S Nicole Lane

courtesy Black Fires
At only 22 years old, the Chicago Fire Football Club is fairly new. It’s a baby league amongst other sports teams that have hundreds of years of unpacking to do. There’s still time to address concerns, to undo the wrongdoings, and to improve the league to make it its own. For Chicago Fire supporters like Meredith Miklasz and Jake Payne, that’s exactly what they are set out to do.
Miklasz grew up a theater kid who spent her time in the punk scene. Five years ago after a br...

"I read The Lottery in the 9th grade, as many U.S. students do, and fell in love with the work of the New England horror writer Shirley Jackson. I remember not feeling terrified like my other classmates (and sort of being terrified by that). Instead, I felt in awe of Jackson and her ability to transform my vision of story-writing. Someone had successfully shocked me and it was in this short story written in 1948. It’s only natural that when I heard of the release of Shirley during quarantine...

It’s storming heavily outside as I ring the buzzer for Western Exhibitions. It’s my first gallery experience since the pandemic locked us down months ago and I feel like I’m breaking some sort of rule. Am I supposed to be here? Is my mask on tight? Where’s my sanitizer? I remember the last opening I was at in the building. Bodies were packed so incredibly close, we had to leave early to catch a breath of fresh air. Ah, the before times, I think to myself.
By appointment only, folks can visit ...

I’ve watched Bio-Dome at least 12 times. And naturally, during these turbulent times, I’ve picked up Bud (Pauly Shore) and Doyle’s (Stephen Baldwin) habit. So here I sit, tuning in for my 13th time with my weed pen, ready to catch up with my two favorite stoners.
Bio-Dome has a 4 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For those of you who haven’t watched it (or who have Eternal-Sunshined it from your memory), the plot is this: Looking for a place to pee, Bud and Doyle find themselves in a shoppin...

I love love. As a serial monogamist and someone who regularly writes about sex, I can’t help but gravitate towards the topic in all areas of my life. It’s relatable, it’s common, it’s exceptional, it’s simple, it’s so fucking hard. With more than 90,000 singles living in Chicago, it’s tough dating in the Windy City. Earlier this year the Reader relaunched our Reader Matches in hopes of regaining a classic—and sometimes successful—approach to dating. Using words and text, folks can express the...

COVID-19 and Vitamin D: What Does the Research Say?
Results of unpublished research from Northwestern University on the relationship between COVID-19 and vitamin D levels were released in May. It should be noted that the study has not been subjected to the scrutiny of the academic journal peer-review process.
Researchers analyzed patient data from hospitals and clinics in ten countries—China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United Stat...

In the before times, Saturdays were filled with cocktails, sequins, queer DJs, and performances. My Saturdays look a lot different nowadays and my Sundays are a little less hungover. Before, I would be plotting, planning, and scheduling days to dance and surround myself with other dancing bodies. Since 2017, the lifestyle and event brand Peach has celebrated LGBTQ women and nonbinary folks with music, drinks, food, and dancing. The parties Peach threw at Market Days and Bad Hunter created a s...

Health Features
“A mask for you, a mask for the hero” is the slogan for Herogard, an FDA-approved face mask company that donates three face masks to essential food system workers in marginalized communities with a single order.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., supplies immediately began to disappear. Hospitals were left without proper PPE and folks were sewing and donating their own masks (In fact, we even covered how to make your own mask).
The lack of PPE and proper protection fo...

I biked from McKinley Park to Humboldt Park last Friday to deliver a package to someone. A 30-minute ride up to the northwest side would be good to exercise my winter legs, although the 85-degree temperature was testing my ability to do so with ease. What I saw along the way—and what I've seen between the groups of folks at protests—were bright hues, large lettering, artwork, figures, and political statements adorning buildings, windows, and public spaces. These new murals have taken the plac...

Brooke Hummer
As protestors hit the streets to demand justice and action over George Floyd’s murder and the mistreatment of Black Americans, many folks are looking for alternative ways to support the fight, especially while still living in a pandemic.
For many, social media has been overwhelming and overstimulating, but the outpour of resources has amplified organizations, bond funds, and grassroots work. For many folks looking to take action who may be unable to protest (due to compromised i...

At 5 PM Saturday, March 21, Governor J.B. Pritzker's COVID-19 Executive Order No. 8, aka the Stay at Home order, took effect. Here's a daily-ish journal of how Reader staff, our friends, family—and our pets—are spending our time.
Day 70: May 29
What we’re listening to:
What we’re reading:
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (thanks to a random Instagram book club initiative)
“Turning Yoopanese” by Ted Kleine in the Reader because I just traveled to the U.P. for a few days and I’m now a Yoop...

I was ten years old when the virtual world of The Sims was released. After popping the CD into my desktop computer in my parent’s basement, hours would easily pass by, whole lives would be lived. Reality moved fast in Sims time. Building my dream house, making my fake family (with the occasional murder by fire), and forcing everyone to “woohoo” are some of my fondest memories.
The Sims was released in 2000 which means I’ve been playing Sims for 20 years. This franchise, in all of its various ...

When I first walked into Black Planet, a sci-fi-themed erotic adult night club, I stood around for a few minutes. I started to jump and fly a little, but quickly realized this wasn't proper sex club etiquette—some clubs even ban it. This particular club offers live music every day from 2 PM to 4 PM, and I arrived just in time. Neon phallic shapes lit up the room and a figure with large black wings led the dance floor. The dark electro pumped throughout the club as I stood there, beneath the p...

We know that illegal drug use increases during recessions and deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide skyrocket during periods of economic distress. While finances are a large part of stress, social isolation can contribute to added risks for those struggling with current or previous substance use disorders.

“Heightened anxiety is a near-universal trigger for drug use, and it is difficult to think of a more stressful event — for all of us — than this pandemic. Users who adopted harm reduction ...

It's tough enough to go through a breakup without being in the midst of a pandemic, but now partnerships are being tested, some are going virtual, and others are even dissolving. In the time BC (before coronavirus) getting over a breakup may have included going out, surrounding yourself with friends, distracting your thoughts, or even having a one-night stand. Nothing better than getting over someone by getting under someone, right?
As we all know, the present moments have never been so uniqu...