13 June -19 June 2013

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

1977

In the bars and clubs this week, Ginni Clemens is performing at His n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; the Tavern Guild of Chicago meets for its regular monthly meeting at Sundays, 430 N. Clark St.; Little Jim's, 3501 N. Halsted St., shows the film "Broadway Melody of 1938"; Le Pub, 1944 N. Clark St., shows the Andy Warhol film, "Women in Revolt," starring Holly Woodlawn; and Man's Country, 5015 N. Clark St., shows "The Wizard of Oz." Also appearing there this week is that "Bounce Your Boobies" lady Rusty Warren and "America's most exciting pianist," Bruce Robins.

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In Gay Life this week:

"Anita Bryant's appearance at Chicago's Medinah Temple on Flag Day, June 14, brought out thousands of gays and lesbians and their supporters to peacefully picket the concert hall. Marred only by 8 arrests, when police clubs flailed more than just the air around 8 p.m., over 100 parade marshals kept as many as five thousand marchers circling the building and the surrounding area. Ticket holders could not avoid the sign-carrying, chanting, singing demonstrators when attempting to enter the hall at 600 N. Wabash Ave."

1995

The Association of Latin Men for Action host "High Risk/Alto Riesgo," high risk sex and HIV risk reduction for gay Latinos, 1671 N. Claremont.

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The Illinois Federation for Human Rights (IFHR) 1995 Vote Project conducts a Chicago and Cook County deputy voter registrar class and focus night at the IFHR office, 3444 N. Halsted.

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"Wrestling With Angels: Faith and Religion in the Lives of Gay Men," edited by Brian Boudrey. Contributors Lev Raphael and Don Belton, discuss the book at Unabridged Books, 3251 N. Broadway.

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Zebra Crossing and Tellin' Tales Theater Pride reading includes work by Jorjet Harper, Kathy Bergquist, Achy Obejas, Carol Anshaw, Karen Lee Osborne, Maureen Seaton, at 4223 N. Lincoln.

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Gay and Lesbian Police Advisory Committee street safety and hate crime lecture by Chicago Police Dept. State's Attorney's office, co-sponsored by Gay Officer's Activist League. Phone [number] for info.

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"Different Pieces, Same Pie" is the name of Windy City Gay Chorus/UNISON/Windy City Slickers Pride Concert, 230 S. Columbus.

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Supermodel Ru Paul performs and signs copies of "Lettin' It All Hang Out" at Unabridged Books, 3521 N. Broadway.

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Men of All Colors Together host "The Gay Soul: An Interactive Workshop" at Gerber/Hart Library, 3352 N. Paulina.

2001

Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association and activist, Marie Kuda, presents a multi-media program covering the Lesbian in Film from the 1920s through the 1980s, at Buzz Café, 905 S. Lombard, Oak Park.

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Headline on the cover of this week's Windy City Times reads: "Roscoe Village Gay Bashing."

"Police are investigating an alleged hate crime in Roscoe Village late last week involving a group of Chicago men who say they were brutally gay-bashed by two attackers who are still at large.

"Five men were injured in the assault, and one victim said his straight friend and a straight bartender were the worst hurt.

"Four of the men were leaving the Four Moon tavern, 1847 W. Roscoe, at about 2 a.m. ...June 8, when the two offenders came up behind them. One asked, 'Are you a bunch of gays?' according to Christopher Hamm, one of the men attacked. When Hamm and his friends ignored him, the suspect yelled. 'You heard me, are you fucking faggots?'"

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Quotelines in this week's Windy City Times:

"No matter what anyone says, no matter what people do, gay men and lesbians have absolutely nothing in common. The fact we have sex with people of our own gender is not something which makes us similar, it makes us so completely dissimilar." – Letter to Toronto's Xtra! from reader Bill Wayne.

And:

"You'd think with so many gay male flight attendants the outfits would look better ...If gay men ran the union, they'd bring back those go-go boots and cute little pillbox hats." – Columnist Marc Acito in the Portland Ore., gay newspaper Just Out.

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"What'd ya mean you STILL haven't seen the Chicago Kings in action?!!" Drag King Party at Jak's Tap, 901 W. Jackson.

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The Chicago Smelts Splash Your Heart Out 2001, a fundraising benefit for the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, Teen Living Problems, and the Women's Programs at Howard Brown Health Center. Collect pledges to participate in an afternoon of water volleyball, water aerobics, swimming and scuba. Events are held at UIC's Pool Pavilion.

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High Risk Gallery presents Fuel Unplugged, for those aged 25 and under, at the gallery. There are special 25 and older performers including Sukie de la Croix, Sandford Gaylord, Rhonda Bedgood, Lynda Licina, and Scott Free, plus an open mic for youth, at 1115 W. Belmont.

Homework

Do gay men and lesbians have anything in common?

Did anyone see the Rusty Warren at Man's Country?

Whatever happened to the Chicago Kings?

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, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, 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 Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.