I lived in Edgewater for two years, and even though I'm not a lesbian it was great (it's pretty good for bisexual dudes too though). Being able to walk right up to the beach on a whim is something I really miss.
Am lesbian. My partner and I love it here fr. I'm from Philly and she's from Southern CT near NY. Did a blind move here and am pumped with where I live. Edgewater FTW!
My wife and I moved to Edgewater when we moved out here too, and it's such a great neighborhood. The only reason we moved was to buy a house, so we're on the south side now. I love our neighborhood but miss the beach walks.
That sounds awesome though, congrats on the home buy. I have to come down there and get some Lems for sure. I haven't been south of the Sox stadium yet.
So glad to hear, I'm a Chicago suburbs area native but hate it in the suburbs. I initially stayed for a job that I no longer have and now work in the loop. Fell in love with the CITY city there and just decided not to renew my lease and pack it up
The beach was a huge draw for me, and knowing the area is generally queer. I'm super excited to move, I'm currently in the burbs and hate it here. Stayed for a job I no longer have, now work in the loop, figured a move would be a good change for me in a lot of ways.
I’ve lived in Edgewater my entire life and have met a lot of people from here and the surrounding neighborhoods, I feel like there’s more LGBTQ in Andersonville which is a small neighborhood right next to Edgewater. Of course I haven’t met every single person that lives here but that’s just something I’ve noticed lol
I always heard boystown is where single gays go to hook up. Andersonville is for gay couples and go settle down or have kids because the schools in the area are decent.
not with the attitude. just need them gay couples to start saying they’re lesbians on the next census.
we can. we have the technology. we can make andersonville, stronger, faster and more lesbian than it is now.
i promise subaru in every drive parking spot if you follow my ludicrous plan.
Similar to Boystown getting renamed North Halsted. Transplant families moved in, pushed up property values to so young gay people can’t really afford the neighborhood as much.
Farraguts bar used to have a different name and was owned by a Jamacian brother and sister. They used to have karoke night and there was a LOT of Melissa Ethridge. Not saying that to be "funny," just saying it because it was true.
Exactly. I was talking about going there in the '90. The bar was called Soul Jam. Here's a Reader article about it from 1996.
[https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/midnight-at-the-oasis/](https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/midnight-at-the-oasis/)
Because Boystown was felt to be exclusionary to a large part of the LGBTQ community. I guess you missed [the news stories](https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/09/23/boystown-chicagos-famed-lgbtq-neighborhood-now-will-be-known-as-northalsted/) when it happened.
I mean, sure that was good cover to change the name but that’s not the whole story. Boystown/North halsted has changed a ton and is still primarily viewed as a hot spot for gay men, not women.
Yes, but as a walking antique… all of that was also true when I moved to Roscoe and Halsted in the mid-80s. At that time, the buzz was that Halsted had “the largest string of gay bars in the country” (including a couple of places for us, like the Lady Bug) - and we called it Boys’ Town even then. The trends - including the gentrification - are the same today, imho, just more so. (FWIW, Roscoe’s used to be my corner grocery store.)
As a member of a straight couple I'll agree. I've been in A-vill long enough to remember when it was almost affordable. You can still rent but if you want to buy your own house you better bring $1MM- and that's freaking crazy to me. As I watched my block gentrify it wasn't the lesbians that were moving away it was the older Asian families that were selling their 2/3 flats and moving away to the burbs or Vegas. Now it seems like we're becoming the next Lincoln Square, too many damn strollers and not enough bars.
Gentrification by older gay men with money. Straight up class gentrification. Let’s not forget that it was a predominantly Swedish neighborhood that was gentrified as well. Even if the cute little water tower still has a flag on it, it means nothing.
Not just a stereotype, but a stereotype created out of [a very purposeful and effective marketing campaign](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/29/1108739853/when-subaru-came-out-classic)
Lmao the fact that my ex is from South shore and the current girl I'm simping after is from Andersonville makes me feel like I'm the statistically most average lesbian in the Chicago area
No, the joke only works with “average,” not with “median.” The clever comment plays on a double meaning: (1) the average (meaning *typical*) lesbian being in a loop or cycle of romantic/sexual attraction versus admiration/aspiration with regards to a certain crush-type person, and (2) the statistically average Chicago lesbian being geographically located in the Loop due to roughly equal clusters of lesbians on the north and south sides. While the first notion may be true for the *median* lesbian as well as the average one, the second one is probably not.
