July 3–9, 2014

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

1985

In this Week's Gay Life :

"Stephen F. Gaskill died June 17 of complications due to AIDS. Born Oct. 12, 1952, Steve was also known by many as Little Bit. He touched the hearts of many people, but none so deeply as his lover Larry. Their special love will go on forever, Larry said."

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On the front page of Gay Life, Tracy Baim writes:

"50,000 Celebrate Pride Day."

"Marching down Broadway, showing the festive diversity of the lesbian and gay men's communities, an estimated 50,000 people flashed their pride at Chicago's 16th Annual Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade last Sunday.

"Mayor Harold Washington exploded with political zeal during his rally speech while former Chicago mayor Jane Byrne rode through the parade greeted by loud cheers."

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IMAGE: RuPaul is Star Booty ­– Thing Summer 1993

Article in this week's Gay Life reads:

"The Gay Task Force of the American Library Association has scheduled several events during the ALA's annual conference here next week, all open to librarians and non-librarians:

"Sunday, July 7, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Americana Congress Hotel, Belmont Room: 'You Want to Look Up What? Indexing the Lesbian and Gay Press.' Clair Potter, editor of 'Lesbian Periodicals Index' is among the speakers.

"Monday July 8, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Auditorium of the School of the Art Institute: 'Imager/Artist: The Homosexual in Visual Arts,' slide show by Marie Kuda.

"Tuesday, July 9, 2-4 p.m. Palmer House, Adams Room: 'Gay Book Award' presentation for 'Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds' by Judy Grahn, followed by 'Blind Lesbians and Gays: The Lavender Pen' on cassette and in Braille. This is followed by an Open Forum: 'What Do We Want–From Each Other, From ALA, From the World?'"

1993

TOP TEN MUSIC PLAYLIST courtesy of Eddie J, DJ at Numbers and Manhole: 1) "U Got Me Up" – Cajmere and Dajae; 2) "Feel It" – Workin' Happily; 3) "Party Claps" – Exposure; 4) "Bad Mood" – Lonnie Gordon; 5) "I Can't Get No Sleep" – Masters At Work: 6) "The Boy" – R.B.M.; 7) "Can You Feel the Rhythm?" – The Men's Room; 8) "You Got to Believe" – Chantay Savage; 9) "Plastic Dreams" – Jay Dee; 10) "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" – Taylor Dayne.

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IMAGE: Fosse – Gay Chicago May 24, 2001

In the bars and clubs this week, Karaoke Tuesdays with Jammin James at Dandy's, 3729 N. Halsted; Jeff Demling, a wild and crazy man from Indiana, performs at Gentry of Chicago, 712 N. Rush St.; there's a Full Moon Bondage Party at the AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln; Full Moon Party and Tan Line Contest at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St.; "Dark Rooms" is a Lights Out party at Manhole, 3458 N. Halsted; All American Ice Cream Social with DJ Diana Foust at Paris Dance, 1122 W. Montrose; Porn Star Kris Lord Live! at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted St.; Full Moon Party at Roscoe's 3354-56 N. Halsted; the Cockpit BBS Monthly Party at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; Frankie Knuckles in Association with D&E Entertainment presents "The Children's Hour," a celebration of Pride and Independence, featuring Frankie Knuckles, at Ka-Boom, 747 N. Green (Chicago Ave. and Halsted St.)

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Mayor Richard M. Daley announces his appointment of Karl Rubesh as chairman of the Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues (ACGLI). The announcement is made at a city hall reception hosted by the mayor in honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Week.

1996

In Nightlines' Off the Cuffs, Tracy Baim writes:

"Vicious homophobe Rev. Fred Phelps and his cult crew of about 20 bigots picketed on Diversey against the pride parade, what he called a "Fag Death March in Chicago." The police were guarding them, and placed them at the very straight end (Diversey); they apparently wanted to leave early, and the police had to escort them out. Their hateful slogans include: GOD HATES FAGS, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, NO TEARS FOR QUEERS, SIN & SHAME NOT PRIDE, FAG+ANAL SEX=DEATH, FAG=AIDS=DEATH, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS."

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IMAGE: About Face – Nightlines April 11, 2001

Tracy Baim writes in Outlines:

"Chicago Black Lesbians and Gays have announced new co-chairs for 1996: Renae Ogletree and Lawrence Burchall, Israel Wright is treasurer, Denise Miles and Sherri Jackson are secretaries. Lori Branch and Michael Pleasants are co-chairs of the 1997 Unity Conference III, set for April."

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IMAGE: Mans Country –­ Hotspots May 2001

Theatre Q presents "Walking the Dead" by Keith Curran at Halsted Street Café, 3641 N. Halsted. Plot summary: All her life, Veronica Tass has felt incomplete as a woman. After her sex change and brief existence as a man, her lover, Maya, gathers the friends and family who knew her best in order to piece together an understanding of the liberated spirit Veronica became.

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STOP AIDS is hosting volunteer orientation for its lesbian and bi women's services at 1352 N. Western.

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About Face Theatre Collective presents an adaptation of Jim Grimley's novel "Dream Boy," at Eclipse Theatre.

Homework

Full Moon Bondage Party at the AA Meat Market? Sounds like fun. Did anybody go?

What happened to Theatre Q?

Is DJ Eddie J still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

That's Feathers!! in Gay Chicago May 17, 1984

David Veltkamp photographs police violence in Gay Chicago May 24, 1979

Sherman Heinrich photographs Hideaway owner Arthur Sim and Redoubt and Baton owner Jim Flint for Gay Chicago May 24, 1984

St. Sukie's drag kings and Israel Wright's sing-a-long Sound of Music for Nightlines May 16, 2001

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt forGay 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.