September 18-24, 2014

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

1980

The Crimson Closet at 3136 N. Narragansett, a private gentlemen's club, opens September 19, 1980. The owner is Russ Moryl and the bar boy, Fred Mar. The Polish Princess writes in his Gay Life column: "Popular bartender Paul (Flo) Dobson, of Blinkers and Charlie's Angels, is now serving your favorite beverage Fridays and Saturdays at the Crimson Closet." Membership to the Crimson Closet is $25 a year.

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IMAGE: The Tool Box – Gay Life July 4, 1983

Article on the front page of this week's Gay Life reads:

"The Board of Directors have taken the initial step to begin a Cuban Refugee Program and at a special planning session held on September 7, preliminary plans were put into motion. At present plans are underway to stage a number of special events to raise funds to make the project successful. It is hoped that Mattachine will be able to raise about $5,000 for the program which will allow the organization to sponsor 12 refugees."

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Article in Gay Life reads:

"Four hundred and fifty women attended the Women's Writers' Conference, Saturday, September 13 at the Chicago Public Library's Cultural Center. Several hundred more women had to be turned away from the eagerly anticipated day-long conference.

"Lesbians were significantly in attendance. And indeed there were more sessions designed specifically for lesbian and feminist writers, Marie Kuda presented her 'Women Loving, Women Writing' slide show to an appreciative audience. Metis Press and Black Maria collective member organized a 'Small Press and Small Magazine' discussion. Workshops on networking, language, and poetry readings occurred as well. Jane Addams Bookstore staffed a literature and book table; journalists from Journey Womyn/Catalyst, the Reader, the Sun-Times and the Tribune not only attended but participated in other sessions.

"The real star of the conference, however, was Nicole Hollander, cartoonist/author of 'Sylvia' which appears each day in the Sun-Times as well as in seven other newspapers. Hollander hosted a long presentation on 'Women and Humor.' She demonstrated the sometimes derogatory male view of women as shown in Playboy cartoons and other cartoons, and countered with some of her own pointed, but gentle, humor."

1991

This week Chicago loses two gay celebrities: Lou DiVito, groundbreaking DJ who lit up the dancefloor at the Bistro in the 1970s dies; also erotic artist, choreographer and dancer, Dom Orejudos (Etienne), dies at his home in Boulder, Co., after a long battle with AIDS.

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IMAGES: Priscilla – Gay Chicago August 25, 1994

In the bars and clubs this week, join Wacky Wally on Sundays at Badlands, 6341 N. Clark St.; "Make it Happy." Compete for autographed copies of Crystal Waters' hit single in the 11:00 p.m. Underground Dancer Contest at Roscoe's 3354-56 N. Halsted; guess who's back!! Club X, 77 S. Stolp, Aurora, Illinois; Men of All Colors Together/Chicago, formerly Black and White Men Together of Chicago, celebrates its 11th anniversary at the Annex 3, 3160 N. Clark St.; it's the Gay Metal Society party at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St., starts at 8:00 p.m. with a rock star lookalike contest at midnight; It's Chickenshit Bingo, a benefit for Direct AIDS, at Bucks, 3439 N. Halsted. [Yes, they used live chickens].

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IMPACT, Illinois' Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee, resumes its monthly "Power Breakfast" series at Ann Sather restaurant, 929 W. Belmont. The first guest is former alderman Dick Simpson, who is seeking to run for Congress once the congressional maps are redrawn and elections are scheduled.

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IMAGE: Gay Chicago cover – Gay Chicago August 18, 1987

Rick Karlin in his E.T.C. column in Gay Chicago:

"If you haven't dropped in to see 'Cannibal Cheerleaders on Crack' at Torso Theatre, you really should stop in and see it while Alexandra Billings is in the cast. She's the best thing in the show!"

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On the front page of Windy City Times, David Olsen writes:

"In a move that is being called a landmark in the gay and lesbian liberation movement, the human rights group Amnesty International voted Sept. 7 to condemn laws against gay sex and to use its considerable clout to pressure governments to release those arrested for violating such laws."

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AIDS Walk Chicago holds its second annual benefit to raise funds for Chicago AIDS service providers. Starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Randolph Street entrance to Grant Park-East of Lake Shore Drive. Live entertainment 1:00-2:30 p.m. Closing ceremony 2:30 p.m.

2002

In this week's Windy City Times:

"Mark your calendars for the 2002 city Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame Tuesday, Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m., Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph.

"Individuals inducted this year: Amigas Latinas co-founder Evette Cardona; writer C.C. Carter; Little Jim's owner Jim Gates; activist Charles Edward Nelson II; Lambda Legal Defense Midwest Director Mona Noriega; Affinity's Board President Christina Smith; and Chicago Women in Trades Executive Director Lauren Sugarman.

"Organizations: Affinity Community Services; Mattachine Midwest; NAMES Project, Chicago Chapter;

"Friend of the community: State Rep. Lou Lang"

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IMAGE: Boy George – Gay Chicago November 23, 1995

Quotelines in Outlines:

"The real reason I'm praying that 'Hairspray,' the Broadway musical based in my 1988 movie, succeeds is that if it's a hit, there will be high school productions, and finally the fat girl and the drag queen will get the starring roles." – John Waters.

And:

"I've always been an outsider myself, gravitated to the gay community and found some of the most amusing, brilliant people" –

Actress Susan Sarandon.

Homework

Does anyone know anything about the Crimson Closet?

Who remembers Badlands?

What happened to the Gay Metal Society?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Terry Gaskins photographs the third anniversary of the Chicago Eagle for Gay Chicago May 16, 1996

Spike King photographs Mr. South California Drummer Boy and the WCAA All-Stars for Gay Chicago August 15, 1991

Handsome Ragner Hammerberg tends bar at Gentry downtown in Gay Life August 9, 1984

Marty Grochala photographs the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund fundraiser for Nightlines December 3, 1997.

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.