Chicago Queer History Walking Tours: May 23 Sex and Rebellion

It’s IML weekend, and to commemorate this week is all about the ways Queer people use sex to rebel. Lauren Berlant and Michael Warner argue that society’s insistence on keeping sex private and personal perpetuates the idea that straight, cishet lives are the norm. So this week we’re going to explore the ways that queer lives were made public in the past. Learn about Cruising in the 1870s, Lesbian hangouts from prohibition that revolutionized Jazz, and the first major protest against Anita Bryant, along with other sexy sites of Queer joy from the past.
The University of Illinois Chicago Gender and Sexuality Center presents a series of Chicago Queer History Walking Tours for Summer 2026. Tours are conducted by Daniel Williams, a political science professor who’s been bringing the details of Chicago’s queer past to life on social media. Follow him on Instagram @Daniel.Edward.Williams

When: Saturday, May 23, 1 pm
Start: Bank of America Building Plaza (110 N Wacker Dr on the North Side)
End: 2nd Story Bar (157 E Ohio St #2)
Distance: apx 2 miles

All walking tours are free, with tips gratefully accepted, but not expected.