June 18-24, 2015

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

1980

At the clubs and bars, O'Banion's, 661 N. Clark St., is now open at 7 a.m.; Alfie's, 900 N. Rush St., is offering all drinks at 75c 7 days a week, all day, all night; blues legend Alberta Hunter performs at George's 230 W. Kinzie; "Drugs for Drags," featuring Harriet and the Hair Lips starring Cotton Candy and special guest star Diana Hutton, takes place at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells St.; and the Glory Hole, 1343 N. Wells St., hold its "Mr. Glory Hole Contest 1980 with a 1st prize of $100.

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A Gay Horizons orientation session for prospective volunteers takes place at the Gay Horizons Center, 3225 N. Sheffield.

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The five finalists for the Gay Chicago Magazine's 1980 Awards:

Male Personality:

Steve Allman

Ed Gilhouly

Michael "K" Kucharski

Bill Maggio

Tyrone Sinclair

Entertainer:

Larry "Chicago Molly" Berlandi

Ginni Clemens

Joanna Caron

Ken "Diana Hutton" Friedman

Chili Pepper

Organizer:

David Boyer (Coalition & IGRTF)

William Kelley-Martha Court (IGRTF)

Jim Flint (Metamorphosis)

Max Smith (NCBG)

Sam Molinaro (Gay Athletic Association)

Employee:

Albert Albert (Bushes)

Ida Guevarra (Carol's Speakeasy)

Phil Hoffman (Cheeks)

Lemmy Olsen (Bistro)

Cesar Vera (Loading Zone)

Female Personality:

Delilah Kenney

Kathy Nelson

Nancy Reiff

Mary Ann Rempas

Dago Rose

Disc Jockey:

Hub Belcher

Lou DiVito

Peter Lewicki

Frank Lipomi

Michael Triner.

Organization:

Gay Horizons

Illinois Gay Rights Task Force

Good Shepherd/MCC

National Coalition of Black Gays

Tavern Guild

Manager:

Ted Hoerl (His n Hers)

Bill Mosier (Little Jim's)

Steve Nehr (Loading Zone)

Phil Spence (Gold Coast)

Ron Veltman (Bistro)

Owner of the Year:

Paul Beasley-Mike Shimandle (Bushes)

Rail Esparza (Charlie's Angels)

Dan Reilly (Alfie's)

Steve Rempas (Loading Zone)

Marge Summit (His n Hers)

1989

Gays Unidos discuss "Eroticizing Safe Sex" with facilitator Linda Boyd at Logan Square YMCA, 3600 W. Fullerton.

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IMAGE: The Machine Shop – Chicago Gay Life March 19, 1976

"What's So Big About AIDS?" is a new play from the AIDS Educational Theatre, a troupe dedicated to making learning about safer-sex pleasant and fun. This week it's performed at Ann Sather, 929 W. Belmont.

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The Editorial in Windy City Times begins:

"For the twentieth time, lesbians and gay men will march this Sunday through cities across America. In taking to the streets we will commemorate the Stonewall uprising–that moment when, in response to a routine raid on a Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, modern American gay men and lesbians finally drew themselves up and fought back.

"Drawing themselves up–that was the hard part. Once the riot had begun, adrenaline fueled their courage. But to begin the riot, they had to shake off the weight of culture and tradition and their own self doubt. And it is that which we commemorate–and celebrate–on Pride Day, the drawing themselves up, the hard part."

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IMAGE: Deeks – Gay Chicago June 14, 1993

The movie "Before Stonewall" is shown at the Rodde Center, 3225 N. Sheffield.

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In the Obituary column in Gay Chicago:

"Ray Kukla, a Chicago native, and editor of Etcetera magazine in Atlanta, died June 11 of complications due to AIDS.

"Under Ray's leadership, Etcetera became one of the first gay/lesbian bar-guide sized publications in the country to produce local, by-lined hard news stories and include summaries of gay news from around the country."

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A Lesbian Pride Dance sponsored by Kinheart Women's Center and Chicago Outlines magazine, with '50s music from DJ Dyke Clark, takes place at the United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse.

1996

On the cover of Nightlines:

"'Martin & John,' Stratford-on-Guy Productions presents this gay production at Live Bait Theatre, through July 23. Sean O'Neil stars as John, and he adapted David Peck's novel for the stage.

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IMAGE: Gay Chicago Cover – Gay Chicago May 10, 1984

In Tracy Baim's Off the Cuffs column in Nightlines:

"Candace Gingrich will be in Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade and speak at the rally after."

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Chandler Burr discusses his new book "A Separate Creation: The Search for the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation" at 1701 Sherman Ave., Evanston.

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Article in Gay Chicago reads:

"GLSTN teachers will march in the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade for the second year. Last year marked the first time an openly gay and lesbian contingent of teachers marched in Chicago's Pride Parade. There will be a parade prep party at noon onSaturday, June 29. Everyone is invited to march with GLSTN and can join them at the Dunkin Donuts shop at Clark and Belmont from noon to 1:30 p.m."

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IMAGE: Animals II at Fusion – Gay Chicago March 27, 1997

Blacklines Pride Month Poetry Reading & Contest takes place at ICON, 710 N. Clark St. There's a special reading of the words of the late Black gay writer Melvin Dixon by Chicago actor Byron Stewart.

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Lesbian and Gay Havurah of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston Sabbath worship for L/G Jews and their families, vegetarian/dairy potluck.

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There's an Illinois Gay Rodeo Association Hoe-Down at St. Peter's Gym, 621 W. Belmont.

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"Who's That Girl?" is an evening of dynamic performances by Chicago's most talented female impersonators to benefit Open Hand. It takes place at Park West, 322 W. Armitage.

Homework

Is Who's That Girl? still going?

What happened to Candace Gingrich?

Is Cesar Vera still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Gregg Shapiro photographs Jinx Titanic and Faker at Cell Block for Chicago Free Press March 2, 2005

Spike King photographs the Mr. Gay Chicago contest for the June 27, 1991 issue

Terry Gaskins photographs the boys at Cell Block and Charlie's for Gay Chicago March 14, 1996

Kirk Williamson and graysong photograph Clarks on Clark and Touche for Nightspots December 8, 2004

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.