Chicago has never been a shining city on the hill. Growing quickly out of the prairie, fueled by raw commercial interests, the city has always been personified by braggarts, tough guys on the make–for every Jane Addams, a score of Paddy Baulers.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
But today the city looks and feels different. Former factories and warehouses are now inhabited by white-collar professionals who vote for a mayor who puts flower boxes on the streets. The apparent transformation has led the organizers of this year’s Chicago Humanities Festival to pose a somewhat impertinent question: Has the city had a sex change?
The discussion “Has Chicago Had a Sex Change?”–featuring Harris, Pacyga, Columbia University professor Joan Ockman, and Katerina Ruedi, head of UIC’s school of architecture–will take place from 3:30 to 5 this Friday at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago. Admission is $5. For more information on the Chicago Humanities Festival, which this year explores the issues of gender, see the Section Two art listings or call 312-661-1028. –Jordan Marsh
