Art & Pep

The first state to decriminalize homosexuality, Illinois was on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic, anti-discrimination laws and marriage equality. But long before government officials would utter the words “HIV,” it was gay bars that transformed into community centers and became ground zero in the fight.

Sidetrack opened in 1982 and with Art Johnston and Pepe Peña at the helm, it went from a 900-square-foot windowless watering hole to a pillar of Chicago’s gay business district, spanning over eight storefronts and multiple levels. Art and Pep have watched as the politicians who once would have them jailed now court the community for votes. The space has become a source of political and financial support for LGBTQ+ rights.