Grandpa wears makeup in viral J&B Whisky commercial with a message

Spoiler alert! Tissues may come in handy for this Christmas ad from J&B Whisky’s latest campaign, which features a makeup-wearing grandfather and an unexpected twist.

Biden signs gay marriage bill at White House ceremony

President Joe Biden signed gay marriage legislation into law Tuesday before a crowd of thousands, a ceremony that reflected growing acceptance of same-sex unions.

Senate passes landmark same-sex marriage bill

The Senate has passed landmark bipartisan legislation to protect same-sex marriages.

Colorado gay bar shooting suspect facing murder, hate crime charges

The man suspected of opening fire at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs was being held on murder and hate crime charges Monday, while hundreds of people gathered to honor the five people killed and 17 wounded in the attack on a venue that for decades was a sanctuary for the local LGBTQ community.

Chicago’s Black contractor numbers still too low, City Council’s Black Caucus says

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration paid $763 million to prime contractors through July 31 of this year, but only 11% of that total — $82 million — went to companies owned by African-Americans.

Chicago marathon quietly adds nonbinary division, ‘hurtful’ to some runners

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of the most prestigious races, drawing runners from around the globe. So when Cal Calamia heard that the race on Sunday had opened a nonbinary runner category for first time ever, they were ecstatic.

Black students at Sam Houston State University reporting racist behavior on campus

A Black female student, who chose to remain anonymous, tells FOX 26 she noticed the n-word written on dry-erase boards on the dorm room doors of black students – including her own.

Palos Park waterway gets new name, eliminating derogatory term

The water feature near Palos Park in Cook County was formerly called Laughing Squaw Sloughs, but is now known as Cherry Hill Woods Sloughs, while the former Squaw Island in Calhoun County has been renamed Calhoun Island.

Book ban efforts surging in 2022, library association says

The ALA has documented 681 challenges to books through the first eight months of this year, involving 1,651 different titles.

Illinois pride group touts family-friendly 'coming out' event featuring drag shows for kids as young as 5

A nonprofit in Illinois is slated to host a "National Coming Out Day Celebration" featuring drag performances next month that is billed as a family-friendly event for children as young as 5.

Chicago area library defends 'Drag Queen Bingo' event for teenagers

A public library in Illinois is defending its decision to hold a "drag queen bingo" event for local teenagers, claiming that it will be a "valuable" and "affirming" experience.

BYU bans fan for yelling racial slur at Duke volleyball player

The fan was sitting in the BYU student section but was not a student, and has been banned from all athletic venues on campus, the statement said.

Italian American leaders push for return of Columbus statues, say Chicago cannot 'bury history'

“History is a treasure that cannot be buried,” said Ron Ornesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. “Why not focus on the stories that need to be told. New plaques and new monuments."