August 18-24, 2016

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

1981

An article in Gay Life begins:

"The Henry Gerber–Pearl M. Hart Library, 'the Midwest Lesbian and Gay Resource Center,' has been requested to vacate its space in the building at 3225 N. Sheffield Ave., owned by the Lake View Mental Health Council.

"The mental health group plans to renovate the area of the building now occupied by the library, and the large collection of gay-related books, magazine, and archival materials 'must immediately find a new home,' said library coordinator Gregory Sprague.

"The library 'cannot afford the going rate for rental of its facilities,' said Sprague, but the library board 'desires to see the collection housed in accessible facilities which would allow the whole gay and lesbian community to fully utilize the books and other materials.'

"Unless low-cost or free space is found is found, Sprague said, the board might be forced to put the collection in storage, 'which naturally would prevent its usage by the community in the near future.'"

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IMAGE: Cover of Gay Chicago – Gay Chicago November 12, 1981

In his column Ron's Town in Gay Life, Ron Helizon writes:

"They'll be singing 'Happy Birthday' this weekend at His 'n' Hers as owner Marge Summitt celebrates another year. On Friday, Tricia Alexander and Lori Noelle entertain, and on Saturday, September 6, the First Annual Marge Summitt Roast benefit will be held for the fund named in honor of the late singer and composer, Diana-Straight-As-An-Arrow. Stop by and wish Chicago's top Polish lesbian a happy day, she may even show you pictures of her wearing a dress.

IMAGE: Man's Country Buddy Night – Chicago Gay Crusader December 1974

And:

"The Lionheart Gay Theater presents 'Gunsel, or Love On the Lam,' a 'gayngster' radio mystery serial. Sept 4-5 p.m. in the Theater Building, 1225 W. Belmont. It's $5 at the door."

And:

"Will Chicago have a hot new bookstore soon? I hear the Ram is coming."

1991

Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"On June 27, the Oak Park Lesbian and Gay Association opened a drop-in center for Oak Park area youth. The center is designed to be a supportive environment to help youth aged 14 through 20 to deal with questions and issues related to sexuality and personal growth. The center opens on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m."

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IMAGE: Chicago Gay Men's Chorus – Outlines June 18, 1987

In the bars and clubs, it's burgers, butts and booze all weekend at Roscoe's. 3354-56 N. Halsted; there's a Reimer Foundation fundraiser at AA Meat Market, 2933 N. Lincoln. Win 2 tickets to Circus Vargas; the Pour House, 103 155^th Place, Calumet City, presents Tropical Nights; there's a Wet Jockey Shorts contest at LA Connection, 3700 N. Halsted; join us for the Bears Season Opener with free hot dogs at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; Denise Tomasello is in cabaret at Cairo, 720 N. Wells; male dancers and a Labor Day Weekend BBQ at Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 3179 N. Halsted; a Mr. Annex 3 contest at Annex 3, 3160 N. Clark St.; Latour, a recording artist with the smash hit 'People Are Still Having Sex,' performs at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted.

2012

The Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago hosts a monthly meeting with the goal to erase the invisibility of bisexual identified people within the LGBT community. The meeting is held at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted St.

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IMAGE: North End – Gay Chicago October 12, 1989

An article in Windy City Times begins:

"In a stunning turn of events, Jamal Edwards' two-year tenure as CEO of Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) has reportedly come to an end. According to numerous sources, the announcement was finally made official at a staff meeting held at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 31. Windy City Times broke the news online shortly after.

"HBHC released a press release at 6:42 p.m. Aug. 31 stating that the board 'has accepted the resignation of President and CEO Jamal Edwards, who is leaving to pursue other opportunities.' Duke Alden, of AON Corporation, will take over as interim board chair. He was not present at the staff meeting and neither, according to several sources, were any other board members.

"In a move already garnering much criticism in many quarters, the board has appointed board chair Karma Israelsen as interim president and CEO, but there is no word on how long she will remain and what her salary will be in the meantime. Edwards made $265,000, an amount that has been controversial given his lack of experience in healthcare and that he had no experience in the nonprofit world.

"There is no word on what opportunities Edwards might be pursuing, no reasons given for his unexpected resignation, and no details on how the decision to replace him with Israelsen was made."

Homework

Whatever happened to Denise Tomasello?

Latour? Who was that?

Anybody know who wrote "Gunsel, or Love On the Lam"?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Sukie de la Croix photographs a Chix Mix party for Nightspots August 27, 2003

Photograph of a Queer Nation kiss-in in Windy City Times December 6, 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.