Aug 22-Aug 28, 2013

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

1987

North Suburban Gays (NSG) sponsors their "Summer Cruise" on the Trinidad. In addition to the North Suburbanites, Fox Valley Gay Association (FVGA), West Suburban Gay Association (WSGA), Professionals Over 30 (POT), and Asians and Friends also participate.

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In Windy City Times:

"Margot Buchanan will reprise her acclaimed performance as Pirate Jenny in 'Threepenny Opera' in a special benefit for Bailiwick Repertory Monday, Aug. 24. The show celebrates Bailiwick's fifth anniversary and includes scenes from 'Execution of Justice,' 'Unfinished Business: The AIDS Show,' 'The Wind in the Willows,' and 'Waiting for Godot,' as well as 'Threepenny,' one of Bailiwick's most successful productions. The evening, at 3212 N. Broadway, begins at 7 p.m. with a champagne and dessert reception, and the performance begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 (($40 per couple). "

Image: Dina Jacobs – Gay Chicago March 13, 1980

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"Staffer charges mistreatment of jailed PWAs." Article by J.H. Johnson on the cover of Windy City Times begins:

"Prisoners with AIDS at Cook Country Jail face growing mistreatment due to officers' ignorance about the disease, according to a medical staffer at the prison.

"In a recent incident, a County Jail officer attempted to write 'AIDS' in black marker on the foreheads of four incoming prisoners with AIDS, revealed Mark Morrin, an emergency medical technician at the jail. The incident was confirmed by Dr. Arthur Brewer, a staff physician at the jail's in-house Cermak Health Services Center."

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Bestselling books at Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway:

LESBIAN BESTSELLERS (Fiction): 1) "Shoulders" – Georgia Cotrell; 2) "Girls Next Door" – Jan Bradshaw; 3) "Ice & Fire" – Andrea Dworkin; 4) "Dry Your Smile" – Robin Morgan.

LESBIAN BESTSELLERS (Non-Fiction): 1) "Different Daughters" – Louise Rafkin; 2) "Going Out of Our Minds" – Sonia Johnson; 3) "Passion for Friends" – Janice Raymond; 4) "Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady" – Florence King; 5) "Dykes to Watch Out For" – Alison Bechdel.

GAY BESTSELLERS (Fiction): 1) "Buddies" – Ethan Mordden; 2) "Joseph and the Old Man" – Christopher Davis; 3) "The Love of a Master" – John Preston; 4) "Better Angel" – Richard Meeker; 5) "Body Blows" – Steven Simmons.

GAY BESTSELLERS (Non-Fiction): 1) "AIDS: A Self-Care Manual" – M.A. Moffat; 2) Looking for Mr. Right" – Gregory Flood; 3) "Healing AIDS Naturally" – Laurence Badgley M.D. 4) "Dear Genius" – Jack Dunphy; 5) "Gay Priest: An Inner Journey" – Malcolm Boyd.

1996

One hundred openly lesbian and gay delegates attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The Convention opens with a concert by Aretha Franklin in Grant Park and closes with a speech by Bill Clinton accepting the Democratic Party's re-nomination for president.

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Image: Cocktail – Nightlines March 12, 1997

The Latino Program of Stop AIDS host "Fiesta y Flamenco," an evening of food and fun highlighted by the Spanish flamenco troupe, Ensemble Espanol at Salvage One Architectural Artifacts, 1524 S. Sangamon.

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The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers' Network (GLSTN) host "Back to School," an open house featuring guest speaker Candace Gingrich at the Conrad Sulzer Library.

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Keith Boykin, the executive director of the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership forum signs copies of his memoir "One More River to Cross; Black and Gay in America" at Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway.

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Anne Rice, the author of the bestselling Vampire Chronicles, signs her new book "Servant of the Bones" at Unabridged Bookstore.

2008

In the clubs and bars this week, AIDS Run & Walk Chicago "Bar Challenge," a new fundraising event at Crew, 4804 N. Broadway; there's an ear-otic hip hop reggae party at Spin, Halsted and Belmont, with DJ's Stoney and special guest DJ's; "HamBingo" with Regina Upright is a weekly charity event at Hamburger Mary's, 5400 N. Clark St.; stop by Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, for the "Obama Pride Chicago Convention Watch Party"; Be Positive Tonight 2008, an evening for HIV-positive people that's sponsored by Northstar Healthcare and Walgreen's, begins at 6 p.m. at Circuit, 3641 N. Halsted.

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Susan Alexander hosts "5 Funny Females and 5 Funny Fags Comedy Show," at Lakeshore Theater, 3175 N. Broadway.

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The 12th annual Windy City Rodeo runs through August 24th in Crete, Illinois.

Image: Pet Shop Boys – Chicago Free Press June 11, 2009

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The Lesbian Brunch Group hosts an ice-cream social at Sweet Occasions, 5306 N. Clark St.

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The Windy City Gay Chorus and Aria: Windy City Women's Ensemble hold auditions at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre, 3656 N. Halsted St.

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In this week's Chicago Free Press, Matt Simonette writes "Street cameras to line Halsted." The article begins:

"The Northalsted Area Merchants Association last week said it would install cameras along Halsted Street as extra security precautions on corners seeing a high volume of pedestrian traffic.

"The cameras, according to Jay Lyon, executive director of NAMA, are not all installed yet, but would be operating 'as soon as possible' at the corners of Halsted and Belmont, Halsted and Aldine, Halsted and Roscoe and Halsted and Cornelia."

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Gay Chicago July 20, 1989

Gay Life June 30, 1978

Grab Magazine July 20, 2010

Windy City Times July 20, 1989

Homework

Anybody see "5 Funny Females and 5 Funny Fags Comedy Show"?

What happened about the cameras on Halsted Street?

"HamBingo" with Regina Upright. Where is she now?

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, 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.