December 19-25, 2013

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

1981

On the front page of this week's Gay Life:

"An alarming health problem is emerging in the gay community–immune system deficiency that doctor's believe is linked to the deaths of gay men from rare diseases such as Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer, and pneumocystis pneumonia, a viral infection. What makes gay men susceptible to these diseases? Dr. Ray DiPhillips, medical director of the Howard Brown Memorial Clinic, summarizes recent medical findings and examines possible contributing factors, including the use of 'recreational drugs' and frequent multiple sexual contacts."

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Image: Jump Back, Boogie Down – Gay Chicago July 5, 1984

"A Christmas Wassail," a play performed by a lesbian group, is at Good Shepherd Parish Metropolitan Community Church, 615 W. Wellington.

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Ads in the "Personals" of Gay Chicago:

"BLACKS IN YOUR 20s: Attractive masculine white male wants to meet you! I'm 32, hairy, trim, muscular. Especially appreciate the beauty of a smooth face and body. No smokers or addicts. Your photo gets mine. David. Box ... "

And:

"MILD DOMINATION: Masculine, athletic, hung, hot 25 year old male needs mild domination fantasies fulfilled. Want to be dominated by muscular hung males 18-30 or womanly built TV's. Box ... "

And:

"SPREADIN' READY: Butter my buns. I'm spreadin' ready! Guys under 35, any race. Phone ... "

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On the front page of this weeks Gay Life:

"A Chicago Presbyterian church has officially adopted a non-discriminatory membership policy toward gay people, including eligibility for lay ordination.

"According to the Lincoln Trails (Indiana-Illinois) chapter of Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, the Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church at 600 W. Fullerton has declared itself a More Light church. The More Light churches affirm a formal policy of open membership regardless of sexual preference. This includes the right of ordination to lay office within the congregation. The More Light policy has not been legally challenged."

1987

Item in Outlines reads:

"'AIDS: Questions and Answers' is a new video which targets inner-city minority audiences, individuals found to be at high risk for AIDS. It addresses common misconceptions about AIDS, how AIDS is spread, and how to reduce your risk of getting AIDS. A Spanish language version will be available within a few months. The video is available through Video Services, 11 E. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL.

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Image: Boys Nite Out – Gay Chicago Nov 5, 1987

On the front page of Windy City Times:

"Horizons Community Services, Inc., has been awarded a grant in the amount of $27,068 from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information authority to hire a half-time director for a new program to combat anti-gay violence.

"The first phase of Horizons' Gay and Lesbian Anti-violence Program will commence in April or May with three components–a 24 hour hot line for the reporting of hate crimes, a crisis counseling program for hate crime victims, and WhistleStop, an outreach campaign distributing whistles and information packets within the gay and lesbian community to raise the level of awareness about hate crime prevention."

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Girth and Mirth celebrate the holidays with a revue called "La Cage au Mirth" at Ann Sather's.

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Lambda Toastmasters, a gay/lesbian organization for those wishing to develop their public speaking skills, meets 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 3225 N. Sheffield.

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Obituary in this week's Windy City Times:

James C. "Jimmy" Bryder, 32, who last year won Gay Chicago magazine's VJ of the Year award, died Wednesday, Dec. 16, after almost a two-year battle with AIDS-related illnesses.

"Born Dec. 12, 1955, in Detroit, he spent most of his early life in Florida. He moved to Chicago when he was about 18 and worked as a bartender at several bars, including the original Bistro and Paradise. Later, he attended Columbia College, where he studied video."

1993

Alton Fitzgerald White, currently appearing in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," presents a holiday cabaret concert at Cairo, 720 N. Wells. The concert benefits Season of Concern, the AIDS fundraising organization of the performing arts.

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Image: Full Moon – Gay Chicago December 11, 1997

In the bars and clubs this week, you are cordially invited to celebrate "A Wonderful Life," a tribute to the incomparable Faron Evans at Gentry of Chicago, 712 N. Rush St. Proceeds go to Chicago's Horizon Hospice; there's a Candlelight Christmas Eve Celebration at Charlie's, 405 W. Ontario; Berlin, 954 W. Belmont, celebrates an X-Rated Xtravaganza on Christmas Day; and there's a "Long Underwear Party" at Roscoe's, 3354 N. Halsted.

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The Healing Circle, a new spiritual awareness group formed for the gay and lesbian community, meets every Wednesday at Grant Hospital, Webster and Lincoln.

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The West Suburban Gay Association goes Christmas caroling at Brookfield Zoo.

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The Pride Agenda bookstore, 1109 Westgate in Oak Park, presents Kevin Hilton on classical piano.

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Image: It's Just Bingo – Gay Chicago October 6, 2006

Article on the front page of this week's Windy City Times begins:

"A long-awaited victory for the Chicago lesbian and gay community came last Wednesday when the City Council passed by a vote of 31-13 an ordinance granting domestic partner bereavement leave benefits for city employees.

"Gay activists hailed the ordinance, originally introduced to the council by sponsor Ald. Bernie Hansen (44th) nearly a year ago, as an important move toward equality in the workplace, particularly because it sets out a definition of 'domestic partner' in the city's code. This gives them what they hope will be a foot in the door for future moves to establish a citywide registry and to extend medical benefits."

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Courtesy of DJ Keith Ware at Gramophone Records: 1) "UR the Best Thing" – D:Ream; 2) "Supermodel – RuPaul; 3) "U Got Me Up" – Cajmere featuring Dajae: 4) "Show Me Love" – Robin S; 5) "Push the Feeling On" – Nightcrawlers; 6) "Play It Again (Zig Zag)" – DJ Fiasco; 7) "I'm Gonna Get You" – Bizarre Inc.; 8) "Little Bird" – Annie Lennox; 9) "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day" – The S.O.U.L. System; and 10) "Brighter Days" – Cajmere featuring Dajae.

Homework

Do you have any stories about the beginning of the AIDS crisis?

What happened to the Pride Agenda Bookstore?

Is Faron Evans still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Mike Williams photographs Jim Russell, Dan Neniskis, and Jim Flint at the opening of the new leather Redoubt bar. In Gay Chicago October 13, 1983

Jack Sitar photographs guys in Christopher Street in Gay Chicago October 30, 1986

Spike King photographs William Payne, owner of the AA Meat Market with Rudy Johnson and others in Gay Chicago September 27, 1990

Jack Sitar photographs porn star Casey Donovan at Touche in Gay Chicago November 7, 1985. Below are dancers at Medusa's, photographed by Craig Gernhardt.

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.