March 26-April 1, 2015

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

1978

The monthly meeting of Parents and Friends of Gays is at the offices of Mattachine Midwest, 100 E. Ohio.

+++

IMAGE: One for the Road at Little Jim's – Gay Chicago May 17, 1984

Article in Gay Life reads:

"All persons interested in helping to organize more sports events within the gay community should attend a meeting, March 29 at 7:30 p.m., sponsored by the Athletic Committee of Dignity."

+++

Article in Gay Life begins:

"The Howard Brown Memorial Clinic is actively searching for a new and larger location to house the clinic's services. The current location with approximately 1,000 square feet at 2205 N. Halsted Street has become cramped and inadequate with the increasing number of patients served during the current hours 3 times a week."

IMAGE: Circus Vargas – Gay Chicago August 24, 1989

Feminist singer Deirdre McCalla performs at the Mountain Moving Coffee House, 1655 W. School St. for women and children only.

+++

The Lincoln Park Lagooners bring their annual Carnival to the Aragon Ballroom. This year, "A Tropical Lei" allows Chicagoans to enjoy a touch of the tropics right here at home, complete with palm trees, native dancers, entertainment, dancing, carnival booths, fun and surprises galore.

1990

In the clubs and bars, it's Alternative Music, an all progressive video event, a benefit for ACT UP Chicago at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted; it's Fetish '50s at Rage, 5006 N. Clark St.; there's a Glasnost Party at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells, honoring Gorbachev with a "Birthmark Contest" at 1:00 a.m.; Girth and Mirth, the group for big guys and their fans, hold a Fabulous Fifties Sock Hop at Ron Helizon's bar Company, 2683 N. Halsted; "Lavender Bouquet," is a women's dance at 7:00 p.m. at Rivers Edge, 3548 River Road in Franklin Park; and Rudy de a Mor, "the rudest man in the world," performs at a benefit for Direct Aid at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.

+++

The Shammah Christian Fellowship, a gay Southern Gospel group, hold a pro-lesbian/gay revival at the Granville Presbyterian Church, 6151 N. Greenview, with gospel music, preaching and ministry.

+++

Chi-Town Squares hold a graduation dinner-dance at Keenan O'Malley's, 2125 W. Roscoe.

+++

IMAGE: Touche – Gay Chicago May 24, 1984

Author Mark Zubro signs copies of his newest mystery "Why Isn't Becky Twitchell Dead?" at Scotland Yard Books, 556 Green Bay Road in Winnetka.

+++

The Suburban Parents Triangle, open to all gay, lesbian and bisexual parents, or those wishing to become parents, meets at the Stevenson Center, Lake and Taylor, Oak Park.

+++

The recently reactivated Chicago chapter of the National Coalition for Black Lesbians and Gays meets every second and fourth Saturday at the Woodlawn Branch Library, 6247 S. Kimbark.

+++

The Lesbian Book Discussion Group reads and discusses "The Magnificent Spinster" by May Sarton at Gerber-Hart Library, 3238 N. Sheffield. The book is a story about a woman whose life escapes conventional expectations.

+++

The premiere issue of Nightlines magazine is published with a Howard Cruse cartoon on the cover and an ad for Costa Doro Ristorante, 5025 N. Clark St. on the back.

1996

The Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce holds its founding meeting at Ann Sather's at 929 W. Belmont at 5.30 p.m.

+++

AIDS Walk Chicago Corporate Breakfast takes place at the Catillion Room, Westin Hotel, 909 N. Michigan Ave.

+++

IMAGE: Sybil – Thing Summer 1993

Waterstone's Books & Music, 840 N. Michigan Ave., is proud to present New York Times bestselling author E. Lynn Harris reading and signing his new novel "And This Too Shall Pass."

+++

"Two Straight Guys & the Vortex," a humorous and sensuous look on homosexuality in society" is performed at Café Voltaire, 3231 N. Clark St.

+++

Oak Park Gay and Lesbian Association and Left Bank Culture Club present their 3rd annual Gay Cabaret at 178 Forest Avenue in Oak Park. Performers include: Gayle Weiss, Windy City Spurs, Laurie Benz, John Connors, Amy Eaton, Jerry Donovan, and Ed Hoffman.

+++

Article in Gay Chicago reads:

"The Chicago Council of Clubs will present a renaissance-type faire from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 31 at the Chicago Eagle, 5015 N. Clark. Among the activities will be local vendors displaying their wares, games with prizes for the winners of each round, food, raffles every hour with a grand prize of an International Mr. Leather weekend package, demos (in the Pit) on subjects such as plaster mummification, play piercing, fire play and electricity, and 'try it' booths featuring various subjects for those who want to experiment. The cost is $1 at the door and everyone must sign a liability form."

+++

A Gerber/Hart Library sponsored Panel Discussion "Transcending Silence: The Life & Poetic Legacy of Audre Lorde" takes place at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus' A. Montgomery Ward Gallery, 750 S. Halsted.

Homework

Is the Lesbian Book Discussion group still going?

Anyone ever go to River's Edge?

What's Howard Cruse up to these days?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

On the scene in Chicago Gay Life March 19, 1976

St. Leonard Matlovich and Michael Bergeron in Chicago Gay Life March 19, 1976

Michael A. Williams and Rick Karlin take photos for Gay Chicago April 8, 1993

Cathy Seabaugh photographs Bailiwick's "Sense and sensuality" benefit for Nightlines July 3, 1993

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.