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

1976

Some of the gay bars that are sadly missed, include the Snake Pit, 2628 N. Halsted; His ‘n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; Carol's Pub, 2519 N. Halsted; Garlands, 3510 N. Broadway; Touché, 2825 N. Lincoln Ave.; Gold Coast, 501 N. Clark St.; Sunday's, 430 N. Clark St.; Ye Old Mill, 3407 N. Paulina; and Bushes, 3320 N. Halsted.

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(Image: Village People – Outlines January 21, 1987)

It's Mattachine Midwest's Second Annual Theater Party with the Drama Shelter's production of "Angel, Honey, Baby, Dear."

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The "I am" Woman, Helen Reddy, appears at the Arie Crown Theater. Tickets are $8.50.

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The Windy City Rainbow Society of the Deaf meets at 734 W. Waveland.

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Rev. Malcolm Boyd, long-time liberal activist Episcopalian priest, allowed the religion editor of the Chicago Sun-Times to write a story (which was picked up nationally) in which he came out as gay.

1992

Quote in the September monthly issue of Outlines:

"Michael Petrelis is an asshole. I find him offensive and insulting. He is a divisive provocateur whose criticism I give no credibility to whatsoever." – National Gay and Lesbian Task Force head Urvashi Vaid, on her loudest critic, the co-founder of ACT UP/Presidential Project.

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Chicago '92, the seventh annual gay and lesbian Alcoholics Anonymous conference, takes place over Labor Day weekend at the Hyatt Regency. This year's theme is "Happy, Joyous and Free."

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Chi-Town Squares, Chicago's gay and lesbian square dance club, announces the beginning of its sixth year. Classes for beginners start at Wellington Avenue Church, 615 W. Wellington.

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Top10 gay music charts courtesy of Let's Dance Record Pool: 1) "Dildo" – Interactive; 2) "Get With You" – Lidell Townsell; 3) "Strobelight Honey (Remix)" – Black Sheep; 4) "Love, Sex, Intelligence" – The Shamen; 5) "Mig 29 (Parie Seconda)" – Mig 29; 6) "Something Good" – Utah Saints; 7) "Abba-Esque" – Erasure; 8) "Shame (‘90s Remix)" – Evelyn Champagne King; 9) "Everybody's Free" – Rozalla; 10) "Do It To Me" – Mr. Lee.

(Image: Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Babble August 10, 1994)

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In the bars and clubs, the Boys of Bistro strip for you every Saturday at Bistro Too, 5015 N. Clark St.; the Fabulous Faron and the Fantastic Kathy Payne perform at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.; the Hunger, 3336 N. Milwaukee, is Chicago's premier Latino club every Tuesday, hosted by Miss Ketty, with DJ Mike Zuaz; Shawn Christopher performs her songs "Another Sleepless Night," "Reaching for a Star," and "Don't Lose the Magic," at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted; the Cockpit Computer B.B.S. Party is at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; there's a full-moon party and Tattoo Fetish Contest at AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln; and back by popular demand! ... Masculine Overdrive strip down to very little at the Nutbush, 7201 Franklin. Forest Park.

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"The Art of Caring," Chicago House's annual black-tie fundraiser is at the Grand State Ballrooms of the Palmer House. A celebrity reception includes appearances by actors Sandy Duncan and Dick Sargent, among others.

1996

Bijou, 1349 N. Wells, is showing "Oklahomo" starring Peter Bishop and Charles Winston.

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(Image: Cocktail – Gay Chicago July 27, 1997)

Charlie's, 3726 N. Broadway host a contest to benefit AIDS Walk Chicago. Contestants in the "Mr. Charlie's Contest" compete by trying to collect the largest amount of money from bar patrons throughout the evening.

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Theatre 219 joins Season of Concern to host "A Time To Act: Celebrate the Joy of Living," an evening of entertainment and fundraising at Theatre 219, Niles West High School, 5701 Oakton in Skokie.

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The Lambda Car Club holds a fall car show in the parking lot opposite Inn Exile Lounge, 5758 W. 65th St.

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The Professionals Over Thirty monthly meeting at Ann Sather's restaurant features entertainment by continental violinist Marvin Ziporyn.

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Bi/Gay Married Men's Support and Conversation Group meets at the Gale House, 124 N. Kenilworth on Oak Park.

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Publication party for "Reclaiming the Heartland: Lesbian and Gay Voices From the Midwest," is at People Like Us Bookstore, 1115 W. Belmont.

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One tidbit in the Mike At Night column in Gay Chicago reads: "What skinny drag queen fell off her barstool at Berlin's drag races two Sundays ago? In other drag race gossip I hear that the queen referred to as ‘Juicy Butt' was asked by management to ‘take a break' for a while. Also weren't the two winners of this month's Drag Races employees of Berlin?"

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:

Anybody reading this win Berlin's Drag Race?

Is there still a Windy City Rainbow Society for the Deaf?

Juicy Butt?