Queer-Owned Bakery Near Chicago Faces Closure Due to Anti-LGBTQ Harassment. How You Can Help.
Uprising Bakery & Cafe in Chicago suburb Lake in the Hills, IL, has been the target of anti-LGBTQ hate and harassment since last summer.
The Background
Uprising Bakery & Cafe in Chicago suburb Lake in the Hills, IL, has been the target of anti-LGBTQ hate and harassment since last summer. When they announced plans to host a family-friendly drag show last July, the bakery was vandalized: doors and windows were destroyed, glass shattered, and hate speech was painted on the building.
From Bad to Worse
The drag show was eventually rescheduled, but the bakery and its owner, staff, and customers became targets of a prolonged hate campaign. Human feces were left at the front door, someone placed a sign outside the cafe smearing staff members as pedophiles, they were threatened with fines by the local government, and bigots took photos of customer license plates in order to harass them.
The owner and her two children were doxed and bullied online, and someone even threatened the family pet.
The Breaking Point
Owner Corinna Sac says that the ongoing harassment, vandalism, and lack of support from local government has resulted in low patronage and low sales.
"Without an infusion of more than $30,000, at this time, I cannot keep the doors open to my dream bakery," she said in a statement.
How to Support
Queer-owned businesses and safe spaces deserve to survive and thrive without threat of anti-LGBTQ hate and violence.
Donate to the following fundraisers to support Uprising Bakery & Cafe:
Further Reading
- Lake in the Hills bakery ‘likely forced to close’ due to financial struggles after threats, vandalism last summer over planned drag event (Chicago Tribune)
- After Anti-LGBTQ Attacks, Suburban Bakery Threatened With Fines (Eater Chicago)
- UpRising Bakery to close following harassment, vandalism for hosting drag performance (Chicago Sun-Times)
