November 7-13, 2013

1986

In the bars and clubs this week, it's Sophie's 4th Birthday Party, with special guest Feathers, at Inner Circle, 2546 N. Clark St.; Medusa's, 3257 N. Sheffield, celebrates its 3rdanniversary; Company, 2638 N. Halsted, and friends present Dining From Around the World, a benefit for St. Sebastian's, a friend of the gay community; Hot Shot T-Dance at Annex 3, 3160 N. Clark St.; Big Red's 3729 N. Halsted St. presents the annual Pie Toss emceed by Chicago Molly. The proceeds go to the Frank M. Rodde Fund and Chicago House.

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Image: Suzie B's – Windy City Times October 29, 1987

There's a special opening night of Derek Jarman's film "Caravaggio" to benefit Howard Brown, at the Biograph Theatre, Lincoln and Fullerton.

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Members of eleven feminist choruses from across the U.S. join together at Lane Technical School for the 3rd annual National Women's Choral Festival. The Artemis Singers, Chicago's lesbian/feminist chorus, host the festival, which lasts November 7-10. The event includes workshops, meetings and rehearsals for the participants, members of the Sister Singers Network, an international, grassroots network of feminist women's choirs.

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Front page of this week's Windy City Times:

"Kit Duffy, who last April accepted the job of executive director of the newly-formed AIDS Foundation of Chicago, has announced her resignation from the organization. The AFC has already begun its search for her replacement. While Duffy will be leaving her post within a week, she said she will assist in the transition process of a new executive director."

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Obituary in this week's Windy City Times reads:

"Steven Douglas Grassel, known in Chicago as Steve Douglas, died Nov. 9 of complications due to AIDS. He was 38.

"Born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, Grassel served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1982. He moved to Chicago in 1980.

"He was a former member of the Chicago Hellfire Club, a former volunteer and staff member of Howard Brown Memorial Clinic, and a member of Open Road Riders of Chicagoland. His friends remember him as a man uniquely concerned and caring for his brothers and sisters in the community and as a friendly, outgoing person 'always ready to lend a helping hand.'"

1994

Quotes in this month's Outlines Quotelines read:

"You've all heard some rumors about me over the years. I think I should make a statement. My name is Richard Gere and I'm a lesbian." – Richard Gere.

And:

"A number of my friends said ... 'The gay community's going to think you're gay if you do this.' And I said, 'Well, who gives a shit what anyone thinks anyway, to be quite honest." – "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" co-star Guy Pierce, a soap opera star in Australia, in that country's Outrage gay mag.

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Image: Freedom Isn't Free – Nightlines June 3, 1998

Article in this week's Gay Chicago reads:

"Absolut Vodka is joining forces with Sidetrack, Chicago's premiere video bar, to present "Absolut Caring," a program to benefit the Illinois Federation for Human Rights (IFHR) and Open Hand Chicago.

"The event, which kicked off with "Absolut Hollywood Halloween Party" at Sidetrack, on Oct. 31, will continue through the winter, concluding on Valentines Day."

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There's a lesbigay community fundraiser for Helen Schiller at Ann Sather, 929 W. Belmont.

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Lesbian Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer signs copies of her book "Serving in Silence," about her battle to stay in the military, at People Like Us Bookstore, 3321 N. Clark St.

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Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America hold a fundraiser and recognition dinner for Chicago chapter members, with Sgt. Tom Swann and Sgt. Miriam Ben-Shalom at Ann Sather.

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Gay filmmaker Greg Araki's "Totally F***cked Up" is playing at the Music Box as part of the 14th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival.

2000

Article in this week's Gay Chicago:

The cast of "Party," currently playing at Bailiwick Repertory, collected more than $2,350 from its audience members for Season of Concern, the Chicago theater community's fundraising effort in the fight against AIDS.

Image: Hotspots Cover – Hotspots November 2000

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Join the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America as they attend Mayor Daley's Veteran's Reception at the Chicago Cultural Center.

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The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association hold a coffeehouse soiree at Buzz Café, 905 S. Lombard, Oak Park.

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Image: Meat the Meatpackers – Gay Chicago September 13, 1990

A headline on the cover of Windy City Times reads: "Too Close to Call: Nader factor played out in some states. Hillary Wins in NY."

"In one of the closest presidential races in U.S. history, Vice President Al Gore trailed Republican Gov. George Bush by less than 30,000 votes Wednesday morning, with neither candidate receiving a confirmation that they had the 270 necessary electoral college votes. The state of Florida is in the balance, with just 1,200 votes separating Bush and Gore, but with thousands of votes left to be tallied."

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Quote in Windy City Times reads:

"The world is getting more vulgar and horrible by the minute. At my age now, I take a dim view of everything." – Gay composer Ned Rorem, age 77.

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The 3rd Annual Rainbow Spirit Awards, a Dinner Dance Celebration, takes place at the 19th Century, Oak Park. Honorees: Nina Beck and Stacy Jolles, one of the couples who were plaintiffs in the historic same-sex couples ruling in Vermont; Vernita Gray; Lorraine Sade Baskerville; Temptations, George Grivas; Hunters, Mark Hunter; and Nutbush, Mike Zych. Performers include Valerie James, Honey West and Marlene Moore.

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Betty DeGeneres discusses her new book "Just a Mom," heartfelt advice on supporting your gay child, at Barnes and Noble, 659 W. Diversey.

Homework

What happened to Lorraine Sade Baskerville?

Who remembers Big Red?

What is Helen Schiller doing now?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

The Tavern Guild's Dragocious Show at the Baton in Gay Chicago September 27, 1979. I wonder where this bevy of lovelies are now?

More drag in Windy City Times on November 5, 1987

Kathy Munzer at the Mountain Moving Coffeehouse Gay Life November 12, 1976

Tom Coughlin photographs Felicia (Jim Flint) at the Baton in Gay Life November 12, 1976

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.