November 5-11, 2015

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

1977

The Rogers Park Gay Community Center moves to larger quarters at 6958 N. Glenwood. Joe Tully, the chair of the Center's steering committee, says: " ...The front room at the new location will function as house staff offices and two additional rooms will be used for meetings and social gatherings." He adds that a fourth room will house the center's growing library.

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IMAGE: TJ's – Gay Chicago October 15, 1987

The Stonewall Memorial Bookshop, the only non-erotic gay bookshop in Chicago, is located at the Knight Out gay bar, 2936 N. Clark.

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An article in Gay Life begins:

"Another statewide gay rights conference is being held on Saturday, November 5, at Illinois State University at Normal. The meeting will begin in Room 401, Stevenson Hall on the ISU campus at 10 a.m.

"At the conference gay men and lesbians from all over the state will meet to discuss strategy for passing the two gay rights bills which are still alive in the legislature. Hearings will be held on these two measures in the spring and this meeting will plan how to create a favorable climate for their passage. Among the topics to be discussed will be how to obtain support from the various media and from local chapters of national organizations."

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IMAGE: Carol's Speakeasy – Gay Chicago September 30, 1987

The Shepherd Players of Good Shepherd Parish MCC present the comedy "The Curious Savage" at 615 W. Wellington.

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Lesbian feminist singers Meg Christian and Teresa Trull entertain in Chicago under the sponsorship of Women in Music/Chicago. They appear in concert at United Methodist Church, 3344 N. Broadway.

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The 4th annual Lesbian Writers Conference is this weekend at the Blue Gargoyle, 5655 S. University.

1990

In the bars and clubs, Big Red's, 3729 N. Halsted, present the Annual Pie Toss MC'd by Chicago Molly. Proceeds go to Chicago House and Direct Aid; the Dating Game for men and women is at Roscoe's, 3354-56 N. Halsted; Vote! Bring your ballot stub for a free drink at the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 3169 N. Halsted; it's Hank & TJ's 7th anniversary party at AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln Ave.; Pamela Stanley, 1984 Grammy Nominee for "Best Song" sings "Coming Out of Hiding" at Vortex, 3641 N. Halsted.

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IMAGE: Voltaire – Gay Chicago October 12, 2000

In her Gay Chicago column, On the Music Scene, Valerie Scheinpflug writes:

"Wow-wee, how about that exciting Deee-Lite give-away party at Cairo a few Sundays ago? The place was packed and everyone had an extra special time. Watch for a similar party in November.

"Speaking of parties, the parties at Paris Dance every other Thursday have been the place to be."

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Music Playlist courtesy of DJ Gil Burns at Cairo and Smart Bar: 1) "Sin" – Nine Inch Nails; 2) "The Only One I Know" – Charlatans; 3) "Never Enough" – Cure; 4) "In and Out" – Moev; 5) "Cubic" – 808 State; 6) "Hey Venus" – That Petrol Emotion; 7) "Stop/Been Caught Stealing" – Jane's Addiction; 8) "Cuz It's Hot/Daisy Chain for Satan" – Thrill Kill Kult; 9) "Groovy Train" – The Farm; 10) "Nothing" – Frazier.

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Claudia Allen's play "Movie Queens" is playing at the Footsteps Theatre, 6968 N. Clark St.

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The 10th Annual Chicago Lesbian and Gay Film Festival begins at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. The Rodde Center Program of films, "Minority: Racism in the Gay Community, Homophobia in Minority Communities" includes Marlon Brigg's video, "Affirmations, as well as "Merida Proscita" (about gender roles and class difference in a Latino gay relationship); "Honored by the Moon," which offers a Native American perspective; and Asian Positive", about being Asian, gay and HIV Positive. A discussion of the issues raised in the tapes will follow their screening.

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Lea Delaria is starring in Lesbo-A-Gogo, a multi-media dyke extravaganza, at Cairo, 720 N. Wells.

2010

An article by Yasmin Nair on the cover of Windy City Times begins:

"Two principal members of the 36-year-old Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) announced Nov. 4 that the community healthcare provider needs to raise $500,000 over 50 days and an additional $500,000 next year or risk closing its doors.

"CEO Jamal Edwards and Board Chair Mark Andrews announced that the Center is also determined to chart a new way forward. In order to do so, HBHC asked the community to participate in a "Lifeline Appeal" by providing direct donations. In addition, the Center is taking steps like the selling of assets, to bring in more money.

"HBHC's troubles began in early 2010, when the center announced the ouster of its CEO Michael Cook and CFO Mark Joslyn due to mismanagement of funds. Jamal Edwards, formerly a partner in the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis, took over the job of CEO in April. Edwards has been overseeing a detailed analysis and estimate of the mismanagement in question. As both he and Andrews emphasized, the truth was irrefutable and HBHC was left badly in the hole. The mismanagement amounted to $3 million over the course of three years prior to the end of 2009."

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IMAGE: Closet – Nightspots October 4, 2000

Article by Kate Sosin in Windy City Times begins:

"Quinn Collins, the transgender man who inspired Chicago's first PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) support group for parents of transgender kids, was buried last weekend by a family that set a community example by supporting him unequivocally through transition. Collins was killed in early hours of Nov. 1 in New Buffalo, Mich., when his stopped 2007 Honda Accord was rear-ended on I-94. He was 38."

Homework

Is Cairo closed?

Does anyone have info on the Stonewall Memorial Bookshop?

Whatever happened to Chicago Molly?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Dave Ouano photographs Xaavier Temple at the Glee Club for Windy City Times October 24, 1996

Brian McGee photographs for Blacklines March 1999

Craig Gernhardt photographs Men in Skirts at Berlin for Gay Chicago September 19, 1985

Tracy Baim photographs the Gay Vets for Nightlines November 17, 1999

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.