Top Trending: Oct. 21 - Oct. 27, 2012

This year's Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Chicago auction and dinner gala program, "Make Equality Count" kicked off with Alex Newell on stage performing and wowing the crowd. Adams plays the role of Wade Adams, a male-to-female transgender teenager who expresses her female identity through music, in "Glee."

To a packed house last night, Team Roscoe's, better know as Team Hell on Heels, and their craft "Phobe" kicked off their venture to San Francisco in November to compete in Red Bull Flugtag.

The youngest and arguably the hottest member of Congress, Aaron Schock (R-IL), appeared at a Romney-Ryan event in Davenport, IA today and in remarks said: "We'd like to give Chicago to Canada. We were going to make them another state but I decided if we give them to Canada they can have all of their free health care and all the subsidies that they want."

Chicago high school student Terrance Wright, a young gay man who recently transferred schools to avoid being bullied, was killed Friday during an attempted robbery as he left his school on the Southeast Side.

The Log Cabin Republicans announced Tuesday that they have endorsed Mitt Romney for president, after what a press release called "careful consideration and consultation with our members and chapters."

Early voting for the November 6, 2012 General Election started Monday morning in Illinois and will be offered through Sat., Nov. 3.

Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz has won his first fight as an openly gay athlete.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, have donated $500,000 to Washington United for Marriage, the coalition of groups working to approve Referendum 74, which asks voters to uphold – or reject – a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers.

Boy Scout Ryan Andresen, who was denied an Eagle Scout award because he's gay, says his troop leader won't speak to him.

Congressional candidates Judy Biggert and Bill Foster—battling to represent Illinois' 11th District—recently sparred over a number of issues during a WTTW political debate, and hot among them was the question of same-sex marriage.