January 7-January 13, 2016

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

1983

Top 25 in Larry Brewer's Dance News page in Gay Chicago: 1) "Work Me Over" – Claudja Barry; 2) "It's Raining Men" – Weather Girls; 3) "She Has a Way" – Bobby O; 4) "Mickey" – Tony Basil; 5) "All I Need (All Cuts)" – Sylvester; 6) "Mind Warp (All Cuts)" – Patrick Cowley; 7) "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" – In Deep; 8) "In the Name of Love" – Sharon Redd; 9) "Look of Love (Dub)" – ABC; 10) "I'm So Excited" – Pointer Sisters; 11) "Straight Ahead" – Nick Straker Band; 12) "Man Parrish (All Cuts)" – Man Parrish; 13) "Keep the Fire Burnin'" – Gwen McRae; 14) "1999 (All Cuts)" – Prince; 15) "In My Arms Again" – Cynthia Manley; 18) "Walk Away" – Bonnie Foreman; 19) "That Special Magic" – BB Band; 20) "Shoot Your Shot/Jungle Jezebel" – Divine; 21) "10c a Dance (All Cuts)" – Flirts; 22) "Plastic Doll (Instrumental)" – Dharma; 23) "Die Hard Lover" – Loverde; 24) "You're Not So Hot" – Carol Douglas; 25) "I'm Not In Love" – Scherrie Payne.

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IMAGE: Max Angst cartoon – Gay Life January 13, 1983

An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Howard Brown Memorial Clinic has been awarded a grant of $25,000 from the federal government's Centers for Disease Control to conduct a follow-up study of all individuals who participated in the Hepatitis B Vaccine trial which concluded earlier this year.

"Purpose of the study is to determine how long vaccine-induced immunity to hepatitis B lasts."

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Article in Street Talk in this week's Gay Life:

"A new singing group, the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, had its first meeting Jan. 9 at the Broadway United Methodist Church, which will be the group's rehearsal spot. A release from the group, the brainstorm of Nick Kelly, Kip Snyder, Randy Franks and Phil Stewart, says the chorus 'promises to be entertaining, relevant, flashy, au courant, theatrical, slightly crazed, and maybe even serious. It will not be simply 'another Windy City Gay Chorus,' says Kelly, and rehearsals will be planned to avoid conflict with WCGC rehearsals. The group's next meeting is Jan. 16."

1990

In the bars and clubs, every Friday and Saturday, Julie Ponce performs at Hev'in, 54 E. Walton; the 9th Annual Midwest Mr. Union Suit Contest takes place at Touche, 2825 N. Lincoln Ave.; there's a Full Moon Party at Roscoe's, 3354-6, N. Halsted; there's a Black and Blue Party at the newly-opened AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln; and it's Leather Night Studs 'n' Suds at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells St.

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IMAGE: Ginni Clemens at Opal Station – Gay Chicago December 26, 1985

Article in Gay Chicago reads:

"TEAM CHICAGO – Gary Chichester has been named Chairperson of the Community/Cultural Committee of Team Chicago Arts and Athletics, the local organization responsible for recruiting and registering participants for the 1990 Gay Games scheduled Aug. 4-11, in Vancouver, B.C."

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Article by Paul Varnell in Windy City Times begins:

"A report in preparation by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta has reduced the number of projected AIDS cases for the next three years to some 10-to-15 percent less than previous projections.

"The new study, still in preparation, is expected to estimate that between 179,000 and 208,000 new cases will be diagnosed during the years 1990-92, according to a report published in the New York Times."

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IMAGE: Cheap Ass Berlin – Nightspots January 12, 2007

A workshop for "Lesbian Daughters and Their Mothers" is held at Kinheart, 2214 N. Ridge.

2004

Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Chicago Games Inc., announced that it will bid to host Gay Games VII in 2006. A quadrennial athletic and cultural event that brings together people from all over the world, the Gay Games were founded in 1982 on the principles of Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best. The event is coveted by cities around the globe because of the opportunity to showcase the city to GLBT tourists worldwide, infuse the local economy with millions of dollars and strengthen the local GLBT community's capacity and visibility.

"Approximately 11,000 athletic and cultural competitors participated in the most recent Gay Games held in Sydney, Australia, in November of 2002. Chicago and Los Angeles met the December 31, 2003 deadline to declare intent to bid to the Federation of Gay Games (FGG), the organizing body of the Gay Games. Bid documents are due February 1, 2004, with the decision expected by early March, 2004."

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IMAGE: Circuit – Nightspots December 12, 2007

In Billy Masters' Filth column in Gay Chicago:

"Ryan Seacrest vs. Kathy Griffin – Ryan thought it would be cute to rip open Kathy's top at the American Music Awards and show her tits. Kathy was shocked but regained her composure quick enough to say, "That's the first time Ryan's touched a woman," After the fact, Kathy says Ryan offered to pay for her top. I'm sure he's used to paying for a top or two."

Homework

Is Kinheart still around?

Who remembers Hev'in?

Anybody sing in the first incarnation of Chicago Gay Men's Chorus?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Spike King's Kings Corner in Gay Chicago December 14, 1989

Dave Ouano takes pictures at Cocktail for Windy City Times December 8, 2010

Anthony Meade's photographs in Windy City Times December 11, 2013

Illinois Gay and Lesbian Task Force celebrates 16th anniversary in Windy City Times November 29, 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.