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

1987-1988

Item in Outlines reads:

"'AIDS: Questions and Answers' is a new video which targets inner-city minority audiences, individuals found to be at high risk for AIDS. It addresses common misconceptions about AIDS, how AIDS is spread, and how to reduce your risk of getting AIDS. A Spanish language version will be available within a few months. The video is available through Video Services, 11 E. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL."

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Dignity's Feast of the Holy Family mass for the gay and lesbian community takes place at St. Sebastian's Church.

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There's a Gay Overeater's meeting at 3225 N. Sheffield.

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Lambda Toastmaster's, a gay/lesbian group for those looking to develop their public speaking skills, meets 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 3225 N. Sheffield.

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(Image: Buck's Pig Out – Gay Chicago October 18, 1984

Gerber Hart Library, 3238 N. Sheffield, hosts the Lesbian Book Discussion group. This week's book is Sheila Ortiz Taylor's "Spring Forward/Fall Back."

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In this week's Gay Chicago are the obituaries of two beautiful men both lost to AIDS: John J. Pozzie and Stephen M. Clark.

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The Fox Valley Gay Association, a chartered gay organization, celebrates their fourteenth anniversary.

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Gay Chicago writes:

"Sidetrack, one of the city's most innovative video bars, features the music of the ‘50s and ‘60s every Wednesday night from five until closing. Now, to add to the mood, they have hired famed set designer Rick Paul to build some special set decorations. So sing along with Leslie Gore, the Temps, or the Dixie Cups. Doo Wop!"

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A record 70 cases of AIDS were reported in Chicago during the month of December 1987. The highest number of cases previously reported in a single month in the city was 48 in October 1987.

1997–1998

A safe-sex discussion group meets at Café Noir, 1718 E. 75th St.

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The Carpenters are on the cover of Gab magazine [Seemingly for no reason]

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(Image: Die Warzau – Windy City Times December 26, 1991)

In the bars and clubs this week, Silky Jumbo and Jojo are the hosts every Monday at the Boom Boom Room, Red Dog, 1958 W. North Ave., enter in rear; celebrate New Year's Eve with strippers stripping at Numbers, 6406 N. Clark St.; it's the Crystal Ball with DJ Mark Vallese at Fusion, 3631 N. Halsted; a Champagne Celebration with Honey West is at the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 169 N. Halsted; celebrating the opening of the State Street location, Pudgy "The Queen of Tease" performs at Gentry, 440 N. State St.; NO NEW YEAR'S CRAP, just the nastiest dance party in Chicago with the legendary Mark Hultmark at Manhole, 3458 N. Halsted; and there's a hangover party at North End, 3733 N. Halsted.

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Dance music reviewed in Gab this week includes: "Come to Daddy" EP – Aphex Twins; "Smack My Bitch Up" – Prodigy; "Ajare" – Way Out West; "Digital" – Goldie feat. KRS One; "Chinese Burn" – Curve; and "La La La" – Tranquility Bass.

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The Skinny in Gab reads: "Why does everyone want to sue us this week? ... The miffed queen who somehow had her pale and hirsute shirtlessness published in one of our award-winning photo collages. She's all mad cuz what we did was ‘illegal' and ‘wrong' and she's ‘going to look into' suing us or something. ... Good luck in litigation, see ya in front of Judge Judy."

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"Latin Boys Go to Hell,' a send-up of gay Latino angst and passion, is at the Music Box, 3733 N. Southport.

2000-2001

A quote in this week's Quotelines in Windy City Times reads:

"It is oral, anal, promiscuous, and so super-explicit that you will want to blinker your horses." – New York Magazine on Showtime's "Queer As Folk."

And:

"A noticeable weight gain has physically slowed her down, and the sight of this one-time icon of fashionable androgyny in jeans and a shapeless orange pullover was less than eye-catching. One missed the provocative, strutting, gender-bending glamour of the lesbian rhinestone cowgirl of old." – From a New York Times review of a k.d. lang concert.

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In Gay Chicago, Mark Cosenza picks his Top Five Tunes of the Year in his Country Edge column: "No Mercy" – Ty Herndon; "Me Neither" – Brad Paisley; "The Chain of Love" – Clay Walker; "Flowers On the Wall" – Eric Heatherly; and "Kiss This" – Aaron Tippon.

(Image: Nightspots Cover – Nightspots September 10, 2003)

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Grinder, queer words and music, is at the Willow Coffee and Tea, 1100 W. Thorndale. This week features words by Robert McDonald and music by Tom Yore.

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Womyn United and Kindred Hearts combine forces to throw a New Year's Eve Dance at 2214 Ridge Ave., Evanston.

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 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:

Does Kindred Hearts still exist?

Does the Fox Valley Gay Association still exist?

What is Silky Jumbo up to these days?