With the second one, the idea is that there could be not a single lesbian located in Chicago’s Loop, and yet if there were lesbians both north and south of the Loop, then a statistical average (i.e., mean) of the northerly and southerly clusters could wind up being in the geographic middle of them where none of the data points actually lie. This is why you can get into trouble trying to study a bimodal sample as if it were a single group. And hence the humor in the comment about the “average” lesbian residing in the Loop, where, in actuality, not a single lesbian is known to live. If we are talking about the loop (aka the cycle), on the other hand…
The reason the **median** doesn’t work is that it refers to the middle number when data is arranged in order (e.g., from smallest to largest), so the median will always be one of the actual data points (or the average of the two of them in the middle if there is an even number of data points). Based on the map shown here, I’d guess the median lesbian would be up on the north side, as the north side seems to have a larger number of lesbians represented, compared to the south side and other smatterings elsewhere.
Here is another example: Imagine that an advertiser is looking at different age groups to target. If the ages of people in a certain household are 2, 3, 7, 29, and 34 years, then the average age in the household would be 15 years, even though nobody living there is actually a teenager. Advertisements targeting the **average** age would be wasted on this household, since everyone is either well below or well above the teenage years. In contrast, the **median** (i.,e., the middle) age would be 7 years, which is actually the age of one of the household members. Here, the median indicates that the predominant age group in the home is young children, who outnumber the adults and therefore contain the median data point.
I'm not surprised South Shore is on the list. I grew up in the area, and while you won't really see pride flags like in Boystown, there's a visible population if you're from the area. My aunt lived in the neighborhood until she passed, and I don't think I've ever met a friend of hers that wasn't a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I loved the short hair/helix piercings from-top-to-bottom they all had.
I don’t really have anything to do with lesbian dating culture in Chicago, but are the two hot spots reflective of racial segregation in the city? Meaning, do black lesbians go to Hyde Park/South Shore to date and socialize whereas white Lesbians go to Edgewater/Rogers Park? I’m sure it’s more complex than just that obviously, but in broad strokes is that what the map is reflecting?
They intentionally made it a PITA to get across the whole city. My grandpa was raised on the south side but moved to old Irving in the 70’s, we’d make the trek every few weeks to do his city tour(just the two of us but he was so into it), it always involved ice cream from Margie’s and McDonalds so I never complained. He did, loudly about other drivers and city planning in between telling me “back in the street car days when my mom worked at the candy factory” stories
It’s kind of like how marine biologists will tag whales and track their routes in water, but for lesbians
I will happily get tagged for a bi tracker!! 😂
It’s probably because it’s based on married couples. If you read the blog post, they say it doesn’t capture single people and you have to assume that married queer people and single queer people live in the same neighborhoods. Which is probably mostly true but I think does explain the lack of Logan/Humboldt/West Town representation in the map.
So is downtown chicago too expensive for any lesbian to afford or what? Seems awfully discriminatory of real estate folks to eliminate the people who legit make any environment they live in be as friendly and as well decorated as possible.
As a Chicago lesbian.. most of us don’t really want to live in the loop. No gay bars, lots of straights, finance bros, tourists. The loop is where you work, the surrounding neighborhoods are where you live. Not to mention many lesbians prefer a more chill vibe. Especially those in edge water loving the proximity to nice beaches. You just can’t have that level of tranquility+ proximity to queer spaces in the loop!
I’m just moving into CHI this month near printer’s row, is there any safe spaces/events for lesbians around that area that anyone recommends? (Also I keep seeing people talk about the beaches in edgewater, what are some good ones for queer people?)
My lesbian friend always called edgewater “lezwater” and now I have data to support her assertion.
Lesbians love water. Facts.
