Last year, the Northalsted Business Alliance surveyed residents and business owners in “Boystown” about whether the name should change. Although “Boystown” is not an official neighborhood name, it’s what the area in Lakeview has been called for decades to signify it as a safe and welcoming area for LGBTQ Chicagoans and tourists. But not everybody felt included there, including lesbians, transgender individuals, and young people of color. So the Northalsted Business Alliance declared the area would now be advertised as “Northalsted,” saying a name nodding to the geographic area would be more inclusive. We talk with Block Club Chicago’s Jake Wittich about the fight to change the name, why some people wanted to keep “Boystown,” and whether the change has really caught on.

Guest: Jake Wittich — Lakeview, Old Town, Lincoln Park Reporter, Block Club Chicago

Pride Fest 2021 kicks off Friday in Northalsted, and Pride South Side takes place Saturday at the DuSable Museum of African American History

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