Five Boystown Bars Now Boycotting Russian Vodka

Five late-night hotspots in Boystown are now boycotting Russian vodkas in light of the country’s new “gay propaganda” ban and violent anti-gay positions.

The first to make the change-up was Sidetrack, located at 3349 N. Halsted St., ChicagoPride.com reports. Then days later, four more Boystown staples followed suit.

“Elixir Lounge, Halsted’s Bar and Grill, Hydrate Nightclub and Replay have been monitoring the unfolding events in Russia and we are extremely outraged by the open attacks of the government against the rights of the GLBT community,” the collective owner said in a statement. “Effective immediately, we will be pulling all Russian-made products from the shelves at all of our establishments.”

All five bars are referencing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recently signed law that bans “gay propaganda,” prohibiting positive talk or display of homosexuality. Violators would face fines, and foreigners could spend two weeks in jail followed by deportation.

Days after the law was passed, Putin signed another that banned same-sex couples from adopting Russian Children.

Sidetrack’s co-owner Art Johnston says he’s replacing Stolichnaya Vodka with Halsted Vodka, a brand that gives 15 percent of profits to LGBT groups. The owner of the other four Boystown bars boycotting say they’re switching to Reyka Vodka, a premium vodka made in Iceland, a country that supports equal rights.

“As a gesture of solidarity to the local GLBT community, the Chicago-based Reyka Vodka brand team is making a generous donation to Equality Illinois, an organization which tirelessly fights for equal rights not just here in Illinois, but globally, wherever the equal rights of the GLBT community are compromised,” the bars’ statement reads.

The Call, sitting at 1547 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., also posted a sign reading, "Proudly serving non-Russian vodkas."