Musician Natalie Prass for VICE

Musician Natalie Prass for VICE

One Fate Stupid, Created with Bun Stout

One Fate Stupid, Created with Bun Stout

Musician & Ancient Histories Professor, Lakshmi Ramgopal

Musician & Ancient Histories Professor, Lakshmi Ramgopal

Thunder, Model

Thunder, Model

Anna, Model

Anna, Model

Gnat Kink Glitter, Fetish Fashion Designer

Gnat Kink Glitter, Fetish Fashion Designer

Saugatuck, a town on Michigan’s western coast, is Chicago’s answer to Fire Island. With multiple Gay Resorts located in the small town, it’s an international attraction for single and coupled LGBTQIA+ people. Joe Gallagher, 37, of Chicago, center,

Saugatuck, a town on Michigan’s western coast, is Chicago’s answer to Fire Island. With multiple Gay Resorts located in the small town, it’s an international attraction for single and coupled LGBTQIA+ people.

Joe Gallagher, 37, of Chicago, center, booked his hotel room four months in advance, knowing this weekend, Saturday June 18, 2022, at The Dunes would be a hit. “It’s [also] great for me to see a gay business thriving,” said Gallagher, “to be able to come to a vacation destination as ourselves is so important.” Reported for WBEZ Chicago.

Lykanthea, Musican

Lykanthea, Musican

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Alex Rivera, a beauty blogger, films a daily makeup routine at his home in Glenview, Ill., for The New York Times, on March 22, 2017. “You’re a warrior for the middle-class using drugstore makeup,” he said of himself and fellow MUA bloggers.

Alex Rivera, a beauty blogger, films a daily makeup routine at his home in Glenview, Ill., for The New York Times, on March 22, 2017. “You’re a warrior for the middle-class using drugstore makeup,” he said of himself and fellow MUA bloggers.

Butch Romero, Mr. Chicago Leather 2020

Butch Romero, Mr. Chicago Leather 2020

Maren Morris for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram at South By Southwest, March 17, 2016.

Maren Morris for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram at South By Southwest, March 17, 2016.

Musician Laura Jane Grace for VICE

Musician Laura Jane Grace for VICE

Melissa Castro Almandina, Writer

Melissa Castro Almandina, Writer

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Self Portrait

Self Portrait

Riley Clifton, 16, of Emory, Texas, poses for a portrait for The Dallas Morning News on August 21, 2014. She has been powerlifting for three years with Henry Thomason, of Sherman, the world record holder of single-ply squat at 1,058lbs. Clifton rece

Riley Clifton, 16, of Emory, Texas, poses for a portrait for The Dallas Morning News on August 21, 2014. She has been powerlifting for three years with Henry Thomason, of Sherman, the world record holder of single-ply squat at 1,058lbs. Clifton recently placed first in her weight class during the NASA World Cup of Power meet in Oklahoma, City on August 9, 2014, placing first overall in her weight category and set a personal best in bench, at 180lbs.

Lykanthea, Musician

Lykanthea, Musician

Rose Hotel, Musician

Rose Hotel, Musician

Glam Camp, Musicians

Glam Camp, Musicians

Thunder, Model

Thunder, Model

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Musicians Cunty MeMe & Jo Rivers

Musicians Cunty MeMe & Jo Rivers

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Buffalo Rodeo, Musicians

Buffalo Rodeo, Musicians

Small Black, Musicians

Small Black, Musicians

After Melissa Lorraine was sexually assaulted by an unidentified man posing as an Uber driver in 2016, she withdrew into herself; a classic symptom of trauma and ptsd. After a year she decided to violent inmates at Cook County Jail. She realized th


After Melissa Lorraine was sexually assaulted by an unidentified man posing as an Uber driver in 2016, she withdrew into herself; a classic symptom of trauma and ptsd. After a year she decided to violent inmates at Cook County Jail. She realized that she should be trying to heal the psyches of the responsible parties, on the theory that healthy men might be less likely to do what was done to her. “Truth be told, it didn’t go very well the first time or the second time. Because we were in a space where the men never felt safe ” Lorraine adapted though. One commented: “I felt calm, and to be that in jail in itself is amazing.” This fall, Lorraine will bring her project to Stateville, the maximum-security prison outside Joliet.”

Danielle Bartley, Cinematographer

Danielle Bartley, Cinematographer

Former Contestant, now a 2023 IML Judge, Miguel Torres, poses for a portrait at International Mister Leather 45, held at The Congress Plaza Hotel, Saturday May 27, 2023, Chicago, IL.

Former Contestant, now a 2023 IML Judge, Miguel Torres, poses for a portrait at International Mister Leather 45, held at The Congress Plaza Hotel, Saturday May 27, 2023, Chicago, IL.