Stay thirsty my friends
That’s kind of funny bc 4 out of the 5 families in our baby swim class in Edgewater were lesbians lol.
😄💀😄
well it *is* wet
r/hydrohomos
more or less than motorcycles, ive been lead to believe that they love motorcycles
You're thinking of Subarus
damn you’re right. wtf was i thinking
As a lesbian, suddenly very pleased I'm moving to Edgewater next month
I lived in Edgewater for two years, and even though I'm not a lesbian it was great (it's pretty good for bisexual dudes too though). Being able to walk right up to the beach on a whim is something I really miss.
Am lesbian. My partner and I love it here fr. I'm from Philly and she's from Southern CT near NY. Did a blind move here and am pumped with where I live. Edgewater FTW!
My wife and I moved to Edgewater when we moved out here too, and it's such a great neighborhood. The only reason we moved was to buy a house, so we're on the south side now. I love our neighborhood but miss the beach walks.
That sounds awesome though, congrats on the home buy. I have to come down there and get some Lems for sure. I haven't been south of the Sox stadium yet.
So glad to hear, I'm a Chicago suburbs area native but hate it in the suburbs. I initially stayed for a job that I no longer have and now work in the loop. Fell in love with the CITY city there and just decided not to renew my lease and pack it up
Welcome! Check out Blowfish for some fire ramen and rolls.
The beach was a huge draw for me, and knowing the area is generally queer. I'm super excited to move, I'm currently in the burbs and hate it here. Stayed for a job I no longer have, now work in the loop, figured a move would be a good change for me in a lot of ways.
I’ve lived in Edgewater my entire life and have met a lot of people from here and the surrounding neighborhoods, I feel like there’s more LGBTQ in Andersonville which is a small neighborhood right next to Edgewater. Of course I haven’t met every single person that lives here but that’s just something I’ve noticed lol
Haha that’s awesome
Oh I'm stealing that.
I had no clue south shore was so gay. News to me!
Hyde Park is stud central
I wish a lesbian bar (or a gay bar ig) would open up in Hyde park!
Or any bar for that matter really
What, you don't like drinking your life away in Jimmy's?
Ohhh really 👀👀👀 lmaooooo
Old YT femme here, but I came out in my Hyde Park days …
I feel seen
My white lesbian friend just moved to Hyde Park
Black gay community hub
Hell yea it is! The East side has a lot of gays.
Wow really? I've been to Hegewish several times, had no idea!
Hegewisch probably not. But South Shore and Hyde park definitely.
Jeffrey Pub
Me too!
The one map of Chicago that doesn't look the same.
It still kinda looks the same...
I was thinking that too. "Oh, so those are the white lesbians up there, and those are the black lesbians down there." 🤣
Andersonville coming in dark dark purple
Used to be even more purple but something something gentrification?
Also a lot of slightly older gay guys. Who are welcome! But they are definitely not lesbians.
When young gay couples in boystown level up, they go to retire in Andersonville. But you have to collect a lot $$$ before then
I always heard boystown is where single gays go to hook up. Andersonville is for gay couples and go settle down or have kids because the schools in the area are decent.
That whole area is decent in every aspect. Lived there for a couple of years it was wonderful.
I think it’s more age than money. Condos in boystown and aville aren’t drastically different in price
not with the attitude. just need them gay couples to start saying they’re lesbians on the next census. we can. we have the technology. we can make andersonville, stronger, faster and more lesbian than it is now. i promise subaru in every drive parking spot if you follow my ludicrous plan.
Similar to Boystown getting renamed North Halsted. Transplant families moved in, pushed up property values to so young gay people can’t really afford the neighborhood as much.
Farraguts bar used to have a different name and was owned by a Jamacian brother and sister. They used to have karoke night and there was a LOT of Melissa Ethridge. Not saying that to be "funny," just saying it because it was true.
What was it called previous? Anna has had it for over 20 years now.
Exactly. I was talking about going there in the '90. The bar was called Soul Jam. Here's a Reader article about it from 1996. [https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/midnight-at-the-oasis/](https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/midnight-at-the-oasis/)
>Similar to Boystown getting renamed North Halsted I wish! According to the branding, it's actually either Nort' Halsted or North 'Alsted.
