Aug. 1 - Aug. 7, 2013

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

1980

It's the Midwest premiere of "The Dirty Picture Show" with Jim Bataglia and Jason McBride, shown for one week only at the Bijou Adult Movie Theater, 1349 N. Wells.

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Gentle Waves, a black lesbian organization, is sponsoring a picnic in a forest preserve south of the city, all women welcome. Call the Lesbian Community Center for details.

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Over 3,000 people turn up at B. Dalton Booksellers to get books and records signed by Bette Midler.

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David Bowie is Live on Stage in "Elephant Man" at the Blackstone Theatre, 60 E. Balbo.

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Image: Once In a Blue Moon – Gay Chicago January 28, 1999

Personals from this week's Gay Chicago:

"White male would like to meet young dudes that are hung and also that would like to get F.F. Probable relationship may come out of it. Don't wait. Call ______ White males only."

"Very sincere and good-looking white male, 29, 5'10", 150lbs, brown hair and eyes, with smooth swimmer's build, seeks a white male, 25-42 to share my life and love. Hopefully, you are tired of the bar scene and want to find a lasting friendship with the possibility of a one-to-one relationship developing. Please, serious responses only. No S&M or fats. Trim beard and/or mustache a turn on."

1986

In the bars and clubs this week, Dolores & Eddies, an art bar at 3700 N. Broadway, presents a benefit exhibition for Chicago House, with works by Gabor, Marya Veeck, Tom Steward, Liz Krause Wolf and other Chicago artists; attention Handsome Hunks! It's the Mr. Big Red Contest at Big Red's, 3729 N. Halsted; due to popular demand Fire Island, 1177 N. Elston, brings back Men in Motion; come elect Jane Byrne, candidate for Mayor of Chicago, at a campaign fundraiser at the Gold Coast, 5025 N. Clark St.; the Club Normandy Revue features Diana McKay, Jamie Lee Curtis, Daphne Danials, and special guest star Deana Bryant; Paris Dance, 1122 W. Montrose, celebrates its first anniversary with an Urban Picnic; DeRoma's Riversedge, 3548 N. River Rd., Franklin Park hosts Star of Stars Revue, starring Ginger Grant, Alana Kella, Caset Jones & Tata. $2 cover.

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This week's Windy City Times reports that on August 7, 1986, attorney Roy Cohn, who during the 1950s aided Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the blacklisting and destroying the careers of many US citizens, including homosexuals, dies from AIDS.

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Lesbian mothers share their ideas and concerns at Kinheart, 2114 N. Ridge.

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Gay businessman Ted Hoerl, owner of Opal Station gay bar, hosts a reception for Cook County Commissioner candidate Susan Catania. A former State Representative from the near South Side, Catania was the first sponsor of gay rights legislation in the Illinois House. The reception is held at the Bushes, 3320 N. Halsted.

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Headline on the cover of this week's Windy City Times reads: "National conference held on AIDS impact on blacks."

"The conference, which was sponsored by the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, and cosponsored by the National Conference of Black Mayors and the National Minority AIDS Council, opened with a plea from NCBLG's executive director Gil Gerald for the black community to become more aware of the disproportionate threat of AIDS to black men, women, and children, and to become more actively involved in AIDS education and service work. 'The AIDS crisis is five years old, but in the black community it's an issue we've kept in the closet. We must correct the notion that AIDS is a disease of gay white males,' said Gerald."

1995

A new club joins the SM, leather, fetish community in the Windy City, the Sober, Safe, Sane Consensual Club – Chicago. The primary purpose of the club is to provide an educational and social outlet for those individuals involved in, or supportive of, a 12-step recovery program and interested in safe, sane, and consensual SM, leather, fetish lifestyle. Inquires to David Katzenberg at _____

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"Missing Out Would Be a Drag." Through September 3 only! Julie Andrews in "Victor Victoria: A Musical Comedy" at the Shubert Theatre, 22 W. Monroe St.

Image: Market Days ad – Grab Magazine July 20, 2010

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Eartha Kitt makes her first public concert appearance in Chicago in over a decade. The Illinois Federation of Human Rights cordially invites you to a memorable evening at the Skyline Stage at Navy Pier. Tickets are $35.

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In the Gay Chicago Obituaries this week are Jeffrey A. Theis, who at one time ran J. Andrews Hair Salon at Dearborn and Goethe; Edvaldo M. Costa, known as "hairdresser to the stars and royalty ... There were no queens on the list but a handful of princesses." His remains were taken back to Rio, Brazil. "He wanted to return to nature, so it looks like he gets to swim once again in the waters of Copacabana Beach"; and James D. Sutherland, who sang in the church choir of the Hobart Presbyterian Church and is survived by his partner-in-life, Allen Rhodes. All three of these beautiful men succumbed to AIDS.

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Some DJ Dance Picks from Gay Chicago.

Courtesy of DJ Mark Hultmark: 1) "Turn it Up" – LaBelle; 2) "No More 'I Love You's'" (Jr.'s Remix) – Annie Lennox; 3) "Come On & Get Your Love (Jr.'s Remix)" – Real McCoy.

Courtesy of DJ Oscar McMillan: 1) "Ultrasong" – Floppy Sounds; 2) Night for Love (Remix)" – Kim English; 3) "What Would You Want from Me?" – Frankie Knuckles ft. Adeva.

Courtesy of DJ Greg Haus: 1) "Into the Blue (Voodoo Child Remix) – Moby; 2) "Ex-Junkie" – AJAX; 3) "Leave Home" – Chemical Brothers.

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

The 1984 Gay Pride Parade in Gay Chicago July 4, 1984

OMG!!! It's Michele Fire in Gay Chicago July 19, 1978

Spike King's "King's Korner" in Gay Chicago July 20, 1989. I think Toots Lorraine is labeled wrong, she's on the bottom in the middle

Gay Pride in Gay Life July 9, 1976. I wonder who these guys are ...

Homework

Did anyone see David Bowie in "Elephant Man?"

OK who's got the dirt on Julie Andrews in Victor Victoria? I heard there was some lip-synching going on ... not that it really matters.

What happened to Ted Hoerl?

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow forGay Life, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, Stacy Bridges and Mark Nagel for GRAB, 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.