Aug 20-26, 2015

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

1979

In the bars and clubs this week Starkissed A Tuna Band is performing at His 'n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; Toni, Lana, Jillski and the Bearded Lady perform at the Ranch Disco, 112-114 W. Hubbard; Carolyn Ford entertains at Alfie's, 900 N. Rush St; Mary Lynn Morrison and Bill Muzzillo perform at the Virgo Birthday Party at the Virgo Out, 2546 N. Clark St.; and it's the 3rd anniversary celebration at the Warehouse with a special guest appearance by Loleatta Holloway and music by Frankie Knuckles at 206 S. Jefferson.

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IMAGE: Ru Paul Look-a-Like contest at Foxy's – Gay Chicago August 5, 1993

The New Disco Allstars present Chicago's Disco Fest '79 at the Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave.

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In Richard Cooke's Discovery column in Gay Chicago:

"She's back! Recording artist Loleatta Holloway, whose performance at Chuck Renslow's White Party last year left us speechless. Miss Holloway has been snatched up by DJ Frankie Knuckles of the Warehouse for a surprise visit. Loleatta will top off their big anniversary celebration which begins at Midnight, Saturday, August 25th. The Warehouse is a very popular after hours New York type disco that's located at 206 S. Jefferson.

"These summer months have seen it grow steadily in popularity to the point where they've opened their doors on Friday night also. Miss Holloway will sing many of her favorites including "Hit and Run" and her latest release "That's What You Said" and "The Greatest Performance of My Life" on Salsoul Records. Tickets for this event will be gone fast, so be quick and be early.

"Loleata Holloway is a lightning rod of energy. Here's your chance to see what a smokin' disco is all about."

1999

Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Larry McKeon, in his campaign for re-election to a third term as State Representative (34thDistrict) will kick off his petition drive to get on the ballot for the March 21 Democratic primary. More than 2,500 valid signatures of registered voters in the 34th District will be collected between Sept. 16 and Nov. 31.

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IMAGE: New Wave at Berlin – Gay Chicago August 5, 1993

Fash Bash a World of Fashion & Adventure is at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., and his hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

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BEHIV "Healthier Men 2000 Discussion group" for African-American men takes place at 1648 W. Howard.

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The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Veteran's of America host a picnic in Busse Woods.

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The Rainbow Connection Book Club discuss "Out for Good" by Dudley Clendinen and Adam Nagourney, a history of gay politics in America, at Border Books in Wheaton, 101 Rice Lake Square Shopping Center.

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IMAGE: View Our Box at Glee Club – Gay Chicago August 5, 1993

Quoted in Outlines:

"Not one of the 26 new [TV] series scheduled by Fox, NBC, CBS, and ABC has even one black lead or major supporting player. ...But when you count both new and returning series, there will be 17 gay leads or major cast members in those four major networks. In fact, there are more gay characters featured in the new fall season than all other minorities combined." – Brian Lambert, media critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

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In her Lesbian Notions column in Gay Chicago, Paula Martinac writes:

"Last month, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith forbade a priest and nun in Maryland from continuing their longstanding ministry to lesbian and gay Catholics–a rebuke just short of excommunication. The gay community reacted with anger and shock that the CDF would use loaded words like 'intrinsic evil' to describe homosexuality.

"So much gay organizing has focused on staving off attacks from the Christian right that we forget the Southern Baptists don't have a monopoly on evangelical homophobia. The Vatican' move makes it clear that gay activists need to be more proactive in their approach to other conservative denominations like the Roman Catholic Church, whose teachings on the 'immorality' of homosexual 'acts' hinder the progress of the lesbian and gay movement."

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Illinois Gay Rodeo's 1999 Windy City Rodeo is held at Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake thru August 30th to benefit AIDSCare, Chicago House, the Children's Place Association, Direct AID, LCCP and Windy City PAWS.

2012

Oeishik Moitra-Goel Chowdhury releases his first collection of prose, poetry and photography–"Tribute to Sam Steward"– at Jackhammer, 6406 N. Clark St.

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IMAGE: Eagle Leathers – Nightspots May 14, 2003

Article by Kate Sosin in Windy City Times begins:

"A young person found deceased in an abandoned building on Chicago's West Side has been identified by community members as a gender-variant young person.

"Donta Gooden, who also went by 'Tiffany,' 19, was found murdered the night of Aug. 14, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Gooden suffered multiple stab wounds and incised wounds. The death has been ruled a homicide."

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Article in Windy City Times reads:

"At Northalsted Market Days, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC) invited festivalgoers to participate in mock same-sex marriages overseen by politicians including state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D- Chicago.

"Dozens of couples took part in these 'ceremonies,' held publicly at the LAGBAC booth, in support of equal marriage rights."

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Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus' 8th Annual LoveFest takes place at Jackson Park, East 63rd Street and Hayes Drive. LoveFest has multiple activities, like yoga, volleyball and flag football plus medical screenings. Crystal Waters performs.

Homework

Who remembers the Warehouse?

Is the Rainbow Connection Book Club still around?

What are Mary Lynn Morrison and Bill Muzzillo up to these days?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Frank Failing took these images of TPAN benefit for Gay Chicago May 5, 2005

Jack Sitar photographs A Night of Chicago Stars at the Park West for Gay Chicago July 25, 1985

St. Sukie de la Croix photographs at Berlin in Nightlines July 18, 2001

St. Sukie de la Croix photographs for Nightlines July 25, 2001

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.