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ChicagoPride.com
June 3, 2012

At ChicagoPride.com, Sunday means that it's time to look back at this week in gay Chicago news as covered by the GoPride.com News Staff. The top local and national stories of interest as ranked by popularity on the network.

The Abbey could open by end of year on Halsted
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29879764
There's a buzz on Boystown's North Halsted Street and it's emanating all the way from one of West Hollywood's most iconic gay nightspots.

Woody Woodruff named International Mr. Leather 2012
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29792500
Woody Woodruff, Mr. Michigan Leather 2012, was named International Mr. Leather at the 34th annual IML Competition Sunday night in Chicago.

Gay Chicago TV welcomes Waymon Hudson
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29759809
Gay Chicago TV (GCTV) Saturday announced the addition of Waymon Hudson as the host of Critical Thinking, a roundtable discussion of contemporary and relevant political and social events featuring guests from varied backgrounds and perspectives.

Lambda Legal, ACLU suits challenge Illinois on marriage equality
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29890681
The irony was not lost on Chicagoan Claudia Mercado. Mercado had just finished the long steps needed to finalize the adoption of her son Indigo, who she was raising with her partner, Anjelica Lopez. The day that the adoption was finalized, Mercado went to pick up a copy of Indigo's revised birth certificate. But she was not allowed to even stand in line for the document since she was not Indigo's birth parent.

First openly gay military graduates say they find acceptance
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29781601
Gay students at America's military service academies ending the first year without "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" have described a smooth transition.

Memorial Day ceremony in Lakeview honors LGBT veterans
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29814304
Jim Darby, of the Chicago chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights, spoke at a Memorial Day ceremony honoring LGBT veterans at Space Park, 815 W. Roscoe, Monday, May 28.

Columbia College grad explores 'ex-gay' lives
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29803401
Blair Mishleau is taking an after-college adventure, but not one of the backpacking-through-Europe variety.

Zach Wahls delivers petition supporting Jennifer Tyrrell, gay mom ousted from Boy Scouts
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29912521
Zach Wahls on Wednesday delivered more than 275,000 signatures to the Boy Scouts of America calling on the group to reinstate Jennifer Tyrrell, the Ohio mom who in April was ousted as den leader of her son's Boy Scout troop because she is a lesbian.

Dharun Ravi appears in court to begin 30 day sentence in gay suicide case
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29857936
Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi appeared in court on Wednesday morning to begin his 30 day sentence in the bullying death of his gay roommate, Tyler Clementi.

Windy City Gay Idol semi-finals this Saturday
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/29945296
After ten nights of auditions held at various LGBT bars and clubs across the city, Windy City Gay Idol has narrowed down this year's search for the best amateur LGBT singer in Chicago.