Gay life in Chicago this week, back in...

1974

One cover story in August 1974 Chicago Gay Crusader reads: "After three months of operation, the VD Treatment Center operated by Gay Horizons and the Gay Medical Students Association expands it hours of service.

It is now open each Wednesday from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. at Liberty Hall, 2440 N. Lincoln Ave."

(Image: Chicago's Disco Fest. – Gay Chicago August 23, 1979)

Bobby Barfly writes in Chicago Gay Crusader: "Hi friends. It's been a while since I've done my thing in the Gay Crusader. I've been too busy in the bars. A NEW PLACE opened where I've always said a gay bar should be. On Broadway, the Closet (3325 N. Broadway) is Chicago's first mixed bar. That's right. There's almost an equal number of gay men and lesbians. It's nice to have a place where we can all get together sometimes."

1986

The Gay Chicago sports page reads: "REDOUBT IN THE GAY WORLD SERIES: Sunday August 17th saw the conclusion of the Windy City Athletic Association's 1986 softball season. The Redoubt Reds took top honors winning all but one of their games throughout the season, Bulldog Road took second place and the Harrod Sign Company took third place. The Reds will now go on to New York City to represent Chicago and the Windy City Athletic Association in the Gay World Series August 24-30."

In Gay Chicago, Linda Henderson writes: "The incidents of verbal and physical abuse of gay men has increased, particularly in the New Town area. The responsiveness of the Town Hall police to these abuses has decreased.

"One bar owner was himself thrown in jail after asking the police to eject a disruptive customer from his bar. They told the friends who tried unsuccessfully to bail him out that he was there because of his ‘attitude.'

"Another man, a victim of a bashing, was told by a responding policeman that the police had been ‘putting up with gays for years.'"

Alderman Bernard Hansen (D-44th) announces the appointment of Dale Sapper as the new Community Relations representative for the 44th Ward. Sapper, the third gay businessman to serve on the alderman's staff, will be responsible for researching and proposing solutions or legislation on a variety of community issues, including AIDS medical care and funding within the city, and gay rights legislation, as well as issues facing the entire ward.

1992

Events in the bars and clubs this week include every Tuesday at Hunger, 3336 N. Milwaukee, a hot pants contest hosted by Miss Ketty with DJ Mike Zuaz; a Night at El Morocco with Kenned and Carl is at Hideaway II, 7301 W. Roosevelt Road, Forest Park, Illinois; Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, hosts a benefit for Lesbian/Gay Voter IMPACT. David Orr, Cook County Clerk speaks on the importance of voter registration; a Wet Jockey Shorts Contest at L.A. Connection, 3700, N. Halsted; Teri Bristol rocks the catacombs at Cairo, 720 N. Wells St.; Mark Hawbecker is performing at Gentry of Chicago, 712 N. Rush St.; construction is still in progress at Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 3169 N. Halsted, so it's a Hard Hat III party; Daisy Mae is welcomed at Maneuvers, 118 E. Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois; Siros presents White Knight Out, a party to benefit Howard Brown Memorial Clinic at Vortex, 3641 N. Halsted.

(Image: Bare Chested Party – Gay Chicago July 23, 1987)

Oz Productions presents their 3rd Annual AIDS Fundraiser at the Clubhouse, 440 N. Halsted. Guest performers are the Joel Hall Dancers and Mirage featuring Melanie Turner. Proceeds go to Kupona Network.

The season's top selling gay science fiction at People Like Us Bookstore, 3321 N. Clark St.: 1) "Enchantments of the Flesh & Spirit" – Storm Constantine; 2) "The Man Who Folded Himself" – David Gerrold; 3) "Bardic Voice" – Mercedes Lackey; 4) "Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand" – Samuel Delaney; 5) "Magic's Pawn" – Mercedes Lackey.

A Country Western Dance for Women, a benefit for Hotwire magazine, is held at 1545 W. Morse.

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life 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 the book Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Homework

Who or what was Siros?

What happened to Daisy Mae? I heard she became a born-again Christian and lives in a trailer park.

Was the Clubhouse a Bar?