May 12-18 2016

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

1987

An article on the cover of Windy City Times reads:

"Cardinal praises gay ministry.

"Chicago Roman Catholic Archbishop Cardinal Bernardin last Saturday celebrated a mass in St. Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church, in honor of the parish's 75thanniversary.

"Dignity members who belong to the parish participated in the service, including National President Jim Bussen and Chicago chapter President Bill Seng. Dignity is a national organization of gay and lesbian Catholics. At the ceremony, Bernardin praised the 'rich and varied ministries' at the parish, including ministry 'to the gay and lesbian community.' Dignity has celebrated its masses at St. Sebastian's for 15 years. Bernardin prayed that 'all people, including those most alienated' from society would continue to find a home there.

"The Dignity/Chicago choir sang one of the communion songs, Mozart's 'Ave Verum.'"

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IMAGE: Touche – Gay Chicago January 11, 1979

An article in Windy City Times begins:

"It is now official–Howard Brown Memorial Clinic will move its entire operation to 945 W. George St. by late June or early July.

"In a formal ceremony May 8 at the new site, HBMC officers signed a 110-year lease for the top two floors of the former Niedermaier Displays warehouse."

1991

Lawrence Bommer's play "Gulliver's Last Travels" is presented in a staged reading at the Organic Theater, 3319 N. Clark St.

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IMAGE: Gold Coast – Gay Life April 1, 1977

Gay groups that meet weekly include ACT UP/Chicago meets on Tuesdays at the Rodde Center, 4753 N. Broadway; ACT UP/Windy City on Thursdays at Ann Sather restaurant, 929 W. Belmont; Quad-A Alcoholics Anonymous for Atheists, Agnostics and Humanists meet on Fridays at the New Town Alano Club, 4407 N. Clark St.; and Queer Nation meets on Mondays at Ann Sathers.

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Chicago House's Annual Garage Sale is held at Broadway United Methodist Church.

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Asians & Friends-Chicago holds a sock-hop at the MCC Church Hall, 615 W. Wellington.

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In the clubs and bars, Cairo, 720 N. Wells, welcomes the cast of Pegasus' hit musical "Sylvia's Real Good Advice" for a cast party; Roscoe's, 3354-56 N. Halsted, celebrates Mothers Day with a "Video Bitch" party; Becky Manzie hosts an open mic at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.

May 12, 1991

Marie Kuda, author of "The Lesbian, Leather, and S/M: An Historical Perspective and Overview of the Literature" appears at People Like Us Bookstore, 3321 N. Clark St.

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An article in Windy City Times begins:

"Gay Men Get Settlement from Baja Beach Club

"In the first case of its kind to be resolved under Chicago's Human Rights Ordinance, the American Civil Liberties Union last week reached a settlement on behalf of two gay men thrown out of the Baja Beach Club, 401 E. Illinois, because they danced together and kissed.

"'This settlement sends a strong message that all places open to the public must be open to gay men and lesbians.' Said John Hammell, ACLU attorney who represented the two men.

"Charles Ward and Steven Kleinedler were forcibly removed from the bar last November. They filed a complaint of sexual orientation discrimination with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and the ACLU took over their case.

"Under the settlement, the Baja Beach Club will pay Ward and Kleinedler $4,500. Also, within two weeks of signing the agreement, the club must post signs at entrances stating: 'This club is a public accommodation and everyone is welcome, regardless of sexual orientation, race, sex, religion, disability or national origin."

2013

An article by Derrick Clifton on the cover of Windy City Times begins:

"If you attempted to count the number of Chicago congregations led by openly gay, Black ministers, you'd probably struggle to get to 10. However, a new church in the South Loop will add to that number.

Lighthouse Church of Chicago recently launched Thursday Nights Together, a weekly meeting featuring music, worship, a brief sermon and breakout discussions. Otherwise known as TNT, the event is held every Thursday 7- 8:30 p.m. at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State St. So far, Thursday Nights Together has averaged between 15 and 20 attendees since gatherings began in early April.

"Jamie Frazier, Lighthouse Church of Chicago's founder and senior pastor, began planning the congregation last year after wishing to experience an open and inclusive congregation rooted in African- American church traditions. His vision informs the church's motto: 'Passionate about Jesus. Serious about justice.'

"'Often I have found congregations that claimed to be dedicated to Jesus, but were silent on justice, or vice versa,' he said. 'I have long hungered for a place in which one could experience lively and spirited gospel music, prophetic preaching, and a loving community."

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IMAGE: Wedding Guide – Nightspots March 4, 2015

The 11th annual Windy City Gay Idol searches for the best amateur GLBT singers in the Chicago area. This week the chosen venue is DS Tequila Company, 3352 N. Halsted St.

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The Improvised Sondheim Project is a completely improvised, spontaneous musical in the style of composer Stephen Sondheim, with suggestions from the audience and the muse of Mr. Sondheim to guide them. Takes place at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

Homework

Is the Lighthouse Church of Chicago still around?

Anybody know why Cairo closed?

What's Lawrence Bommer up to these days?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

From Gay Chicago November 5, 1992

Su Gregg takes photos at the Baton for Gay Chicago September 3, 1992

Male Image Photography took these pictures of Leather Eye for the Preppy Guy at Touche for Nightspots April 9, 2008

This is Roby Landers from the August 1972 issue of Tuffy magazine.

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.