November 22-November 28, 2012

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

1974

Article from the Chicago Gay Crusader under the headline "NEW CENTER OPENS" reads: "Another in a series of community centers planned for gay Chicagoans was unveiled Sunday Night, Nov. 24. When the Loyola-Rogers Park Gay Students Association's storefront opened its doors at 7109 N. Glenwood Ave.

"The group plans to conduct three activities there: a telephone hotline and nightly open house; a weekly meeting and rap session; and a "hot stuff" rummage sale.

"Open house and hotline hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 12 noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. The hotline is staffed by trained volunteers and can be reached at [Tel. No]

"Weekly meetings of the group are held Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. and are open to the public. They include a social hour followed by an informal meeting and rap session. (Meetings were formerly held at the Alternatives, Inc., headquarters, 5866 N. Broadway).

"The rummage sale planned for Saturday, Dec. 14, was scheduled as the center's first fundraising event."

1980

In the bars and clubs this week, Hideaway II, 7301 W. Roosevelt Rd., Forest Park, is now open at NOON every day; a Full Moon party at Touché, 2825 N. Lincoln Ave.; Eddie Dugan presents a night with Bertha Butt and special guests at Dugan's Bistro, 420 N. Dearborn; BJ's at 3231 N. Clark St. has a Bargain Basement Sale; His ‘n' Hers, 944 W. Addison, host a senior citizen's Thanksgiving Party; and there's a Turkey Ball, starring the Turkey Lady, plus a Turkey Raffle at Coconuts, 5320 N. Sheridan.

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(Image: Buddies – Gay Chicago November 28, 1991)

Unabridged Books, 3251 N. Broadway, is now open.

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A women's theater company called "At the Foot of the Mountain" perform a play, "Rape: the exception and the rule" at the womyn-only Mountain Moving Coffeehouse.

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Dignity Chicago presents "A Nite on Wheels" at the Axle Skating Rink, 9840 N. Milwaukee Ave., Des Plaines.

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A headline on the front page of this week's Gay Life reads: "Mae West dies at 87."

1997

Sondheim's "Putting It Together," a celebration of Broadway's greatest composer, is at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.

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(Image: Beautiful Thing – Windy City Times July 9, 1998)

The Quentin Crisp book-signing at Borders is canceled.

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Comedy returns with an all new live show at the Rainbow Room, 4530 N. Lincoln. Performers include Jammin Kay Cammon, MR Big Stuff-Harry Hickstein and Mike Singer.

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Men of All Colors Together host a brunch at the home of Les Everett and Steve Ball, 5455 N. Kenmore.

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Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meet at St. John Roman Catholic School, 513 Parkside Circle, Streamwood.

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(Image: Cowgirl – Nightspots August 20, 2003)

A letter in this week's Outlines from Reha Arica, Muskie's Restaurant, begins: "I am writing to express my apologies for any inconsideration or insensitivity suffered by any customer who comes to our restaurant.

"Recently, the Chicago Lesbian Avengers brought to my attention that certain women were offended by my treatment of them. I witness two women in our restaurant embracing and kissing and asked them to reserve that behavior for the privacy of their own home. Although I would have asked a straight couple not to do the same, it has been pointed out to me that we have permitted heterosexual couples to engage in the same behavior. We would like to express our complete apologies to these customers, to the Lesbian Avengers and to the entire gay and lesbian community."

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A quote in Outlines from Ellen DeGeneres: "I felt like I was risking everything [when I came out] because I had been warned for so long about what it was going to do, and I was willing to risk it all. [But] I got more than I could have imagined. My life is so good, and I found love, and what's more important than that?"

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On the cover of Nightlines this week: Alien Resurrection Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder star in newest Alien film, opening this weekend."

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In St. Sukie de la Croix's column "Silly Questions" in Nightlines he asked LGBT's this question: "If you had to have sex with an animal, which one would you choose, and why?"

Here are some of the answers:

"A platypus, because they're so cute. I mean really, how could anyone resist such a freak of nature?" – Pam Keesey

"A chicken, because you can eat it later ... in a hollandaise sauce." – Paul Scott

"A snake, because it could fuck me." – Mike Flynn

"I guess it would have to be a bear, because it most resembles what I look like." – Jim Maxwell

"A baby seal, because they're nice and furry, and soft and cute ... and short." – Tracy Baim.

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

Where is Bertha Butt now?

Who were Jammin Kay Cammon, MR Big Stuff-Harry Hickstein and Mike Singer?

If you had to have sex with an animal, which one would you choose, ... and why?