This week, after nine months of uncertain deliberations, legislators in Springfield narrowly passed a bill that made Illinois the fifteenth state to allow gay marriage. The Illinois Senate had passed the measure this past February, but the House, worried about a lack of support, had postponed a vote until now. It was a heavily-lobbied and heavily-publicized process, intensified by the emphasis placed on gay marriage by both advocates and opponents this legislative session. However, the fight was fought beyond both the halls of the Illinois legislature and the liberal urban and conservative rural populations most associated with the debate. It also played out on the South Side of Chicago, demonstrating a split in African-American politics over social issues. Continue reading →