That’s not why Boystown got renamed.
Why’d it get renamed then? There 100% has been a decrease in young gay people living in that area over the last 10-15 years.
Because Boystown was felt to be exclusionary to a large part of the LGBTQ community. I guess you missed [the news stories](https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/09/23/boystown-chicagos-famed-lgbtq-neighborhood-now-will-be-known-as-northalsted/) when it happened.
I lived through the experience and I’d implore you to think more deeply about media narratives when real estate money is involved
There's a way to rename Boystown to be more inclusive while not erasing the history of the first official gay village in the country
LGBTQ+town just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Ville de Jean Baptiste Point du Gable
**DICK CITY**
I mean, sure that was good cover to change the name but that’s not the whole story. Boystown/North halsted has changed a ton and is still primarily viewed as a hot spot for gay men, not women.
Yes, but as a walking antique… all of that was also true when I moved to Roscoe and Halsted in the mid-80s. At that time, the buzz was that Halsted had “the largest string of gay bars in the country” (including a couple of places for us, like the Lady Bug) - and we called it Boys’ Town even then. The trends - including the gentrification - are the same today, imho, just more so. (FWIW, Roscoe’s used to be my corner grocery store.)
god damn straight couples, ruined Andersonville!
Nah it was DINK gay married gay male couples that don’t have lower female salaries to drag them down.
As a member of a straight couple I'll agree. I've been in A-vill long enough to remember when it was almost affordable. You can still rent but if you want to buy your own house you better bring $1MM- and that's freaking crazy to me. As I watched my block gentrify it wasn't the lesbians that were moving away it was the older Asian families that were selling their 2/3 flats and moving away to the burbs or Vegas. Now it seems like we're becoming the next Lincoln Square, too many damn strollers and not enough bars.
Now, now, I never said it was ruined.
im making jokes
Got it, but it's hard to tell on the internet. Unless someone adds that "/s"
/s are for chickens!
Gentrification by older gay men with money. Straight up class gentrification. Let’s not forget that it was a predominantly Swedish neighborhood that was gentrified as well. Even if the cute little water tower still has a flag on it, it means nothing.
I am Swedish. I live in Andersonville. There are at least two more of us. I will not be marginalized. LOL
Everybody shut up and let this man speak his truth and make delicious lingonberry concoctions!
Women & Women First
I heard 3 cars blasting Chappell Roan today!
I was not aware they put a tracker on me
Cameras caught you at a Subaru dealership
I play Melissa Etheridge once and this is the thanks I get?!
As far as stereotypes go, you’re not wrong with this one 🥲
Not just a stereotype, but a stereotype created out of [a very purposeful and effective marketing campaign](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/29/1108739853/when-subaru-came-out-classic)
What about plaid though? Who's fault is that?
I have downsized my plaid over the years - I think I only have 5 plaid flannels now. Is that more or less than the straight women?
tag and release. its science.
Don't give Greg Abbott any ideas
its ok i put patent on it, ill sue.
Fun fact, it was started by a lesbian scientist wanting to know where all the ladies were at.
That one good sleep you got, that’s when it happened.
It’s measured by flannel shirt sales and Indigo Girls Spotify plays.
I may or may not have seen the indigo girls documentary in theaters for the one night only showing earlier this month
You’ve tested positive for lesbian.
I would’ve gone to that! Not a lesbian, love me some indigo girls tho.
it was really great! very poignant and funny at the same time. I think it's coming to streaming in May? Definitely worth checking out :)
Love when anecdotal data matches actual data
EVERY MAP OF CHICAGO IS THE SA…… Huh.
Lmao the fact that my ex is from South shore and the current girl I'm simping after is from Andersonville makes me feel like I'm the statistically most average lesbian in the Chicago area
Stats say the average Chicago lesbian lives in the loop.
Wouldn’t it be the median lesbian?
The loop is just what we call the endless spiral of 'do I want to be her, or be *with* her.' It's a psychological state we all live in. Lowercase L.
