Sept 24-30, 2015

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

1985

The first issue of Windy City Times appeared. On the front page Tracy Baim writes, "Mayor's committee named: Gay and Lesbian activists chosen":

"The appointments to the 15-person Mayor's Committee on Gay Lesbian issues were announced Monday late afternoon by Mayor Harold Washington's liaison to the gay and lesbian community, Kit Duffy.

"In addition to the 15 slots there will be a symbolic position for closeted gays and lesbians. One of the 15 positions will be a 'job share' between Women and Children First Bookstore owners Linda Bubon and Ann Christophersen.

"The 16 people slated include eight women and eight men. Three blacks and one Hispanic were selected."

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IMAGE: Alfie's – Gay Chicago September 27, 1979

Music Playlist courtesy of Mark Hultmark of Carol's Speakeasy: 1) "Dress You Up" – Madonna; 2) "Dare Me" – Pointer Sisters; 3) "Trapped" – Colonel Adams; 4) "Dancing in the Key of Life" – Steve Arrington; 5) "Don't Leave Me This Way" – Jeanie Tracy; 6) "Some People" – Belouis Some; 7) "Walk Away" – Zino/Jayne Edwards; 8) "Fall Down" – Trimaine; 9) "The Great Divide" – Portion Control; 10) "You and Me" – Flirts.

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Personal ad in this week's Gay Chicago:

"SEEK RED-HAIRED ADONIS With green shirt I saw at Broadway and Aldine 9/17 at about 1 p.m. I am small guy, dark mustache, 'Mr. Bubble' T-shirt, shorts. You are gorgeous! Would love to meet. From Milwaukee, Tom."

1997

In the bars and clubs, it's Leather United Club Night "Fall Colors, Shady Asses" at the Eagle, 5015 N. Clark St.; Samba Bamba! perform every Thursday at the Rhumba Room, 3631 N. Halsted St.; there's a Lights Out Party at Manhole, 3458 N. Halsted; Darryl Pandy performs his new single "Do You Want My Love" at Glee Club, 1543 N Kingsbury; and the Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues host the fifth annual Hall of Fame Celebrity Auction at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted.

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IMAGE: Old Town Books & Video – Gay Chicago May 17, 1984

A Must See Musical on Ice. "Midnight Express," music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, is at the Rosemont Horizon.

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Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Actor Robert Downey Jr., at the Three Arts Club, which raised nearly $10,000 ...The auction included many items from the showrooms at the Merchandise Mart and autographed celebrity items from Elizabeth Taylor, Elton John, R.E.M., Rosie O'Donnell and many others. Downey auctioned off an autographed event poster which he personalized for the highest bidder. Two hundred people enjoyed a Taste of Spain, featuring tapas from Chicago's finest restaurants and caterers, as well as Spanish music and dance. A total of $30,000 was raised from Dia En Espana, AIDSCare's most successful event in its five-year history."

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IMAGE: Some things are better not shared –Gay Chicago September 13, 1984

Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Horizons has appointed Paul Fairchild as director of development. With a background in journalism, public relations and professional image consultation, Fairchild brings the financial development skills to lead Horizons in the year of preparing for a possible capital campaign."

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Morrissey performs at the Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre.

2014

Article in Windy City Times begins:

"Lee Reinhart has succeeded Jim Darby, founder and longtime president of the Chicago chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights (the GLBT veterans group).

"During his early military career, Reinhart had served honorably in the Navy only to be discharged from the Coast Guard under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' He became one of the first Illinois veterans discharged under the policy to reenlist after it was repealed, reenlisting in the Navy in Chicago on Oct. 24, 2011. On March 13, 2014, he returned from a one-year tour in Afghanistan. While there, he spearheaded the first ever gay-pride event on Kandahar Air Force Base."

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IMAGE: Mountain Moving Coffeehouse – Outlines October 1988

In this week's Windy City Times:

"Trans Youth Resources and advocacy youth Drop-In Center every Wednesday, safe, confidential place for transgender people between the ages of 14 to 24. Meet other youth who also identify as transgender, or are questioning their gender identity. Free food, snacks and refreshments, music, peer support, adult supervision, referrals and education. 5:00pm - 7:00pm Broadway Youth Center, 615 W Wellington Ave.,"

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Bisexual singer/songwriter, Crystal Bowersox, a former "American Idol" star, performs at City Winery Chicago, 1200 W Randolph St.

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The world tour of the "David Bowie Is" exhibition is at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), 220 East Chicago. It includes 300 objects, including handwritten lyrics, original costumes, photography, set designs, album artwork, and rare performance material from the past five decades.

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The Chicago Cabaret Project, along with Amy Armstrong and Freddy Allen, present the final installment of The Divine Decadence Cabaret Series at Circuit, 3641 N. Halsted St. The evening begins with the Dynamic Duo of Amy and Freddy in a tribute to Annie Lennox, followed by an Intimate Evening with Coco Peru.

Homework

Who went to the "David Bowie Is" exhibition?

Whatever happened to Samba Bamba?

Is the Glee Club still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Terry Gaskins takes pictures at the Black and Blue Ball at the Eagle for Gay Chicago June 4, 1998

Bill Stamens take photos of the two musical plays "The Wizard of A.I.D.S" and "What's So Big About AIDS?" for Windy City Times October 5, 1989

Genyphur Novak photographs ACT UP protestors for Windy City Times October 18 1990

Charles Eshelman photographs author Gera-Lind Kolarik, with Carrie Barnett and Brett Shingledecker, owners of People Like Us Bookstore, for Windy City Times October 18 1990

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.