Sept 10-Sept 16, 2015)

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

1977

Article in Gay Life begins:

"A spokesperson for the Chicago Board of Education has stated that homosexual teachers in Chicago and the State of Illinois do not have to fear for their jobs. According to Thomas A. Maloney, director of information for the board of teacher's lifestyle is considered irrelevant unless the teacher tries to 'impress his lifestyle on the kids themselves.' Maloney emphasized that the policy 'applies to heterosexual lifestyles too.'

"According to the National Gay Task Force, since Illinois has no laws against homosexual activity by consenting adults in private, a teacher cannot be fired just because he is gay."

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IMAGE: Mr. Windy City 1985 – Gay Chicago July 11, 1985

Article by Tom Peters in Gay Life begins:

"A boycott of Florida citrus products, specifically Tropicana and Minute Maid brands, was endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Metropolitan Chicago at itsTuesday, September 13, meeting. That boycott demands that the Florida Citrus Commission make a public statement expressing opposition to discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. It also demands that the commission further state it intends to make such opposition to sexual orientation discrimination its permanent policy.

"The Coalition's boycott committee was also empowered to contact other boycott committees (and potential committees) in order to set up a national boycott coordination system and center here in Chicago. Yet the entire Coalition, assembled in St. James (Episcopal) Cathedral's Burrill Hall, killed a section of the proposal which would have demanded that the Florida Citrus Commission remove Anita Bryant as its public spokesman."

1990

Kelly Harmon begins a front-page article in Windy City Times:

"An exceptionally large crowd of more than 500 people turned out for the September 7 opening of an exhibition sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Union at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

"'Personal/Political: sexuality self-defined' feature the work of more than 30 artists exploring the diversity of human sexual expression in a wide range of media. 'In the face of increasing government and cultural oppression against the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and artists, we have established this exhibition to engage in the dialogue on the issues of censorship and the expression of sexuality in art,' says a GLU statement."

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IMAGE: Chicago Gay Men's Chorus – Gay Chicago June 14, 1993

Article in Windy City Times reads:

"On Sunday, September 16, the NAMES Project/Chicago will present a benefit showing of 'Common Threads: Stories From the Quilt' at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport, at 1"30 p.m. There is no charge for admission, although a $5 donation is requested. This documentary introduces five individuals who have died of AIDS, from an eleven year old suburban boy to a gay Olympic athlete. Their lives before and after AIDS are recreated using home movies, photos, and the recollections of friends, lovers and families. 'Common Threads' has won an Oscar for best documentary, as well as the George Foster Peabody Award, a prestigious broadcast industry award, and is now available on videocassette."

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Aqua Fags and Aqua Dykes meets at Gill Park Pool, 835 W. Sheridan.

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Chi-Town Squares, the gay and lesbian square-dancing group, meets at Clarendon Park, 4501 N. Clarendon, for introductory classes.

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Frontrunners, Chicago's lesbian and gay running and walking club, meets everySaturday at 10 a.m. Meet at the totem pole at Addison and Lake Shore Drive.

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Tricia Alexander, Chicago's own 'jazzbird' returns to perform at the Mountain Moving Coffeehouse, 1545 W. Morse, for the twelfth year running.

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AGLO, the arch-diocese sponsored mass for gay/lesbian Catholics and friends takes place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 690 W. Belmont.

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Top Ten Playlist courtesy of DJ Val Schinpfulg from Paris Dance: 1) Found Love" – Double Dee; 2) "Everybody, Everybody" – Blackbox; 3) "What is Life/Groove is in the Heart" – Deee-lite; 4) "Dirty Cash" – Steve V.; 5) "The Roof is On Fire (Remix)" – West Bam; 6) "Lift the Nation" –How II House; 7) "F 16 Magorpidim" – New Scene-Out of Control II; 8) "Don't Go Away" – Boneshakers; 9) "Wiggle It." – 2 in a Room; 10) "Let's Get Busy" – Clubland featuring Quartz.

2007

The Association of Latino Men for Action holds a kick-off party at the Center on Halsted, for its October "Runway ALMA" fashion show and party.

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Filmmaking Narrative Shorts classes, instructed by Karla DiBenedetto begin at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted.

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IMAGE: Zo-Ran – Gay Chicago May 22, 1986

In the bars and clubs, Wednesdays at Victor Hotel, 311 N. Sangamon, means music by DJs Dhanna and Pete Augusta. Hosted by Danielle Bumpsey and C. T. Couture; every Saturday there are male dancers at @mosphere, 5355 N. Clark St.; there's a Goose Island Harvest Ale release party at Crew, 4804 N. Broadway; there are Bears in the Bar at the Eagle, 5015 N. Clark St.; and DJ Paulo will keep your body moving with his unique tribal-infused music at Hydrate, 3458 N. Halsted.

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The 7th Annual AIDS Run & Walk Chicago begins at 9:55 a.m. (run) and 10 a.m.(walk) at Columbus and Balbo in Grant Park. The AIDS Foundation of Chicago also holds a rally supporting housing for Chicagoans with HIV/AIDS at 9: 40 a.m.

Homework

Did anyone go to the dances at the Victor Hotel?

Are Aqua Fags and Aqua Dykes still around?

What happened to NAMES Project/Chicago?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Frank Failing at Male Image Photography took these at the Chicago House Spring Brunch for Chicago Free Press July 9 2008

Christopher Stryker photographed three Mr. contests for Windy City Times July 28 1988

Genyphur Novak photograph in Windy City Times July 4 1991

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.