December 24-December 30, 2015

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

1985

Music Playlist courtesy of Roger Wolf at Club Normandy: 1) "No Frills Love" – Jennifer Holiday; 2) "High Above the Clouds" – Narada Michael Walden; 3) "Who's Zoomin' Who" – Aretha Franklin; 4) "Baby Talk" – Alisha; 5) "Danceappela" – Grant; 6) "Dance Crazy" – Chi-Am: 7) "Eaten Alive" – Diana Ross; 8) "Let Me Be the One" – Five Star; 9) "Feel the Spin" – Debbie Harry, and; 10) "The Truth" – T.M.F.

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IMAGE: Cupid's ­ Nightspots December 19, 2007

An article in Gay Life begins:

"The first Chicago House residence for homeless persons with AIDS will open on February 1, 1986. The first permanent residence organized in Chicago for PWA's, Chicago House has been in the works now for several months.

"Fundraising efforts have netted Chicago House and Social Service Agency a nest egg of over $89,000 toward a goal of $200,000 and the Agency expects to receive further financial support from the city in the form of a block grant. If city funding comes through a second residence will be opened within the year."

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An Editorial in Windy City Times reads:

"It was the year after Big Brother was set to take hold, and the year after Ronald Reagan was re-elected President of the United States. For many, it was a year of struggle, while others enjoyed increased freedom in being gay or lesbian.

"In some ways it was three steps forward, with one giant step back as AIDS headlines reported hysteria around AIDS in the classroom, at work, or at the bars. As a community of men and women from all nationalities, all social classes, and all religious backgrounds, we were further forced to internally examine who we are in the face of AIDS.

"Chicago gays and lesbians showed this year that their collective head was not buried in the sand when it came to AIDS. Especially during the latter part of the year, there was a flurry of fundraisers to combat the spread and effect of AIDS. We can be proud in the formation of several new organizations, and the strengthening of others, surrounding AIDS.

"This year will soon be 1986, coming on 20 years after the 1969 Stonewall Riots. As individual pride mounts, our collective pride strengthens. There were several court setbacks this year, and many legislative defeats. And most of all, there was AIDS making many gay men feel as if they were part of a firing line, wondering where the next bullet will go. In the Chicago City Council, politics was still politics and gay rights legislation was shelved once again.

"But in all, as shown in the gay and lesbian pride parade and in support for AIDS projects, the Chicago community seems headed for a solid future.

"Windy City Times, now with 14 issues behind us, hopes in the new year to become an even more integral part of the community. We want to cover the news as it effects gays and lesbians in all aspects of our lives, and in all areas of our community. After three months getting on our feet (and sometimes falling), we feel our own sense of pride in being able to offer an alternative gay and lesbian publication which can reflect our entire community."

1996

In Tracy Baim's Off the Cuffs in Nightlines:

"Catherine Deneuve's highly anticipated role as a bisexual in 'Les Voleurs (Thieves)' opens at the Music Box Dec. 25. The film, by gay filmmaker Andre Techine (Wild Reeds) has gotten raves at festivals ...Scott McPherson's 'Marvin's Room" opens Dec. 25 Starring Meryl Streep, Dianne Keaton and Leonardo DiCaprio, the film received a thumbs up from Variety ...A Melissa Etheridge biography will be published by ECW Press in January 1997. The book is by Joyce Luck, who interviewed several of Melissa's childhood friends. Her two best friends from college, and folks who knew her when she was playing the women's bars in southern California. The biography will also feature 20-25 black and white photos and a 16-page color section of photos."

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IMAGE: Chicago Meatpackers – Gay Chicago November 11, 1993

Lola Lushous presents "The Bitch is Back! Return of Bette Davis" at the Halsted Street Café, 3641 N. Halsted.

2002

In the bars and clubs this week, Chicago Water Buddies hold a party at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St.; Sassy Trade's Birthday Bash is at the Edge, 13126 Western Ave., Blue Island; Where will you be in 2003? Exotic travel prizes galore! at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted; the outrageous Khris Francis performs at Gentry on Halsted, 3320 N. Halsted; celebrate New Year's Eve at Buck's Saloon, 3439 N. Halsted, with David's famous eggnog!; the World Famous Kit Kat Lounge, 3700 N. Halsted St., presents "Faces of Hollywood" to bring in the new year; VJ Dan and DJ Duane Thamm entertain at the New Year's Eve Party at Hunters, 1932 E. Higgins Road, Elk Grove Village; and the Kimi Hayes Band performs at Temptations, 10235 W. Grand, Franklin Park.

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IMAGE: Star Gaze ­– Nightspots October 4, 2000

You can see and hear "Naked Boys Singing" at the Bailiwick Theatre, 1229 W. Belmont.

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Cum to Man's Country for the New Year's Eve party and see Falcon Studios Exclusive Matt Rush on stage with Sarabia and the SEXational StripperBOYZ

Homework

Who was Roger Wolf at Club Normandy?

What's Sarabia up to these days?

Where is Khris Francis?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Anthony Meade and Kirk Williamson photograph Hydrate and @mosphere for Nightspots April 14, 2010

Kat Fitzgerald and Kirk's photographs in Nightspots December 5, 2007

Bill and Kirk photographs for Nightspots December 19, 2007

Women take part in Vagina Monologues at the Center on Halsted. These are in Windy City Times April 2, 2008

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.