Boystown, Chicago

Boystown, Chicago holds great significance as it was one of the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. Boystown has been a hub of gay activity in Chicago since the 1960s and it was originally known as the "gay ghetto". It's also home to the Legacy Project, which is an outdoor LGBT installation related to bullying in LGBT youth. This village is home to and open and proud queer community. Boystown also has a high concentration of businesses owned by LGBT people so the community helps itself grow. Boystown is also home to the Center on Halstead which is one of the largest LGBT community centers in the Midwest. One of the biggest reasons I included Boystown is because of its multigenerational community. As it is the oldest gay village in America, it has a largely diverse community of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Boystown is a hub and a safe space for the Midwest LGBT community.