November 28-December 4, 2013

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

1987

The Equity Library Theatre's Chicago Alternative Classics project presents an encore performance of "Merchant of Venice" at Second City ETC., Monday Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. In this switched-gender production, men play the women's roles as men, and women take on the traditionally male roles of Shylock, Antonio, Bassanio, and the others. Second City ETC. is located at 1608 N. wells; tickets are $5.

+++

Image: Gay Chicago Cover – Gay Chicago July 5, 1984

Members of the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus and the Windy City Gay Chorus join together for an evening of holiday music and Broadway tunes on Tuesday Dec. 1, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Dandy's Piano Bar, 2632 N. Halsted.

+++

An obituary for James Baldwin in Outlines begins:

"James Baldwin, author of the classic gay novel 'Giovanni's Room,' 'Another Country,' and a number of books of influential essays, died earlyTuesday morning, Dec. 1. Mr. Baldwin, who had lived for many years in St. Paul de Vence, a small town in France, near Nice, had one half of his stomach removed earlier this year. He was 64 years old and died at home."

+++

On the cover of this week's Outlines:

"After a marathon City Council session, Ald. Eugene Sawyer (6th) was elected Acting Mayor of the City of Chicago at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Sawyer defeated Ald. Timothy Evans (4th) to succeed two-term Mayor Harold Washington, who died Nov. 25 of a heart attack.

"Sawyer, who voted against the gay and lesbian civil rights ordinance in the City Council in 1986, received support from some lakefront alderman, including Bernie Hansen (44th), Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), and Ald. Kathy Osterman (48th). Much of the remainder of his support came from black alderman and most of the alderman formerly aligned with Vrdolyak '29' in the Council. All four of the Hispanic alderman voted for Evans.

"The majority of the alderman who voted in favor of gay rights protections in the Council in 1986 voted for Evans. Mayor Washington himself was a long-time advocate of gay and lesbian civil rights. On gay and lesbian concerns, each candidate has a voting record. Evans voted in favor of the gay rights ordinance in 1986, and Sawyer voted against it. But, according to Ald. Hansen, Sawyer has pledged to meet with the gay community on the issue."

1995

The Leather Archives & Museum moves to a storefront at 5007 N. Clark St. and opens its first permanent exhibition gallery. The first show highlights items from the collection and features the original artwork of Dom Orejudos.

+++

Image: Chicago Mining Co. – Gay Chicago September 13, 1990

The prestigious Golden Apple Award is presented only to the best teachers in the country. One of the 1994 recipients was Chicago area educator, Paul Swanson, the only openly gay or lesbian to have been presented with the award. On November 28, 1995, at the Conrad Sulzer Library, 4455 N. Lincoln, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network welcome Swanson to recount his experiences as an openly gay instructor.

+++

Boy George is Live at Park West, 3631 N. Halsted.

+++

Article in this week's Gay Chicago reads:

"Lesbigay Radio Chicago's Trish Koch has tendered her resignation as co-host and co-producer of the world's first daily gay/lesbian radio show on Chicago's WNDZ 750 AM. Citing creative differences with Lesbigay management, Koch has decided to form her own communications firm, Generation Q Communications, and is currently pursuing broadcast opportunities with other Chicago-based radio stations."

+++

Project VIDA announces the publication of "A Friend of Jose," a groundbreaking AIDS learning book for Latino youth between the ages of 8 and 11. Four thousand copies are distributed in school and community presentations.

+++

Image: Pumpkinhead – Gay Chicago October 19, 1995

On the front page of Windy City Times this week:

"A new study estimates one out of every 92 men aged 27 to 39 was living with the AIDS virus in the U.S. in 1993. The figure, published in the journal Science by National Cancer Institute researcher Philip Rosenberg, is considered the most precise estimate of HIV/AIDS for this group."

+++

On Saturday, Dec. 1. World AIDS Day, the Immaculate Conception parish, 1431 North Park, hosts its fifth annual World AIDS Day Ecumenical Prayer Service for people living with HIV/AIDS.

+++

Martha Wash is Live at Park West, 3631 N. Halsted.

+++

Open Hand Chicago holds its annual brunch and silent auction at the Westin Hotel, 909 N. Michigan. The brunch is a sit-down meal with music provided by Elizabeth Doyle with the Bryan Gephart and the Bob Long Quartet.

2003

Latina lesbian Reno introduces a screening of "Reno: Rebel Without a Pause," a documentary about her performance in response to the 9/11 attacks. Takes place at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.

+++

Image: Pour House Lounge/The Edge – Hotspots November 2000

Blender, Wicker Park's queer night out, presents a Thanksgiving Leftovers Party. Retro dance music, and $3 cover if you bring a material donation for friends of the organizers who recently lost everything in a house fire (otherwise, $5). Takes place at Big Wig nightclub, 1551 W. Division.

+++

In honor of World AIDS Day, Connie Kiosse reads from her new memoir of AIDS and sisterhood entitled "Two Sisters, One Journey," at Women and Children First, 5233 N. Clark St.

+++

Article on front page of Windy City Times, by Tracy Baim:

"Police raids, harassment, mob payoffs, licensing problems- these were everyday realities for gay and lesbian bars in decades past. In New York, the police harassment sparked the Stonewall Riots during the summer of 1969.

"But these days, it takes a lot to ignite the masses to mobilize. A few dozen showed up for increased AIDS funding, a few dozen more at a vigil for murdered transgendered people. And then there was the potential closing of Big Chicks bar in Uptown.

"The outrage was explosive-thousands of emails, hundreds of people at a Nov. 24 rally outside the bar at 5024 N. Sheridan, and a couple hundred more at a hearing Nov. 25 at the city's liquor commission in the basement of the Daley Center."

+++

There are sample delicacies from Chicago restaurants at World of Chocolate, AIDS Foundation of Chicago's annual all-about-chocolate holiday event to commemorate World AIDS Day. The evening features a light buffet, open bar, and a holiday bazaar with ornaments and gifts for purchase. Takes place at Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus.

+++

Homolatte, Scott Free's weekly showcase of queer words and music, this week features Carlos T. Mock and Anne-Marie Akin, at No Exit Café, 6970 N. Glenwood.

+++

Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., welcomes Gov. Howard Dean, Democratic Candidate for President of the United States. $50 per guest is a contribution to Dean for America.

Homework

Who saw Boy George at Park West?

Did anyone see "Reno: Rebel Without a Pause"?

Who remembers lesbigay radio?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

One of the dancers at Temptations bar, in Gay Chicago January 6, 1994

Tim Fischer's photos of Male Hide and Touche in Gay Chicago November 5, 1987

Arch Boudros takes photos at Hunters bar for Gay Chicago October 6, 2006

Revs. Jay Deacon and Troy Perry of the Metropolitan Community Church in Gay Life October 24, 1980

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.