The new edition of MainStream is now available — with more information, on more pages, available to more people, in more locations.
The new 32-page edition (eight more pages than before!) has already begun arriving in mailboxes across Illinois and Iowa, and also to libraries that carry a single house copy for in-house reading.
Free copies to take home are available already in the Quad Cities in both states; Johnson and Linn counties; the Des Moines area; and the Peoria area.
Copies are arriving to the rest of Illinois and Iowa this week or early next week. Many new distribution locations and house copy carriers have been added throughout both states, as we roll out a total of 3,000 copies, 1,250 more than last edition; find an interactive map at main-stream.org/find.
Above, the June 2025 cover features Matt Bishop, founder of the Social Justice Choir of the Midwest and music director at First Presbyterian Church of Davenport.
Here’s what’s waiting for you in the June 2025 edition. For starters:
- Growing choirs for social justice and LGBTQ+ support, featuring leaders like Matt Bishop of the Social Justice Choir of the Midwest at First Presbyterian in Davenport, and Tasha Morwell and Scott Johnson of southern Illinois’ Tesserae Choir
- How and why to help ‘Save The Homies’ get Black men tested earlier for prostate cancer
- A peek at Prides large and small — from one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations in the Chicago Pride Parade, to tiny towns also recognizing Pride including Wapello, Ia., and Petersburg, Ill.
- A peek at LGBTQ+ sports opportunities throughout Illinois and Iowa
- A peek at spiritual Pride events
So many peeks! Plus, find maps, lists and links to details and directions online for more than 100 Pride and Juneteenth events throughout Illinois and Iowa. If you spot an event in your area on the printed map or list, and it’s not yet listed online with its map and description, be assured it will be at least three days before the event happens.
You’ll also find in the June 2025 edition:
- Our latest “HIV And …” section, focusing on the prevention, treatment and destigmatization of HIV, featuring the writing of performer, public speaker and author Kerry Wells
- Centerspread artwork by Quad Cities muralist Heidi M. Sallows
- The “Trans Narrative” series all month long by Iowa City’s FilmScene
- Help from Pastor Tyler Yost to tackle the Bible’s “clobber passages:” verses that have been misinterpreted for decades to condemn homosexuality, bisexuality and being transgender
- Guidance from Foundation 2 Crisis Services of “completing the stress cycle” and finding relief
Plus, as in each print edition, you’ll the regulars:
- The Green Wave: keeping up on policy and research about cannabis, because of historic inequities in drug arrests, and the unexplored healing properties of cannabis
- The Advertiser Directory: so you can more easily get to know MainStream advertisers
- The monthly Crossword Puzzle: built on each edition’s content
- News Briefs: a brief summary of progressive news highlights throughout Illinois and Iowa
- Spiritual Briefs: a new regular addition, summarizing LGBTQ+ affirming and progressive spiritual and faith group events
A reminder you can order home delivery of every edition by clicking here. With questions about getting MainStream, supporting MainStream, or distributing MainStream, reach out to Editor Christine Hawes at 309-306-1372 or chawes@main-stream.org.