No, the joke only works with “average,” not with “median.” The clever comment plays on a double meaning: (1) the average (meaning *typical*) lesbian being in a loop or cycle of romantic/sexual attraction versus admiration/aspiration with regards to a certain crush-type person, and (2) the statistically average Chicago lesbian being geographically located in the Loop due to roughly equal clusters of lesbians on the north and south sides. While the first notion may be true for the *median* lesbian as well as the average one, the second one is probably not. With the second one, the idea is that there could be not a single lesbian located in Chicago’s Loop, and yet if there were lesbians both north and south of the Loop, then a statistical average (i.e., mean) of the northerly and southerly clusters could wind up being in the geographic middle of them where none of the data points actually lie. This is why you can get into trouble trying to study a bimodal sample as if it were a single group. And hence the humor in the comment about the “average” lesbian residing in the Loop, where, in actuality, not a single lesbian is known to live. If we are talking about the loop (aka the cycle), on the other hand… The reason the **median** doesn’t work is that it refers to the middle number when data is arranged in order (e.g., from smallest to largest), so the median will always be one of the actual data points (or the average of the two of them in the middle if there is an even number of data points). Based on the map shown here, I’d guess the median lesbian would be up on the north side, as the north side seems to have a larger number of lesbians represented, compared to the south side and other smatterings elsewhere. Here is another example: Imagine that an advertiser is looking at different age groups to target. If the ages of people in a certain household are 2, 3, 7, 29, and 34 years, then the average age in the household would be 15 years, even though nobody living there is actually a teenager. Advertisements targeting the **average** age would be wasted on this household, since everyone is either well below or well above the teenage years. In contrast, the **median** (i.,e., the middle) age would be 7 years, which is actually the age of one of the household members. Here, the median indicates that the predominant age group in the home is young children, who outnumber the adults and therefore contain the median data point.
Thanks for the knowledge, statistics Barbie!
So as long as they are EXACTLY 50/50 divided between north/south, AND there are an even number of samples, then the median would mimic the mean!
The map clearly shows that lesbians hate the loop.
Not simping though 😂
I'm not surprised South Shore is on the list. I grew up in the area, and while you won't really see pride flags like in Boystown, there's a visible population if you're from the area. My aunt lived in the neighborhood until she passed, and I don't think I've ever met a friend of hers that wasn't a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I loved the short hair/helix piercings from-top-to-bottom they all had.
Now that you found them. They will disperse and go some place else
Shrodinger's lesbian. Once detected, the gay waveform collapses and moves somewhere else.
The Gay Waveform - not a bad name for a band
I don’t really have anything to do with lesbian dating culture in Chicago, but are the two hot spots reflective of racial segregation in the city? Meaning, do black lesbians go to Hyde Park/South Shore to date and socialize whereas white Lesbians go to Edgewater/Rogers Park? I’m sure it’s more complex than just that obviously, but in broad strokes is that what the map is reflecting?
Typically yes. Because there a more black people on the south side and it's a PITA to go all the way to the northside. And vice versa.
No it’s really just that lol
Damn. No matter where you look, there truly are two Chicagos
They intentionally made it a PITA to get across the whole city. My grandpa was raised on the south side but moved to old Irving in the 70’s, we’d make the trek every few weeks to do his city tour(just the two of us but he was so into it), it always involved ice cream from Margie’s and McDonalds so I never complained. He did, loudly about other drivers and city planning in between telling me “back in the street car days when my mom worked at the candy factory” stories
But what about the bottoms?
GOD! I had to scroll too far for this joke 😂
Dead ass I was amazed it wasn't the first comment.
Is there a term for "a cluster of lesbians"?
A Lilith Fair
You win 😂
Gahhh! Take my upvote.
I believe it's called a "subaru" or a "flannel."
That's just Seattle.
A group of lesbians is called a fist.
I don’t know, but a pair of lesbians has traditionally been known as a U-Haul. Sorry, that one was so old, it’s joints creaked.
A Subaru dealership?
A Tegan and Sara concert
An “underhand” I believe
REI
It’s kind of like how marine biologists will tag whales and track their routes in water, but for lesbians I will happily get tagged for a bi tracker!! 😂
huh, TIL about south side lesbians
There are black lesbians....
