June 2-8, 2016

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

1981

IMAGE: New Flight – Gay Life December 28, 1979

In the bars and clubs, your hosts are Rudy, Bobby and Henry at Dandy's, 2632 N. Halsted; Eddie Dugan and Deluxe proudly present a Wet Jockey Shorts contest every Wednesday at Dugan's Bistro, 420 N. Dearborn; the Mr. BJ's contest takes place at BJ's, 3231 N. Clark St, featuring emcees Diva Delight and Ava Cato, starring Hedda Lettuce; Little Jim's, 3501 N. Halsted, celebrates its 4th anniversary with an auction to raise funds for the Frank M. Rodde Fund; Mike Schwaba entertains with folk music at His 'n' Hers, 944 W. Addison.

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IMAGE: Over 21 Store – Gay Chicago February 7, 1980

Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Windy City Athletic Association softball games Sunday, May 31 surely showed that this if going to be one helluva year. It was competitive softball at its finest again this week. To predict which team is going to represent Chicago in the Toronto Gay World Series this fall is virtually impossible at this time. One thing for sure, whichever team it is will have a struggle on their hands each and every Sunday. The teams are quite evenly matched and surely individual talents have not reached their full potential.

"The first game saw Touché romp over Frank's Pizza Express, 13-2. It was a one-hit shut-out for Touché until the 7th inning, when the Pizza Express made a gallant two-run effort. Defense was superb for both teams, but Touché displayed a consistent offense, scoring in all but one inning of play.

"Overpowering offense again was the theme in the second game as the Bistro pounded the Redoubt, 7-2. Both teams looked sharp but the disco dazzlers came out ahead by displaying a fine team offense which could not be matched by a determined Redoubt team."

2000

Quotelines in Outlines:

"GAY AND LESBIAN Americans have made important and lasting contributions to our nation in every field of endeavor. Too often, however, gays and lesbians face prejudice and discrimination; too many have had to hide or deny their sexual orientation in order to keep their jobs or to live safely in their communities." – President Clinton.

And:

"I GET letters all the time from gay kids who can't tell their parents because they will be disowned. They thought about committing suicide until they saw me on TV. I was somebody they knew, and I was gay too. My telling the truth makes a big difference between a kid pulling a trigger or not? Wow." – Christina Navratilova.

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IMAGE: Viola Wills at Paradise – Gay Chicago December 23, 1982

Article in Outlines reads:

"Church of the Open Door on Chicago's Southwest Side is hosting a forum about the possibility of creating an alternative high school for GLBT youth. Those interested in planning such a school are invited to a forum Sat., June 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at 5954 S. Albany, two blocks east of Kedzie.

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Article in Gay Chicago reads:

"Roscoe's has opened its sidewalk café for the summer season. Roscoe's offers an all-new, extended menu in an outdoor setting. The Café goes beyond grilled burgers to include onion rings, popcorn shrimp, nachos and the return of its chicken stew. The Café is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine, from noon to 11 p.m."

2009

Homolatte featuring Dana Kaye & Samantha Cathcart takes place at Big Chicks/Tweet, 5024 N. Sheridan.

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IMAGE: Carnival at Charlie's – Gay Chicago December 27, 2001

At the Center on Halsted, Ladies at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre is a major four-night show featuring Sharon McNight with Songs to Offend Almost Everyone.

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Youth Pride Center Youth Pride Series. Each week different YPC teams, groups, fraternities, choirs, etc. take part in an exciting production to showcase the talents of YPC youth. Takes place at the Pie Hole Pizza Joint, 737 W Roscoe @ Halsted.

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An article in Windy City Times reads:

"AIDS Foundation of Chicago has issued a press release asking Illinois' legislative leaders to negotiate the state budget. As it stands, HIV/ AIDS agencies will receive only 50 percent of last year's funds.

"In the midst of one of the most severe economic downturns in decades, the Illinois General Assembly concluded its spring session on the constitutional budget deadline of May 31 by failing to pass a modest, temporary tax increase. Had they taken action, the General Assembly could have greatly reduced state's $7 billion budget gap and preserved services for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Illinoisans, including people living with and at risk of HIV, according to the release.

"'The AIDS Foundation of Chicago urges legislative leaders and Governor Quinn to immediately convene for budget negotiations,' said Mark Ishaug, AFC's president and CEO. 'The new fiscal year starts in 30 days, ample time to solve this problem. Leaving a solution to the last minute will cause needless disruption for people living with HIV and the agencies that serve them.'

"An estimated 42,000-44,000 people are living with HIV in Illinois—and as many as 8,000-10,000 people with HIV in our state are infected with the virus but don't know it.

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In Quotelines in Windy City Times:

"GAY POLITICS? WHAT GAY POLITICS? I DON'T SEE ANY GAY POLITICS. I see a few lazy, torpid, unimaginative—certainly passionless—'organizations' that maintain they fight for us when what they do is relatively useless. It has never been otherwise. I am afraid we have never ever had a decent gay organization, outside of ACT UP, that accomplished what we need to accomplish—which is to free ourselves from the tyranny of THEM!" — Activist, author and playwright Larry Kramer.

And:

"I WAS ASKED EARLIER IF I WAS GAY ...Well, I can answer this way: I'm very gay and happy. I'm very happy to be here for my gay friends. I've never been with a woman, so I guess I'm straight, OK? But I'm straight enough to know the difference between right and wrong. I am straight enough to know that if you want to marry whoever you want to marry you should be able to." — Singer Patti LaBelle.

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"An Evening of Elegance" at the Center on Halsted is a benefit for Amigas Latinas.

Homework

Did anyone see Viola Wills at Paradise?

What happened to Hedda Lettuce?

Is Homolatte still going?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Club Life in Hotspots January 2001

Israel Wright photographs the annual AIDS Foundation of Chicago Not Just a Song and Dance Gala

Kirk photographs Mafia Night at the Eagle for Nightspots April 16, 2008

William Burks photographs Marcia Lipetz and Tim Drake for Windy City Times May 14, 1987

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.