November 20-26, 2014

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

1986

Derek Jarman's film "Caravaggio," about the controversial gay Renaissance painter, is showing at the Lake Shore, 3175 N. Broadway.

+++

IMAGE: Painting by Dave Hamilton – Gay Life July 4, 1983

Mary Gemini performs at the women-only Mountain Moving Coffeehouse, 1655 W. School. Gemini is described in Windy City Times as: "Truly a New Wave artist for our times–one of the most interesting additions to modern music. As a composer, synthesist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and video artist, her engaging approach and juxtaposed styles blend to create a unique, amusing and uplifting performance experience."

+++

Article in this week's Windy City Times reads: "Grupo Latino de Buen Pastor, the Latin Group of Good Shepherd Parish MCC, invites gay and lesbian Hispanics to join them on Mondays at 8 p.m. in the Parish Centre at 615 W. Wellington Ave. in New Town.

"Grupo Latino has come together to offer support and understanding in a Christian context for lesbians and gays of Hispanic descent and the Spanish-speaking members of our community."

+++

IMAGE: The Fabulous Fakes Revue – Gay Chicago November 8, 1984

Lesbian comedienne Kate Clinton performs at Park West. November 21, 1986

+++

Meet Allen Ginsberg reading and book signing at Barbara's Bookstore, 1434 N. Wells St.

+++

Ad in Windy City Times reads:

"Howard Brown Clinic invites you to party with us and Joan Rivers, Saturday, Nov. 22-10:30 p.m.show at the Chicago Theatre. Tickets $50."

+++

Lionheart Gay Theatre of Chicago and RSVP and Co. pay tribute to nationally acclaimed Chicago scenic designer David Emmons with a small show of his theater designs at RSVP & Co., 3324 N. Broadway, a popular New Town restaurant.

1995

Quotelines in November 1995 Outlines:

"We will live to see the day that St. Patrick's Cathedral is a child-care center and the pope is no longer a disgrace to the skirt that he has on." – Gloria Steinhem at a rally following a protest march against Pope John Paul II's visit to New York.

And:

"What do you want, some milquetoast sissy faggot to lead you into the promised land?" – Rev. George Stallings, at a rally in support of Louis Farrakhan' and his Million Man March.

+++

In the bars and clubs, North End, 3733 N. Halsted, celebrates its 12th anniversary; the Teasers–Frankie, Dino, and Michael D. Bonesky strip down to pretty much nothing at Temptations, 10235 W. Grand Ave. Franklin Park; "Dance Your ass Off" to the oldies of the '70s and '80s at Hideaway II, 7301 W. Roosevelt Rd., Forest Park, Il; Roscoe's, 3354-56 N. Halsted, celebrates Thanksgiving with a "complimentary holiday buffet, a little football on TV (how butch) and our all new hot drink menu."

2000

Windy City Gay Naturists host their annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted.

+++

WTTW: The American Experience series profiles Eleanor Roosevelt. PBS says: " ...this intimate biography explores the secretive and surprising private life of a controversial American figure."

+++

IMAGE: The Party Rages On – Gay Chicago July 27, 1989

Brigid Murphy (aka Milly of Milly's Orchid Show) screens her premiere film, "A Prince in the Projects, at the Music Box, 3733 N. Southport.

+++

On the cover of Windy City Times Tony Peregrin writes:

"'I don't know where they keep finding all these hunky guys,' enthuses actor Scott Lowell from the Toronto set of Showtime's 'Queer as Folk.' Lowell is referring to the endless supply of chiseled, muscular extras who pose and swagger their way through many of the show's scenes. But the series' sex appeal is hardly limited to this stable of hot, walking props: 'Queer As Folk' promises to be as brave, realistic and graphic as the British Channel 4 version, beginning with a two hour-15 minute pilot that features American TV's first explicit sex scene between a 29-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy."

+++

In this week's Windy City Times:

"Chef Tania, a longtime party-promoter and caterer for community events, died last week after suffering a long lung-related illness, Sarcoidosis. She was 48.

"Tania, also known as Blacke and Tania Callaway, grew up in Chicago and was an out lesbian from the time she was a teenager. She graduated from Lindbloom High School and attended culinary school. She soon began the Chef Tania parties which are now legend in the lesbian and gay Chicago communities."

+++

IMAGE: Temptations Halloween Costume Party – Nightspots October 26, 2005

In Quotelines in Windy City Times:

"I don't exactly know what to say about that (Rumors that I am gay). If I deny such claims, the media will only keep on spreading it. I am a modern man, live a full life, do not feel any barriers inside myself. I perceive the contemporary world as an open forum, where nothing is taboo except criminal activity. If I were gay, why not admit it? ...I am a normal man, I love women and sex. I am a real hot-blooded Puerto Rican, but have never been attracted by sex with a man." – Ricky Martin to the Slovak magazine Plus 7 Days.

And:

"The whole clan speaks in old jokes, with a specialty in old gay jokes. I mean, these jokes are so tired that Milton Berle wouldn't steal them." – From a New York Post review of the new gay TV show, "Normal, Ohio."

+++

DJ Frankie Knuckles returns home, with special guest Jocelyn Brown at the House of Blues. Hosted by Frederick & Dennis with Byron Dorsey.

+++

Lesbian Community Cancer Project presents Pink Ribbon Day at Equinox, 3401 N. Broadway. 10% of all sales benefit the LCCP. Also, the Closet, 3325 N. Broadway, provides complementary hors d'oeuvres for shoppers.

+++

3 World AIDS Day 200 Events presented by the Names Project Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health can be seen at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.

Homework

Who remembers Chef Tania parties?

Whatever happened to Milly's Orchid Show?

Are the Windy City Gay Naturists still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Dan Di Leo photographs Cesar Vera and other local gay celebs. for Gay Chicago October 2, 1980

Arch Boudros photographs at Davenports for Gay Chicago October 14, 1999

BJ photographs at Jackhammer and Big Chicks for Nightspots October 2, 2005

Women at Vortex and Paris Dance in Windy City Times September 5, 1991

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.