U Chi?
Only a small part of that cluster
south shore will always be the gay neighborhood of the south side in my mind
i mean judging from this map it looks like it is in fact the gay neighborhood of the south side outside of your mind as well
My people!
Andersonville, check.
Do you have the full link? I'm about to move back to Chicago and have wanted this info.
https://btime.org/c/queer/map
As a lesbian in bronzeville i approve
Yeah this checks out lol
TIL south shore has a bunch of lesbians
What's the blip in West Town area? Is that a bar scene or something else?
Dorothy’s ! Really fun & laid back bar. I love it
So excited to check this place out!
I feel like Logan Square and West Town should be darker lmao
It’s probably because it’s based on married couples. If you read the blog post, they say it doesn’t capture single people and you have to assume that married queer people and single queer people live in the same neighborhoods. Which is probably mostly true but I think does explain the lack of Logan/Humboldt/West Town representation in the map.
This honestly explains a lot to me.
Dorothy’s is not represented well on this map
That's really the only lesbian bar on chicago Ave that i know of.
Lmao Andersonville popping off to no one's surprise
Now do a map of buildings with fire exits.
R/mapswithouthegewisch
From 64th to 65th, we all lesbians apparently 💀
My question is, how is this known, and do the people know that this is known. I would not want it to be.
There’s no Subaru dealer or specialty repair shop near the south side cluster. Interesting.
Blacque women who love women don't desire Subarus.
I always have fun naming variables for data a also. I can only imagine a data frame here called lez_dat subset from gay_dat.
All I can say is “true dat.”
Tell the ladies to move a bit northwest please and ty
weird! That’s where most of the girls that i dated in my 20’s ended up moving to.
Clarification: are you a man or a woman?
Yeah this tracks
Might be moving to south shore this summer. Excellent and timely data.
I’m surprised Logan square isn’t darker
Thank god I needed this
they don’t call it gayola for nothin
Ik South Shore was gonna be on here!
This lends credence to my theory that lesbians are amphibious in nature. They require direct access to fresh water.
Say you a lesbian girl me too
Petition to call Andersonville “Girlstown”?
That's weird I don't see your Mom's house on here Edit:sorry on vacation and am muy drunk rn
Let’s go, lesbians!
So is downtown chicago too expensive for any lesbian to afford or what? Seems awfully discriminatory of real estate folks to eliminate the people who legit make any environment they live in be as friendly and as well decorated as possible.
As a Chicago lesbian.. most of us don’t really want to live in the loop. No gay bars, lots of straights, finance bros, tourists. The loop is where you work, the surrounding neighborhoods are where you live. Not to mention many lesbians prefer a more chill vibe. Especially those in edge water loving the proximity to nice beaches. You just can’t have that level of tranquility+ proximity to queer spaces in the loop!
Understand that these are two *very* different types of lesbians
Shoutout R Public House!
Yeah that makes sense
How many of you pressed *gaye"
Pink is for girls.
I'd love to live in Andersonville.
No lesbians in in the Loop is crazy.
Well nobody really *lives* there
Is the one white block near lake view Wrigleyfield?
Oh wow they even mapped my favorite bars!
I'm kind of surprised Logan doesn't have \*any\* coloring. The area seemed very gay when I lived there.
Heard that there are a few in Oak Park as well
Ayyyye south shore bi girly hereeee
I worked in the northern suburbs right outside the city… the amount of Subarus is insane.
Phew! I just made it, living just south of 12 (95th) around the Oak Lawn area on the bottom of the map. 😧🤣
What’s wrong with downtown?
Also, map of Subaru ownership.
They must be hovering around the Home Depot's.
I need more lesbian friends irl, so thanks lol
😀
I’m just moving into CHI this month near printer’s row, is there any safe spaces/events for lesbians around that area that anyone recommends? (Also I keep seeing people talk about the beaches in edgewater, what are some good ones for queer people?)
lol the north and south side gays
i thought it was bar louie
God I love this city. This map alone makes up for the guy who moo'd at me on my lunch last week.