Fri. October 3, 2014
By Sukie de la Croix
Gay life in Chicago this week, back in ...
1984
DJ Larry Brewer from BJ's, 3231 N. Clark St., picks his Top 5 club hits: 1) "Swept Away" – Diana Ross; 2) "Baby I'm a Star/Let's Go Crazy/Erotic City" – Prince; 3) "The Medicine Song" – Stephanie Mills; "No Favors" – Temper; 5) "Torture" – The Jacksons.
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IMAGE: Wax Trax Records – Gay Life October 20, 1983
Christ the Redeemer MCC repeats its summer seminar on "Homosexuality and the Bible" in the church at 933 Chicago Ave., Evanston. The seminar is under the direction of Rev. Jeffrey Padgett. The cost is $8, which includes handout materials and lunch.
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Lunatechs, a Chicago group of lesbians in data processing and data telecommunications, hold a workshop at the Mountain Moving Coffee House, 1655 W. School.
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Armistead Maupin signs his book "Babycakes" at Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway.
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The Prairie State Democratic Club (formerly the Greater Chicago Gay and Lesbian Democrats) in conjunction with America for Mondale-Ferraro, host a fundraising party as part of a nationwide effort to raise money to help the Democratic nominees defeat President Reagan in November. The event is held at Dan's on Clark, 6341 N. Clark St. A $10 donation will be collected at the door.
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IMAGE: Unicorn – Gay Life June 4, 1983
John Henri-Damski in Gay Chicago writes:
"Jerry Falwell is not what I would call an inspirational figure. But among some gay and lesbian people, he does seem to inspire a certain paranoia. Some of my friends insist upon mispronouncing his name–they call him Farwell, mainly because they think that all would be well if he were far away from them. I like the name Falwell myself, because it reminds me of his fate: Some day like Anita and the others, he, by his own weight and lack o gravity, shall fall well."
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Dignity Chicago, the organization for gay and lesbian Catholics, celebrates its 12th anniversary in Chicago with a special mass and dinner Sunday Oct. 7 at 824 W, Wellington.
1997
Professor Mark Wojcik from the John Marshall Law School speaks on "Is There Justice in the Military?" for the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veteran's of America at Ann Sather's, 929 W. Belmont.
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"Coming Out in the Workforce: Whether, When, How" is sponsored by the Lesbian/Gay Bar Association of Chicago and Gay/Lesbian Physicians of Chicago, and takes place at 440 N. Wabash.
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IMAGE: The Body Shop – Gay Chicago August 18, 1987
Pakistani gay poet, Ifti Nasim, reads at the Gerber/Hart Library, 3359 N. Halsted.
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Ad in Outlines reads: "Fat Lesbians Accepting Our Bodies discussion and support group meets every Monday, Call _________ "
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The Gerber/Hart Men's Book Group reads and discusses, "A Picture of Dorian Gray," and "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde.
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In Outlines, in Sukie de la Croix's column Chicago Whispers he interviews gay men about the Bearded Lady:
"The Bearded Lady used to perform at Duggan's dance bar, Duggan's Bistro. I remember she was a quote, unquote ... 'class act' ... I believe the Beach Boys were in town, or Jan and Dean, and she came out and sang 'Honolulu Lulu' ... it brought down the house ... (laughs) ...maybe you had to see it." – Anonymous Gay Man
And:
"The Bearded Lady was at the Bistro, which was a wonderful bar. Again, it was a part of that whole Near North Side bar scene. She was absolutely fantastic. I remember one time I was there, and she was wearing Lucite shoes with goldfish in the heels ... Fantastic!" – Mark Palermo.
2001
In the bars and clubs Rudy de la Mor entertains at Gentry, 440 N. State St.; Boston singer Kate Schutt opens for Kerry Grant at Girlbar, 2625 N. Halsted; T's, 5025 N. Clark St., Andersonville's new bar and restaurant, welcomes you toSunday "Boys Night" "T" party;
After being voted "Best Martini" at citysearch.com , the Kit Kat lounge & Supper club serve half price specialty Martinis every Tuesdays and Sundays; It's a Bondage/Fetish Weekend at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted; performances by Myka C. Quinn, Chicago Drag Kings, Favorite Drag Queens, Lydia Flux, Dragon and Cherish, at Berlin, 954 W. Belmont, for "Modified: Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit."
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IMAGE: Hydrate Hy-Drag Revue – Gay Chicago October 6, 2006
Article in Gay Chicago reads:
"This year's Chicago's Run and Walk for AIDS raised close to $200,000.
"'It was encouraging to see that Chicago is committed to the fight against AIDS, and so many proved it on this wet, dreary day," said Mark Ishuag, executive director, AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
"Ten thousand runners and walkers participated in the event that started at the Museum Campus at Columbus and Roosevelt, went north along the lake front to Randolph Street, turned around and came back into the Museum Campus for its finish. Organizers report moneys that were raised will go directly to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago."
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The Chicago Gender Society holds its Miss CGS Pageant 2001 on Friday, Oct. 5 at the Radisson Hotel, Arlington Heights. Regina Upright is the emcee, and performers include the current Miss CGS, Stella Johnson, 'Just Mac' Monique Monet and Mona Monclair.
Homework
Who remembers the early days of Cell Block?
Does the Chicago Gender Society still exist?
Whatever happened to Kate Schutt?
Gay Chicago Photo Rewind
Jack Sitar, Back Door Productions, and Sherman Heinrich photographs Chicago Mr. Bar contests for Gay Chicago August 6, 1987
Terry Gaskins photographs Roscoes and Gentry guys for Gay Chicago September 10, 1998
The eight finalists in the Mr. Windy Contest in Gay Chicago News July 1, 1977: Bob Breeding, John Boy, Kent Ball, Bill Maggio, Michael Ford, Steven Tutt, Glen Mansfield and Dan Lauing.
Jack Sitar photographs the MBA dinner for Gay Life July 4, 1985. Don't ask me what MBA stands for, I don't know. Anybody?
Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, Stacy Bridges and Mark Nagel for GRAB, and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.
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