January 28-February 3, 2016

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

1986

In the Obituary column in Windy City Times:

"James Geoffrey Dawson, known by many Chicagoans as the leader singer of the rock band "brother," and former lead singer with the Good Shepherd Parish Contemporary Gospel Singers, died Wednesday Jan. 15 of complications from AIDS.

"Jim had performed at the last four Gay and Lesbian Pride Rallies, in addition to appearing at Park West, the Vic, Opal Station, His 'N' Hers, and in many benefits.

"A service celebrating his life was held Jan. 18. Those in attendance spoke of their memories of Jim, and listened to the music he loved.

"Survivors include his grandparents who raised him, his lover of more than three years, Steve Marlowe, and his many friends."

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IMAGE: New Year's Eve at BJ's – Gay Chicago December 26, 1985

Article in Windy City Times reads:

"The Unicorn bathhouse will be hosting two safe sex seminars in February in an effort to educate patrons about ways to decrease their chance of getting AIDS.

"The two main seminars are set for Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Jim Lovette of Cook County Hospital's AIDS Project and Armando Smith of the Kupona Network will speak for an hour about safe sex practices and help people to have a more positive attitude about themselves.

"Leon, manager of the Unicorn, said ever since the AIDS crisis arose, the Unicorn has tried as much as possible to promote safe sex. If these two seminars go well, he said, Unicorn may be sponsoring more in the future, possibly one a month."

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IMAGE: Village People – Gay Chicago September 10, 1998

Congregation Or Chadash celebrates its 10th anniversary with a dinner and cocktails at the White House, 1700 N. Halsted.

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Australian writer Dennis Altman gives a lecture on the politics of AIDS in Hektoen Auditorium of Cook County Hospital, 627 S. Wood. Altman, a socialist, is the author of "AIDS: In the Mind of America." After the lecture, Altman signs copies of his book at Barbara's Bookstore, 2907 N. Broadway. Proceeds from the sale of the book go to Chicago House.

1997

The AIDS Pastoral Care Network hold a six-week bereavement support group for people who have lost a friend, partner or family member due to complications of AIDS. The group meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays from Jan. 29 through March 19 at the APCN offices, 4753 N. Broadway, Suite 800.

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IMAGE: The Flesh Hungry Dog Show – Nightspots February 15, 2006

From the calendar in this week's Nightlines:

"Sunday Feb. 2. WTTW-Channel 11 Masterpiece Theatre airs "Breaking the Code," 8 p.m. 90 minute film adaptation of Hugh Whitemore's play starring Derek Jacobi (recreating his stage role) as the eccentric genius Alan Turing–sometimes called the 'founder of computer science' – who cracked the German Enigma Code for the Allies. Turing was a homosexual who's 'ask and I'll tell you' policy resulted in tragic consequences. The film cross-cuts Turing's story with scenes from England during World War II and postwar Britain during the 1950s."

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Article in Gay Chicago reads:

"A new psychotherapy group for gay male survivors of childhood incest and/or sexual abuse is set to begin this February. Following the successful completion of a previous survivors' group, this new group is designed for gay men age 21 or older, and will address issues that are critically important to survivors: establishing trust, assessing safety; dealing with memories and families of origin; coping with feelings of grief, loss or rage; setting boundaries with others; and developing intimate relationships. The group will meet weekly for approximately 32 weeks, and will be co-led by Jeff Levy, MS, CTRS, LCSW, and Bruce Koff, LCSW, both professionals with specialized expertise in this area. The group will meet on Wednesday evenings in the Lakeview area. Prospective members should be in individual psychotherapy or who have been in individual psychotherapy in the past."

2008

Center on Halsted Youth Program hosts a Homeless Youth Art Show and Performance at 3656 N. Halsted St.

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IMAGE: The Kleavage Tour – Nightspots December 5, 2007

In Kirk Williamson's "Hey, I'm That Guy" column," he writes:

"May your merry bells keep ringing! Ours were at Crew for Windy City Media group's belated holiday party. Apparently, celebrating Christmakwanzaachanukasmas in January is the new black. And Crew was as black as it gets for supplying us with the most raucous holiday party we simple WCMG folk have ever enjoyed. And a special shout-out goes to Chad2, who busted what he had of an ass to keep those that bring you this humble fag rag boozed to the gills."

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An article by Andrew Davis in Windy City Times reads:

"Scot's, a popular gay nightspot, was among the Ravenswood businesses affected by the water-main break and subsequent sinkhole that developed last week. According to The Chicago Tribune, a 100-year- old, 3-foot-wide iron pipe burst around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 22 near the intersection of Montrose and Honore. The break then caused the pavement to collapse, creating a hole 15 feet deep and 80 feet wide.

"Dan Gamboney, a manager at Scot's, located at 1829 W. Montrose, was there when the break occurred. "At first, it just looked like a water main had burst and the street had been flooding, and the city thought it was under control; I didn't know," he told Windy City Times. "Then, around 1:30, it just blew. Water was everywhere. We were standing in the front window and the street just disappeared.

"Then, I heard a crash downstairs. By the time I got down to the basement, the water had come up to the top. Right now, it looks like an earthquake went off in there."

"Gamboney said he did not know how long Scot's will be closed. 'We're trying to get everything up and running; it's going to be a while. There are so many variables with the city regarding reopening Scot's—water, gas, electric, heat."

"Gamboney also commented on the outpouring of support shown since the bar closed. 'It's amazing to me ...the amount of people [who] have contacted us wanting to help, both within the gay community as well as the customers,' he said."

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Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Spike King photographs Bachelor's the newest gay bar on Clark St. for Gay Chicago January 19, 1989

A photograph from Nightlines February 9, 2003

Cast members of "Hair" in Windy City Times January 19, 1989

Equality Illinois party photographed by Kat Fitzgerald for Windy City Times January 21, 2009

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.