December 18-24, 2014

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

1978

There's a benefit showing of the movie "Outrageous" at the Village Theatre to raise funds for the Frank Rodde Memorial Building Fund for a community center for gay men and lesbians. Tickets are $3.

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Article in Gay Life reads:

"A woman staff member of the Rogers Park/Edgewater Gay Alliance was attacked Wednesday night, December 20, by two white male teenagers who forced her car off the road and struck her in the head with a bottle. The staff member, Nancy, had left the center at 5823 N. Ridge at approximately 9.15 pm and was driving away when she was accosted by two youths in an automobile. Yelling 'faggot lover,' the two attacked her with a broken beer bottle. The woman was later treated at St. Francis Hospital for a cut in the head which required four stitches."

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IMAGE: Gay Athletic Association – Gay Chicago September 27, 1979

The 44th Ward chapter of the Independent Voters of Illinois–Independent Precinct Organization (IVO-IPO) voted at a December 19 meeting to recommend two independent candidates, Grant Ford and Bruce Young, as qualified to represent the 44th Ward in the Chicago City Council.

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A letter to the editor in Gay Life reads:

"As a member of the gay community and as a Christian I am concerned that a book titled 'The Gay Invasion,' is being sold by the Jewel at Addison and Broadway. Since I am always concerned to know what those of opposing viewpoints are saying I purchased this book and read it. I became aware that the author had not approached the subject with any genuine concern for the gay person, but only with a feeling that the gay person was the enemy. In fact the book seemed to spew rhetoric that sounded very much like that of the late Senator Joseph McCarthy. What was presented sounded much like certain John Birch titles. My concern is that numerous gay people do grocery shopping in this store. Perhaps we could as a community resolve not to patronize this store until such a book is removed from the shelves. Yes, we do have free speech, but we don't have to give our business to an establishment that proliferates literature that calls for the restriction of our civil rights. I am concerned that the gay community be made aware that such a book is being sold at this Jewel, and we can do something about it, by buying groceries somewhere else." Signed Bob Gappa.

1992

Quotelines in Outlines:

"I am ashamed of our government's cowardly and puritanical approach to AIDS education ...It is outrageous that it took a Hollywood star and a private foundation to do what the government was unable or unwilling to do." – Elizabeth Taylor.

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IMAGE: Halloween '80 – Gay Chicago October 9, 1980

The Windy City Gay Chorus perform "Don We Now XI: An American Holiday Portrait" at the Preston Bradley Hall, 941 W. Lawrence.

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In the clubs and bars, gay comic, Scott Capurro, performs at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted; you and a guest are invited to celebrate Christmas at Bistro Too, 5015 N. Clark St.; "Cha Cha Heels It's Not." Join Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, for a Holiday Party with a sprinkling of Holiday Videos; sit on Santa's lap at Cairo, 720 N. Wells St.; Sami Scott is performing at Bugle Boy, a cabaret on Halsted, 3320 N. Halsted; Memory Lane is on stage at Temptations, 10235 W. Grand Ave., Franklin Park. See her new video, "Boobs"; a "Two Days Before Christmas Party" takes place at Inn Exile, 5758 W. 65th St.; and it's Staff Appreciation Night at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.

IMAGE: Gay Chicago cover – Gay Chicago September 13, 1984

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The Top Ten Playlist courtesy of Donnie Warner, DJ/VJ at Hunter's and Vortex: 1) "Supermodel" – Ru Paul; 2) "Runner" – DJ Professor; 3) "I Talk to the Wind" – Opus III; 4) "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day" – The S.O.U.L System; 5) "Deeper & Deeper" – Madonna; 6) "I Need You" – Space Master; 7) "Pussycat Meow" – Deee Lite; 8) "I'm Gonna Get You" – Bizarre Inc. 9) "Go Speed Go (Speed Racer)" – Alpha Team; 10) "Possession" – Dominatrix.

2001

The Gerber/Hart Library Men's Book Discussion Group reads "The Normal Heart" by Larry Kramer, at 1127 W. Granville.

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IMAGE: Nightspots cover – Nightspots October 12, 2005

Grinder, queer words and music, hosted by Scott Free at the Coffee & Tea Exchange, 1100 W. Thorndale, features words by Jim Pickett and music by Ellen Rosner.

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It's the final weekend for Miss Tiger's cabaret "12 Steps of Christmas starring Olivia the Retard," at the Bijou, 1349 N. Wells St.

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These are the Top Ten songs DJ Lady Pipes likes to hear at North End's karaoke nights: 1) "Hanky Panky" – Madonna; 2) "Hand in My Pocket" – Alanis Morissette; "Licking Cream" – Sevendust; 4) "I Hate Myself for Loving You" – Joan Jett; 5) Everywhere" – Michelle Branch; 6) "Born to Fly" – Sara Evans; 7) "Love's the Only House" – Martina McBride; 8) "Surrounded" – Chantal Kreviazuk; 9) "Do You Sleep?" –Lisa Loeb; 10) "Danny's All-Star Joint" – Rickie Lee Jones.

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Nicole Hollander, feminist cartoonist and creator of the comic strip "Sylvia," signs her books at Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark St.

Homework

Is DJ Lady Pipes still around?

What about Bob Gappa?

What's Miss Tiger up to these days?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Dan DiLeo photographs the Grand Opening celebration at the Other Side bar in Gay Chicago October 2, 1980

Chuck Renslow's White Party in Nightlines September 9, 1998

Chuck Kramer photographs at Pour House and grayling at Touche for Nightspots October 12, 2005

I don't know what's going on here, but it's in Nightspots July 12, 2006

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.