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

1985

Video Playlist courtesy of Chuck Hyde of Sidetrack: 1) "Smalltown Boy/Why" – Bronski Beat; 2) "Method of Modern Love" –Hall & Oates; 3) "Sex Crime" – Eurythmics; 4) "Boys of Summer" – Don Henley; 5) "Obsession" – Animation; 6) "All the Day/Everyday is Halloween" – Ministry; 7) "Night in Bangkok" – Murray Head; 8) "Big in Japan" – Alphaville; 9) "Solid" ­– Ashford & Simpson; 10) "In the Evening" – Sheryl Lee Ralph; 11) "Private Dancer" – Tina Turner; 12) "SOS Fire in the Sky"– Deodato; 13) "Lover Boy" – Billy Ocean; 14) Dumped On" – Triana; 15) Born in the USA" – Bruce Springsteen.

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(Image: Cover of Gay Chicago Magazine – June 23, 1983)

On the cover of this week's Gay Life, Albert Williams writes: "Meanwhile, at Victory Gardens Theater on Lincoln Avenue, there's ‘Levitation,' a gentle comedy-drama about ‘coming to terms with life and love.' The play by Timothy Mason, opening its Midwest premiere, features Bill Applebaum as young Joe, Fern Parsons and Edgar Meyer as the ageing mom and dad, and James Glossman as his lover. Joe's homosexuality is treated as a given, an integral-and unremarkable-part of his personality. Is not making an issue of it the issue?"

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Gay Life writes that Ms. magazine named lesbian/feminist singer Holly Near one of its 12 Women of the Year "for creativity as a composer, performer, and lyricist; as a ‘cultural worker' for peace and justice; and as a woman who lives the message she teaches."

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Allen Ginsberg, founding father of the beat movement, reads from his works at Barbara's Bookstore, 1434 N. Wells.

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A headline on the cover of this week's Gay Life reads: "Reagan Cutbacks Will Have ‘Direct Impact' on AIDS Research Funds."

1989

In the bars and clubs this week you can see and hear Shante on Mondays at Christopher Street, 3458 N. Halsted; Bachelors, 444 W. Fullerton, is now open for the city's finest cocktail hour; the Chicago Gay Cable Network celebrates the creation of their new office with a party at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St; "Sleaze: the Event," a night of sensuous sights and sounds with music by Mark Vallese, lights by Fred Hands, and visuals by Larry Fox, at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells St.; are you interested in volunteering for Open Hand? Join them and learn more at Paris Dance, 1122 W. Montrose.

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(Image: Nightspots Out of the Town – Nightspots February 22, 2006)

Top Ten Music Playlist courtesy of Fred Bain and Orlando, Club Normandy: 1) "Make My Body Rock" – Jomando; 2) "Touch of Love" – Liz Torrez; 3) "It's a Mean World" ­– Mark Four; 4) "Seduction" – Seduction; 5) "2 Hot 2 Stop" – L.U.S.T.; 6) "Good Life" – Innercity; 7) "Notice Me (Notice the House Mix)" – Sandee; 8) "That's the Way Love Is" – Ten City; 9) "Touch Me" – Brian Keith; 10) "Respect" – Adeva.

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In this week's Windy City Times, Jeffrey McCourt and Mark Schoofs interviews Chicago mayoral candidate Richard M. Daley.

WCT: What do you see as the major issues facing specifically the lesbian and gay community?

Daley: Well, I think that the major issues facing the gay and lesbian community is the crisis with services all over this City, the accountability by the mayor of the city of Chicago-the example is the Department of Health. Issues dealing with strong, viable leadership, in regards to City services, in regards to taxes in the city. And I think that the gay and lesbian community, you want a mayor who is fair, understanding and responsive."

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Letter to the editor begins:

"I believe your review of the book ‘Macho Sluts' by Pat Califia was irresponsible and immoral because it advocates sadomasochism. S/M is both physically and psychologically abusive and therefore wrong." – Eileen Barghusen and Martha Foster

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In Gay Chicago's Obituary: Joanna Caron, the popular entertainer in the Chicago area dies of kidney failure. His real name was Joe Conti.

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The AIDS Foundation of Chicago raises more than half million dollars at a gala dinner and art auction at the Hotel Nikko. The auction features 41 donated works of art, including an etching by Pablo Picasso and works by David Hockney, Harold Gregor, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Max Beckmann.

1998

The Naperville Stonewall Group, a self-help support group for gay, lesbian and bisexual adults, meets at Du Page Unitarian Church in Naperville.

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(Image: Mary's Hamburgers – Chicago Free Press July 30, 2009)

The Lesbian Avengers hold a town meeting at Horizons Community Services, 961 W. Montana. The meeting serves as a forum for interested parties to discuss plans for a constructive response to issues of harassment and poor representation of women and other minorities at the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.

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In Quotelines in Outlines: "I never understood why Diana became a saint. I thought she was trash and got what she deserved" – Quentin Crisp on Princess Diana.

And:

"Surely it's a bit of a come-down after so many years of being a reigning queen" – Boy George on Elton John's knighthood.

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

<<< This was in Gay Chicago January 3, 1985. Are these guys still around? Hope so.

Spike's famous column in Gay Chicago on January 19, 1989. Where are they now? >>>

<<< I took this in Bobby Love's and if it was published it was most likely in Nightspots. Who are these two and what trouble are they getting into these days? I dread to think.

The Wild Pug didn't last long, did it? But here are a couple of guys I photographed there. Where are they now? Is the guy on the right still misbehaving himself? This may or may not have been published in Chicago Free Press. I can't remember. >>>

Homework

Remember Paris Dance?

Who were the other editors of Chicago Free Press beside David Costanzo?

Who was Joanna Caron?

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.