March 12-March 18, 2015

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

1981

The Lesbian and Gay Film Festival at Chicago Filmmakers, 6 W. Hubbard St., continues with Chicagoan Marie Kuda presenting her slide show "Women Loving, Women Writing," followed by a screening of a new print of a long-suppressed German film, "Maedchen in Uniform." Leontine Sagan's 1931 film chronicles the love between a student and her teacher.

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IMAGE: Take One on Clark Street – Gay Chicago October 18, 1984

In Gay Life Stephen Kulieke writes:

"In one of the first Chicago anti-gay attack cases to go to jury trial, a Cook County Criminal Court jury March 2 convicted a 20 year old North Side man of beating two gay men as they walked near Cornelia and Pine Grove avenues in February last year.

"James Lavas, 3747 W. Sunnyside Ave., was found guilty of one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (a Class 3 felony) and one count of battery (a misdemeanor) for the Feb. 23, 1980, attack on Jon Lindblad and a friend.

"During the two-day trial before Judge Robert L. Masset, the two victims testified that they were walking home at 3.30 a.m. when Lavas and another man, Joseph Ganshirt, 18, of 2113 W. Cuyler Ave., threatened and insulted them for being gay–yelling 'fucking fags.' The victims said that the assailants then robbed them and beat them with pipes."

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Speak Its Name, Chicago's gay and lesbian theater company, present Richard Hall's "Love Match," for five consecutive Mondays and Tuesdays at the Baton Show Lounge, 436 N. Clark St.

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The Windy City Gay Chorus and the Chicago Gay/Lesbian Community Band perform a variety of music from Renaissance to pops at Englemann Hall, 2031 E. Hartford, on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus.

1990

Obituary for Hollis Drew "Skippy" Sweet:

"Hollis Drew 'Skippy' Sweet started working for Renslow and Associates at Club Baths in August of 1970. In 1974, he transferred to Man's Country where he worked until 1980. That same year, he moved to San Francisco. Two years later, he moved back to his parents in Grand Rapids, Mich.

"During the years he was employed by Renslow and Associates, the company sent him to Devry Tech where he studied Sound Engineering. Mr. Sweet installed and designed the sound system in the Music Hall of Man's Country. At the time, it was considered one of the finest in the country. He was one of the first sound engineers to install the Tri Amp System of Amplification. He also installed the sound systems in various others bars in Chicago, such as Zolar and Center Stage.

"While living in San Francisco, he worked for Photo and Sound and designed the sound systems for many San Francisco area bars.

"He was involved in the formation of the International Mr. Leather Contest and remained one of its staunchest supporters. He never missed a single contest and the men of International Mr. Leather will miss him this year, as will his family and friends."

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IMAGE: Kitty's Korner – Sister Source December 15, 1981

Article in Windy City Times begins:

Lavandula-Midwest, a gay and lesbian professional organization for horticulturalists, botanists and landscape architects is planning a quarterly published newsletter and a gathering at the MID-AM trade show in Chicago as well as a national meeting in Tucson, Arizona. The name of the organization, founded last August, comes from the scientific name for the herb lavender. The group is a regional chapter of the Lavandula Society based in North Carolina, and most members have careers in plant or plant-related disciplines."

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The South Metropolitan Gay and Lesbian Association hold its March social at Charlie's Clubhouse, 19400 S. Chestnut, in the Tierra Grande Condominium Building of Country Club Hills. The theme of the social is "Western Lambaba" so it's casual cowboy attire and country music.

1999

"When the Rabbi Has AIDS, II." HIV-Positive Rabbi Marc Blumenthal tells his story about Jewish responses to HIV/AIDS at Temple Sholom, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive.

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IMAGE: "The Mystery of Irma Vep" – Windy City Times March 12, 1987

Activist Vernita Gray is appointed the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community liaison by Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine.

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In the clubs and bars, Fridays are the Shower contest at Spin, Halsted and Belmont; Cum to Underwear Night at the Manhandler, 1948 N. Halsted; it's March Mayhem and Leapin' Lesbian Leprechauns at the Patch, 201 155th St., Calumet City, Il; a benefit for Windy City Softball and the 1999 Blowout Tournament with America's top female impersonators at the Baton Show Lounge, 436 N. Clark St.; Karen Mason performs at Davenport's Piano Bar, 1383 N. Milwaukee; and Star Gaze, 5419 N. Clark St. invites you to the bar's first Women's Leather Night.

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IMAGE: Chicago Eagle – Gay Chicago January 4, 2001

Café Pride, Chicago's coffeehouse for LGBT youth under 21, holds its St. Patrick's Day Dance at the Lake View Presbyterian Church, 716 W. Addison.

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Come Out & Dine, the lesbigay dining club welcomes singles and couples. This week it's theater and dinner: "Adventures of Herculina" at Next Theatre, 927 Noyes St. Evanston, followed by dinner at Noyes St. Café, 828 W. Noyes.

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The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association celebrates its 10-year anniversary with an open house and reception with coffee and desserts at 1145 Westgate.

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The Fabulous Lypsinka Show, the glam goddess created/performed by John Epperson, with guest comedian Steve Moore, is at Park West, 322 W. Armitage.

Homework

Is Lypsinka still around?

Who remembers "Skippy" Sweet?

Is the Manhandler still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Arch Boudros photographs the guys of Cheeks bar in Gay Chicago December 10, 1992.

Ralph Gernhardt and Dan Di Leo, publishers of Gay Chicago.

Spike King photographs and questions the customers at Bulldog Road in Gay Chicago October 12, 1989.

Jack Sitar photographs Chuck Renslow and the Mr. Man's Country winners in Gay Chicago March 28, 1985.

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.