May 1 - May 7, 2014

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

1984

IMAGE: Chuck Renslow at a Mr. Contest in Gay Chicago News April 15, 1977



Male Hide Leathers, 66 W. Illinois St., is holding a special spring sale of leather pants, chaps, and vests.

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In the bars and clubs, leather bar, the Redoubt, 440 N. Halsted, is open for lunch Mon-Sat Noon-3 p.m. Sunday brunch specials are salmon roll with sauce germaine, stroganoff ala hamburg, roulade of ham and asparagus with mushroom benedict; there's a Bagel Bash with complimentary lox and bagels every Sunday at Take One, 2570 N. Clark St.; Mary Lynn Morrison and Bill Muzzillo entertain every Saturday in May at Opal Station, 666 N. Clark St.; at the Mineshaft, 8437 Ogden Ave., Lyons, there's Mr. Mineshaft Contest. First prize is one week for 2 at the Island House, Key West; the Violent Femmes are at Medusa's, 3257 N. Sheffield; announcing the 1^st Mister Our Way on Wells Contest with Cash Prizes and Trophies, at 1437 N. Wells St.

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Bailiwick Theatre, 3730 N. Clark St., presents "Van Gogh & His Brother Vincent," "The Ugly Duckling," The Tiger," and "Did You Ever Go to PS 4.3."

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Top 15 courtesy of Don Dydell/Danny Mapp of the New Bar/Madison: 1) "Jump/Automatic" – Pointer Sisters; 2) "Let's Hear it for the Boy" – Deniece Williams; 3) "Miss Me Blind" – Culture Club; 4) "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper; 5) "Give Me Tonight" – Shannon; 6) "Dancing in the Streets" – Shalamar; 7) "No More Words" – Berlin; 8) "Borderline" – Madonna; 9) "Breakdance" – Irene Cara; 10) "Coming Out of Hiding" – Pamela Stanley; 11) "Footloose" – Kenny Loggins; 12) "Zarah" – Nina Hagen; 13) "Love Cares" – Endgames; 14) "Freak Show" – Barkays; 15) "Going Through the Motions" – Nona Hendryx.

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There's a sale of Adult Male Videos at Old Town Books & Video, 1345 N. Wells. "Huge IV Like a Horse" is $25.00

1994



IMAGE: Terry Gaskins photographs the boys at North End for Gay Chicago January 23, 2003



Quotes from Quotelines in Outlines:

"Gays and lesbians are beaten to death in the streets with increasing frequency—in part due to irrational fear of AIDS but also because hatemongers, from comedians to the worst of the Christian right, send us the message that homosexuals have no value in our society." – CBS News Anchor Dan Rather.

And:

"I don't know Tom Hanks ... but I didn't like the interviews he's giving. ... It's like he has to fight hours of make-up to play a homosexual. ... You don't have to do anything to play a homosexual. A homosexual is a human being." ­– Spanish director Pedro Almodovar on the star of "Philadelphia."

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Robert Rodi, author of "Fag Hag" and "Closet Case" reads from and signs copies of his new novel "What They Did to Princess Paragon," at Unabridged Books, 3251 N. Broadway.

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The Women's Action Coalition and Queer Nation join together for a benefit for Camp Sister Spirit, the women's commune in Mississippi. The benefit takes place at Schuba's, 3159 N. Southport, and features Word of Mouth, Handsome Family, Gena's Bouquet, Elysium and Jamie Paradise.

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More than 100 restaurants participate in "Dining Out For Life," a benefit for Stop AIDS Chicago and AIDSCare. Each restaurant donates a percentage of their receipts for the day.

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UNISON: Windy City Lesbian and Gay Singers present "We Shall Be Free!", an evening of African apartheid freedom songs, spirituals and African American southern work songs, American Indian songs etc. at the Arts Center, 200 N. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park.

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Harbor Home Health invites you to the Park West, 322 W. Armitage for "Cabaret II," a fundraiser to provide home health care for Persons Living With AIDS. Performers include Mary Ann Childers, John Herrera, Terry Higgins, Nan Mason, Lori Noelle, Jack O'Malley, Terri O'Malley and four Sisters from the Handmaidens of Jesus Christ performing 'Nun of the Above.'"

2008

IMAGE: Frank Failing photographs boys at Sidetrack for Gay Chicago January 12, 2006



The Gay Liberation Network, Amigas Latinas, Orgullo en Acion, and the Association of Latin Men for Action host a joint LGBT contingent in the immigrants rights march. Meet at Union Park, near Ashland Avenue and Lake Street–look for the rainbow flags.

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Stage, television and movie actor Wilson Cruz, comes to Roosevelt University's Congress Lounge, 430 S. Michigan, to talk to students about "My So-Called Life: Coming Out, Family Life and Homelessness."

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Equality Illinois hosts its monthly First Friday gathering at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted. The event benefits Equality Illinois and the Leather Archives.

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Affinity, a group of black lesbian and bisexual women, hosts a young women's drop-in at 5650 S. Woodlawn, garden level.

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On May 3 , civil union legislation supporters meet at train stations in Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Kane counties to pass out flyers to suburban train riders, emphasizing how the legislation will impact the state's senior citizens.

"HB 1826, the Illinois religious Freedom and Civil Union Act, was authored by state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago. The legislation would create civil unions in Illinois, allowing opposite and same-sex couples the same marriage rights. The bill will soon come to the floor for a full vote."

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Steamworks Chicago, 3246 N. Halsted, hosts a fundraiser for the 2008 Ride for AIDS Chicago, featuring DJ Dexter St. Jacques.

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Ellen DeGeneres hosts the Make a Wish Foundation 2008 Wish Ball at Lincoln Park Zoo, Cannon Drive at Fullerton. Dinner is at 7:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m.

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Windy City Gay Naturists hold a Cinco de Mayo party at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St.

IMAGE: Israel Wright photographs the Grabby Awards for March 6, 2002 issue of Nightspots



Homework

Did anyone ever go to the Mineshaft, 8437 Ogden Ave., Lyons?

Remember Camp Sister Spirit?

Whatever happened to DJ Dexter St. Jacques?



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 ofChicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

IMAGE: Jennifer Holiday – Gay Chicago April 4, 1985

IMAGE: Cover – Gay Chicago January 5, 1995

IMAGE: Fiesta Latina – Gay Chicago March 27, 2003

IMAGE: Bobby Love's – Nightlines February 7, 2001