How did Hollywood Beach become Chicago’s ‘gay beach’?

About this episode

The episode explores the transformation of Hollywood Beach into Chicago's 'gay beach' through the experiences of Jerry Marcoccia.

The stretch of beach that starts where DuSable Lake Shore Drive ends wasn’t always as vibrant or as ‘gay’ as it is today. Its transition was spearheaded by Jerry Marcoccia, who was searching for a sense of belonging in the 1990s. "You can't talk about this beach being gay without including me,” he said.

Topics covered

• LGBTQ+ history
• urban culture
• community belonging
• beach culture
• Chicago history

Keywords

• Hollywood Beach
• gay beach
• Chicago
• Jerry Marcoccia
• LGBTQ+ community
• beach culture
• urban transformation

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Hollywood Beach, Chicago, DuSable Lake Shore Drive

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