January 2-January 8, 2014

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

1984

The Windy City Gay Chorus hold auditions for new members. No experience is necessary. According to a chorus spokesman, "All we're looking for is good voices in all categories." Auditioners are invited, but not required, to bring a prepared audition piece. The chorus performs both serious and popular fare, and has an exciting season planned for 1984.

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Image: Club Chicago – Gay Chicago November 8, 1984

Male Hide Leathers, Inc. at 66 W. Illinois St., are selling button-fly jeans in Chicago's largest selection of sizes. Blue 501's $22.50, washed, ready to wear, and Black 501's at $27.95.

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Now featuring Our Tasty New Stuffed Pizza ... Try It! Frank's Pizza Express, 1109 W. Bryn Mawr ... "we'll deliver poppers or a Gay Chicago Magazine with any home delivery order, just ask!"

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Top 15 Dance Tunes courtesy of Tom Parks of Club 219/Milwaukee: 1) "Love How You Feel" – Sharon Redd; 2) "Say Say Say" – Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson; 3) "Where Is My Man" – Eartha Kitt; 4) "Aint Nobody" – Chaka Khan; 5) "Let the Music Play" – Shannon; 6) "Over My Head" – Toni Basil; 7) "Trouble in Paradise" – Sylvester; 8) "Color By Numbers" – Culture Club; 9) "Relax" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood; 10) "Rush Rush" – Debbie Harry; 11) "Twist of Fate" – Olivia Newton-John; 12) "Rebel Yell" – Billy Idol; 13) "Prepare to Energize" – Torch Song; 14) "Tam Tam (All cuts) – Amanda Lear; 15) "Share the Night" – World Premiere.

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Image: The Men of Illinois – Gay Chicago December 10, 1987

In the Models & Escorts in Gay Chicago:

"As big as they come? Football player's build, 9 ½", beer can thickness, brown hair, brown eyes, clean shaven, smooth body, and very handsome. Available 24 hours. Am discreet and 19 years old and look it. Gary."

And:

"Vincent is 24, tall, blond, blue-eyed, masculine and beautiful. He's got 9 long inches of double wide meat. He's versatile, friendly, and expensive."

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The Mystery. The Experience. The Dance Bar. Come to the Grand Opening of Trianon, 3150 N. Halsted.

1999

An ad in Gay Chicago reads: "Your new gym is coming soon to Andersonville. Wild Kingdom Fitness Enterprises, Inc. brings you ... Cheetah Gym, 5248 N. Clark St. Opening officially March 1st, 1999."

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Image: 3rd Anniversary – Gay Chicago December 2, 1993

Better Existence with HIV is offering an afternoon yoga class in Evanston on Wednesdays, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Yoga instructor, Ann Duncan-Yonan, offers an introduction to yogic postures, meditation and relaxation techniques. The class is offered to people living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers.

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Dancers Gregor, Gunga and Karl strip down to absolutely nothing at Man's Country, 5017 N. Clark St.

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It's the Professionals Over 30 monthly social at Ann Sather, 929 W. Belmont, featuring pianist Kenny Klepper.

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PBS presents "In the Life," a LGBT newsmagazine show. The lead story is "Targets of Hate" about rising violence against LGBT folks, and includes perspectives of victims, media, rights advocates and hate crime experts.

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On the front page of Outlines is an article called "Male Genital Mutilation" by Sukie de la Croix, about the anti-circumcision movement, educating parents about the painful surgery.

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HBO cable TV "America Undercover" presents "Out at Work," the first ever documentary about workplace discrimination against lesbigays, narrated by Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer (Ret.)

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Quotelines from Outlines:

"I'm coming screaming out of the closet–I'm a great, screaming queen and I'm glad to be that way." – Canadian Olympic gold medal swimmer Mark Tewksbury.

And:

"[The average American is] less homophobic than he thinks he's supposed to be and more racist than he's willing to admit." – Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank D-Mass.

2002

Miss Tiger's Cabaret is at the Bijou, 1349 N. Wells

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Image: Sundays at the Mission – Gay Chicago December 11, 1997

In Windy City Times:

"British actor Sir Nigel Hawthorne died unexpectedly Dec. 26 of a heart attack. He was 72.

"He was best known as the bumbling servant Sir Humphrey in the TV series 'Yes, Minister,' and for the film 'The Madness of King George.'"

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In the bars and clubs, Khris Francis returns to Gentry, 3320 N. Halsted St.; the WCAA winter/spring dart season begins with a kick-off party at Star Gaze, 5419 N. Clark St.; join Frankie Da Kat and Miss Tee for the Kat House Review Talent Contest and show with $100 cash prize at Different Strokes, 4923 N. Clark St.; it's Foot Fetish Weekend at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted; and it's Uniform and Military Fetish night at the Chicago Eagle, 5015 N. Clark St.

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It's the monthly meeting of Adodi Chicago, African-American men's group; this month's topic is rectal health. Meets at the Minority Outreach Intervention Project, 1346 S. Michigan.

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HEAT 2, Chicago's favorite erotic dancers and strippers take it off in an evening of total male fun to benefit Bailiwick's Pride 2002 Festival at 1229 W. Belmont. Also included are reception, open bar, and a date auction with the performers, $50-$100.

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The Gerber/Hart Library Lesbian Book Discussion Group reads "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold" by Elizabeth Kennedy.

Homework

Anyone know what happened to Khris Francis?

Remember Frankie Da Kat's shows at Different Strokes?

Who was in the Lesbian Book Discussion Group?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Bucks, photos by Frank at Male Image Photography for Gay Chicago December 3, 2003

Spike King photographs at the Manhandler for Gay Chicago December 24, 1987

Tom Coughlin takes these photos at Dugan's Bistro for Chicago Gay News

Photographs of the March on Washington in Windy City Times (September 24, 1987)

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.