fifteen containers of materials were included in the donation.

Chicago Rope February: Homegrown (Feb 28th)

CHICAGO - Chicago Rope is pleased to announce our February Event.

To help you ride out the last vestiges of winter, we're bringing you two of Chicago's best-known rope event organizers: MasterSoNSo, host of Bound to Learn, which meets monthly at GD2, and Lionfire, host of Tying by Twilight, which meets at GD2 as well as in private locations in Chicago. These events have been fixtures of the Chicago rope scene for several years, and many of our staff at Chicago Rope regularly attend one or both of them.

Kinkster Discussion / Support Group - February meetup

CHICAGO - Identifying and communicating one's longings, desires and needs is perhaps the biggest challenge relationships bring. Even before we are in relationship, we have thoughts and feelings, dreams and fantasies of what could be and what we would like. But how do you navigate the path from where you are to what you want? How do you express your needs and wants in vulnerable of moments? In a scene or when differences arise? Come join us and bring your questions, experiences and insights.

PFP Names 11 Semi-finalists in the Great Gay Play and Musical Contest

CHICAGO– A slate of 11 vibrant and kinetic new LGBTQ+ plays and musicals have emerged as Semi-Finalists in Pride Films and Plays’ 2016 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest. They come from writers across the United States, and were selected by a reading team from across the country doing blind readings of the manuscripts.

The semi-finalists are:

• All-American Boy by Donald Gecewicz
• Another Horatio Alger Story by Jason Jacobs
• Book of Hours by Thomas Klocke
• Five Husbands by B.V. Marshall
• Open and Shut by Donna Hoke
• Song to the Moon by Gary Jaffe
• Spectacular Brown by Brian Pracht
• TBD (To Be Determined) by Paul Elliott
• Terror Incognito by Larry A. Reed
• tran-si-tions by Steve Fogelman
• A Woman Onstage, book and lyrics by Stephen deGhelder, music by Brad Simmons

A final round of readings commences now, and five finalists will be named at the end of this month. Those five scripts will be performed as Enhanced Staged Readings at the Center On Halsted’s Hoover-Leppen, 3540 N Halsted, the weekend of April 22 to 24, 2016. Tickets for the event are pay-what-you-can (suggested $10). Find more information at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or 1 800 737 0984.

Via press release

Chicago Puppy Patrol Membership Drive

CHICAGO - Chicago Puppy Patrol is dedicated to building and supporting our wonderful community of puppies and handlers. A few weeks ago we held a member meeting to get some ideas on how we could be a better organization and we got a lot of feedback.

As a result, CPP has developed a new membership structure that will allow individual puppies and handlers to participate and get involved with our organization at different levels. We will always be open to the public, but we wish to recognize those that put their time and energy into the club, give members opportunities to step up in leadership roles and create more structure to the Chicago Puppy Patrol. Membership to CPP will not include monetary dues, full membership will be based on attendance, participation and volunteering to run or host events.

Leather Archives & Museum Lock-in, Feb. 5

CHICAGO - Join us for the first ever Leather Archives and Museum Lock-in. Spend the evening amongst the artifacts and energy inside the walls of the LA and M.

We've updated the Leather Museum Lock In event schedule based on people who wanted to come but couldn't swing the registration fee and people who wanted to come for just a portion of the event.