Musician Natalie Prass for VICE
One Fate Stupid, Created with Bun Stout
Musician & Ancient Histories Professor, Lakshmi Ramgopal
Thunder, Model
Anna, Model
Gnat Kink Glitter, Fetish Fashion Designer
Saugatuck, a town on Michigan’s western coast, is Chicago’s answer to Fire Island. With multiple Gay Resorts located in the small town, it’s an international attraction for single and coupled LGBTQIA+ people. Joe Gallagher, 37, of Chicago, center,
Lykanthea, Musican
Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model
Alex Rivera, a beauty blogger, films a daily makeup routine at his home in Glenview, Ill., for The New York Times, on March 22, 2017. “You’re a warrior for the middle-class using drugstore makeup,” he said of himself and fellow MUA bloggers.
Butch Romero, Mr. Chicago Leather 2020
Maren Morris for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram at South By Southwest, March 17, 2016.
Musician Laura Jane Grace for VICE
Melissa Castro Almandina, Writer
Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.
Self Portrait
Riley Clifton, 16, of Emory, Texas, poses for a portrait for The Dallas Morning News on August 21, 2014. She has been powerlifting for three years with Henry Thomason, of Sherman, the world record holder of single-ply squat at 1,058lbs. Clifton rece
Lykanthea, Musician
Rose Hotel, Musician
Glam Camp, Musicians
Thunder, Model
Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model
Musicians Cunty MeMe & Jo Rivers
Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.
Buffalo Rodeo, Musicians
Small Black, Musicians
After Melissa Lorraine was sexually assaulted by an unidentified man posing as an Uber driver in 2016, she withdrew into herself; a classic symptom of trauma and ptsd. After a year she decided to violent inmates at Cook County Jail. She realized th
Danielle Bartley, Cinematographer
Former Contestant, now a 2023 IML Judge, Miguel Torres, poses for a portrait at International Mister Leather 45, held at The Congress Plaza Hotel, Saturday May 27, 2023, Chicago, IL.

Musician Natalie Prass for VICE

One Fate Stupid, Created with Bun Stout

Musician & Ancient Histories Professor, Lakshmi Ramgopal

Thunder, Model

Anna, Model

Gnat Kink Glitter, Fetish Fashion Designer

Saugatuck, a town on Michigan’s western coast, is Chicago’s answer to Fire Island. With multiple Gay Resorts located in the small town, it’s an international attraction for single and coupled LGBTQIA+ people.

Joe Gallagher, 37, of Chicago, center, booked his hotel room four months in advance, knowing this weekend, Saturday June 18, 2022, at The Dunes would be a hit. “It’s [also] great for me to see a gay business thriving,” said Gallagher, “to be able to come to a vacation destination as ourselves is so important.” Reported for WBEZ Chicago.

Lykanthea, Musican

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Alex Rivera, a beauty blogger, films a daily makeup routine at his home in Glenview, Ill., for The New York Times, on March 22, 2017. “You’re a warrior for the middle-class using drugstore makeup,” he said of himself and fellow MUA bloggers.

Butch Romero, Mr. Chicago Leather 2020

Maren Morris for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram at South By Southwest, March 17, 2016.

Musician Laura Jane Grace for VICE

Melissa Castro Almandina, Writer

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Self Portrait

Riley Clifton, 16, of Emory, Texas, poses for a portrait for The Dallas Morning News on August 21, 2014. She has been powerlifting for three years with Henry Thomason, of Sherman, the world record holder of single-ply squat at 1,058lbs. Clifton recently placed first in her weight class during the NASA World Cup of Power meet in Oklahoma, City on August 9, 2014, placing first overall in her weight category and set a personal best in bench, at 180lbs.

Lykanthea, Musician

Rose Hotel, Musician

Glam Camp, Musicians

Thunder, Model

Lori Mychelle Akakpo, Model

Musicians Cunty MeMe & Jo Rivers

Lollapalooza Fashion for Chicago Magazine, 2019.

Buffalo Rodeo, Musicians

Small Black, Musicians


After Melissa Lorraine was sexually assaulted by an unidentified man posing as an Uber driver in 2016, she withdrew into herself; a classic symptom of trauma and ptsd. After a year she decided to violent inmates at Cook County Jail. She realized that she should be trying to heal the psyches of the responsible parties, on the theory that healthy men might be less likely to do what was done to her. “Truth be told, it didn’t go very well the first time or the second time. Because we were in a space where the men never felt safe ” Lorraine adapted though. One commented: “I felt calm, and to be that in jail in itself is amazing.” This fall, Lorraine will bring her project to Stateville, the maximum-security prison outside Joliet.”

Danielle Bartley, Cinematographer

Former Contestant, now a 2023 IML Judge, Miguel Torres, poses for a portrait at International Mister Leather 45, held at The Congress Plaza Hotel, Saturday May 27, 2023, Chicago, IL.

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