August 11-17, 2016

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

1982

Article in Gay Life begins:

"The editorial department of Gay Life is planning a special section for an issue in September dealing with minority subgroups within the gay community. Representatives of those groups, including black gay men, black lesbians, members of the Hispanic gay community, and others, are needed to contribute to the section.

"Specifically, we would like to see members of those communities come forward to be interviewed or, in the case of someone with sufficient journalistic experience, possibly to serve as guest editor for the section. Interviews can be arranged anonymously should the person so desire."

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IMAGE: King's Ransom – Gay Life August 1, 1975

Article in Gay Life reads:

"The Lionheart Gay Theater Company of Chicago has announced that it will perform excerpts from several of its past shows as a benefit for the Madison, Wisc. gay cable television show, 'Nothing To Hide.' The show will also help the Toto-four state radio and TV network.

"The performance will feature highlights from 'Concert Porn' and 'Good Vibes: The Politically Correct Gay Play,' two past Lionheart productions. The show is scheduled for 7 p.m. August 14 at Sam's, 1206 Regent St., in Madison. A donation of $1.50 will be requested at the door."

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IMAGE: Gay Chicago Cover July 15, 1982

Article in Gay Life reads:

"The Howard Brown Memorial Clinic VD van, forced because of inclement weather to cancel its scheduled appearance at Clark and Illinois streets last Saturday night, has rescheduled the stop for Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The van will be at the same location."

1995

According to Babble's "reasons for living" the AIDS Foundation of Chicago are hosting a benefit screening of "Jeffrey," the new Orion Classic release based on Paul Rudnick's award-winning off Broadway play. The movie is screened at Sony's Piper's Alley with a reception at Vinyl restaurant.

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IMAGE: LA Connection – Gay Chicago June 26, 1986

Silky Jumbo presents "Burp the Baby! A totally infantile experience!" upstairs at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted. In the nursery are Silky Jumbo, Jeff Free and Jo Jo. There's a wet diaper contest. $50 to the baby with the biggest load in his Pampers! Diapers are provided.

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"City of Big Shoulders II," a dance-til-dawn party at the Congress Hotel, 2135 N. Milwaukee, is a benefit for Test Positive Aware Network.

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"Crosstalk with Ernie Manouse" on WLU 88.7 FM features an interview with author Jill Pollack about gay and lesbian parenting and a chat with the Village People.

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The Northside HIV Treatment Center, 4753 N. Broadway, hosts author Arthur Shattuck, who speaks about the benefits of holistic treatments, particularly Chinese medicine, for HIV positive people.

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IMAGE: Different Strokes Under New Management – Gay Chicago September 14, 1989

Chicago author Ron Abraytis reads from his book, "Are You Clumping Trubs?" a romantic gay comedy that takes place on North Halsted St. He's at the Pride Agenda Bookstore, 1109 Westgate in Oak Park.

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Windy City Performing Arts hold auditions for its 1995-96 season of both UNISON: Windy City Lesbian and Gay Singers and the Windy City Gay Chorus.

1999

In the bars and clubs, Ultra Glam, the Vegas Show is at the Mashed Potato Restaurant and Video Bar, 316 W. Erie; the Shower Contest hosted by Xavier every Friday at Spin, Belmont and Halsted; Frankie da Kat's Goils perform at Different Strokes, 4923 N. Clark St. Goils include Vera Storm, Skye Chandeler, Rhodesia, Mina Howard, Darchavia, Nicole, Michelle Fyre, Arianna de Costa, Gina Foxx, Jimmy Green, Daisie and Helen Blazes; Southern Comfort perform at Madrigals, 5316 N. Clark St. with DJ Anthony Christian; the Deco Party is at the Knickerbocker Hotel. Crystal Room, 163 E. Walton; celebrate Northhalsted Market Days at the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 3169 N. Halsted; and bisexual singer Me'shell N'degeocello performs at Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln.

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Chicago Stonewall Democrats hosts a special presentation of Defiant Theatre's summer blockbuster "Action Movie, The Play," at American Theatre Company, 3855 N. Lincoln.

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Tracy Baim's Off the Cuffs column in Nightlines reads:

"Chicago Black Lesbians and Gays invite Black LGBT groups, organizations, businesses and agencies to march in the 70^th Annual Bud Billiken Parade.

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CORP the gay pagan group celebrates a new moon ritual at 2^nd Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry.

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In Outlines Quotelines:

"Do you like Ricky Martin? I do, too. We've got more in common than you'll ever know." – Boy George

And:

"I have no butt. Everybody tells me that. It's tiny ...not even rock climbing helps." – Ricky Martin

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An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Local businessman Jerry T. Matustik announced the formation of the Chicago Free Press, a new weekly newspaper on Chicago's thriving and diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Matustik is CEO of Novus Publishing Group, which will produce CFP."

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S.T.A.G.E.S., the western suburbs theater members who raise funds for Season of Concern, present its third annual Bowl-O-Rama at Espo's Country Lanes, 11 Woodview Drive, Elgin.

Homework

Whatever happened to Jerry Matusik?

What's Silky Jumbo up to these days?

Is CORP still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Rick Karlin photographs Charles Perry who is raising money for Chicago House. Photo in Gay Chicago June 18, 1987

Tracy Baim and Mona Noriega photograph in New York and Chicago for Nightlines July 22, 1992

Steve Eykamp photographs Windy City Gay Chorus for Outlines June 18, 1987

Jennifer Girard photographs Lori Noelle for Windy City Times July 16, 1992

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.