I really love that Alice Walker poem, and I think it perfectly sums what Nobody’s Darling values. So I’m allergic to basically everything and I can literally only have one drink: the Mezcal Old-Fashioned. It’s incredible, the emotional and social impact Nobody’s Darling has on the queer community here in Chicago. The amount of times I’ve woken up and have so many new numbers in my phone, and not from being drunk, is simply because I just end up having all of these wonderful conversations. But even more than that, people want to talk to their bar neighbors. It’s a tiny bar, so you sort of have to make conversation. Even though I am a regular that moved to an employee, I never expect to be served first.ĭo you interact with the people next to you when you come in alone?Įveryone does. I feel like this is how I became so close to everyone. I thought, “Wow, what a lovely way to get work.” That attitude is the energy of the space. Over time, Angela and I became very close friends and that eventually led to them offering me a job a few months ago. She thanked me for being a patron, and I thanked her for providing a wonderful space, and then over the months, if either one of us were at the bar, we would sit next to each other. Eventually, I’d seen Angela over and over again, and I finally introduced myself. Last summer, Dyke March had been rained out, so my friend took me here, and I was like, “How did I miss this?” Then I just kept coming back to sit out on the patio to read or write. Racism in the gay community is really apparent and can be blatant in some bars, but this is one of the few spots that allows you to be exactly who you are, as long as you are respectful of others. This is a queer space that centers trans, nonbinary and queer people of color. And by queer, I mean a definition that is more encompassing of gayness and is not tied to only cis people and cis bodies. Queer spaces have been shrinking-as opposed to gay spaces. Why is it important to you to support a bar like this? I love their winter Martini I believe it’s called the Winter Darling. From the first time I went alone and started meeting like-minded people, it was so easy to make friends. The owners and the managers came up to me and introduced themselves right away and were so kind. I’ve also never felt scared that there was going to be racism against me, which I have experienced in many establishments in Chicago and other major cities. Nobody’s Darling made me feel welcome, and I never feel any pressure to perform.
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There are so many things! As a queer person of color, I don’t feel included in most gay spaces, and I prefer queer spaces because they make me feel comfortable in my own body. What was it about Nobody’s Darling that made you continue to be a patron? I heard about Nobody’s Darling through some queer friends of color, and I started going about a month after they opened last May.
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How long have you been a regular and how did you hear about the bar?
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Everyone is welcome, including white gay men, but it feels more like a community for every person. So much of Boystown and Andersonville is made for white gay men, and this isn’t that space. I don’t think there’s another bar in Chicago like this, where it’s queer-centered and woman-centered. I come here not specifically to drink I come here when I want to be in a loving, safe space. They were like, “Hey, whatcha doing here?” and I was like, “OK, I guess we’re talking now.” And then we were friends. I had an awkward moment where I was laughing at myself and stumbled out of my chair and landed on a stool next to a stranger. You can walk up to anybody and say, “OK, we’re in the same space, so we’re probably friends,” and you’re not going to be weird if I start a conversation with you. When you’re here, you can literally make friends with anyone. How would you describe the people who come to this bar? I’m being fancy tonight and drinking a Darling Old-Fashioned that Becca made, and it’s incredible.
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I usually let Xavier pick out a whiskey for me, and he’s recommended some great Japanese whiskies. I’m now friends with all the bartenders, so when I come in but I’m not necessarily drinking, they’re like, “Cool, here’s some water.”