Gay life in Chicago this week, back in... 1982, 1989 and 2008

(August 31–September 6, 2017)

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

1982

The Howard Brown Memorial Clinic opens a resale shop at 3209 N. Clark Street to help raise money for the clinic.

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IMAGE: Christopher Street – Gay Chicago August 21, 1986

In the bars and clubs, party over the Labor Day Weekend with an Italian buffet at Big Red's, 3019 N. Clark St.; Go-Go dancers nightly at Glory Hole, 1343 N. Wells, and every Sunday afternoon, a patio cook-out; and more than a tea dance! More than a party! A Fireman's Ball presented by Hotter 'N' Hell at Paradise, 2848 N. Broadway.

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Top Picks at the Ozone courtesy of DJ Mark Hultmark: 1) "Love Is In Control/Protection/State" – Donna Summer; 2) "Do You Wanna Funk?" – Sylvester/Cowley; 3) "Situation/Don't Go" – Yazoo; 4) "Remember/It's Alright" – Gino Soccio; 5) "If You Can Dance" – Slimline; 6) "If You Should Hear How She Talks" – Melissa Manchester; 7) "Beat the Street/Never Gonna Give/ In the Name" – Sharon Redd; 8) "Come & Get Your Love/Wake Dream" – Lime; 9) "Dirty Talk" – Klein & M.B.O. 10) "I'm So Hot for You" – Bobby O; 11) "Jump To It" – Aretha Franklin; 12) "Abracadabra" – Steve Miller; 13) "Can't Believe" –Nancy Martin; 14) "Dancing in Heaven" – Q Feel; 15) "Gloria" – Laura Branigan.

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IMAGE: Stonewall Memorial Bookshop – Chicago Gay News July 15, 1977

An article by Karlis Streips in Gay Life begins:

"The organizers of the Midwest Gay and Lesbian Convention have canceled their contract with the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Gay Life has learned, and the future of the convention was unclear at presstime.

"A client of the convention called Gay Life Monday afternoon and said that he had heard rumors that the convention had been canceled. He had not, however, heard anything official from Mitch Chapman, the convention's organizer. Subsequent calls to other client businesses confirmed that they, too, had heard rumors to the effect that the convention, originally slated for Sept. 10 and 11, was not to take place.

"A spokeswoman at the Hyatt Regency, where the convention was scheduled to be held, said Chapman canceled out on the hotel 'two or three weeks ago.'"

1989

An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"MISS CONTINENTAL 1989-1990

"The drag show to end all drag shows, Miss Gay Continental 1989-1990, will be held Monday, Labor Day, September 3^rd, at Park West. Actually, 'drag show' is not quite the correct term. Referring to Miss Gay Continental as merely a drag show is not unlike referring to the Indy 500 as a drag race. The performers go all out for this show, the winner walking away with the most coveted title a female impersonator can achieve.

"It is not unusual for the performers to spend thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars on their costumes, gowns and routines. Large production numbers compete against torchy soloists. Some of the contestants sing live, some lip sync and all put forth almost superhuman efforts."

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IMAGE: TJ's on Oak – Gay Chicago August 21, 1986

An article in Windy City Times reads:

"Tseko Simon Nkoli, the noted black South African gay activist, is traveling across North America to present the progress of the struggle against apartheid in his homeland. On Thursday, August 31, Nkoli will lecture and show videos at University Church, 5655 S. University Avenue. A reception will begin the evening at 6:30 p.m.; Nkoli's address begins at 7:30 p.m.; and in addition Dr. Margaret Burroughs will offer poetry readings. Nkoli's lecture is being hosted by Black and White Men Together of Chicago, an inter-racial gay organization which seeks to combat racism, sexism, and homophobia."

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IMAGE: Windy City Bar – Gay Chicago July 2, 1987

Jessica Williams, a sultry singer, entertains the crowd at the short-lived Rage, 5006 N. Clark St. The cover charge is $5 and the event is a benefit for STOP AIDS/Chicago.

2008

An article in Windy City Times by Amy Wooten begins:

"An LGBTQA Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school has been proposed and, if given the green light, the school would join the likes of New York's Harvey Milk High School in becoming a national model in providing a welcoming, safe education for queer and questioning youth and their allies.

"The Greater Lawndale Little Village School for Social Justice submitted the proposal to the CPS Office of New Schools for a Social Justice High School-Pride Campus. This project has been in the works since spring of this year. If approved, Pride Campus, a voluntary public high school that would implement a college prep curriculum in all subject areas, would open in 2010. It would serve LGBTQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning and allied) students from all over the city.

"CPS will announce its decision by the end of October. Until then, a CPS community hearing will be held Sept. 18 at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. There, the public can learn more about the proposed school."

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Events on the Windy City Times calendar for September 6, 2008:

"Chicago House Spike'd Drag Queen Beach Volleyball Charity Spectacle. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., private beach in Rogers Park, $50.

"Equality Illinois Allied for Equality Backyard Barbecue in Peru, Ill. 2 p.m., contact –––––– for more info.

"First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn AIDS exhibit, World Vision Experience: AIDS—Step into Africa. Through Sep. 8 and then Sept. 10-14. 550 N. Main St. in Glen Ellyn.

"Gerber/Hart Library Annual benefit: 'Making History: Telling HerStory,' featuring keynote speaker Rita Mae Brown. 7 p.m., $85-$135, Swedish-American Museum.

Homework

Anyone hear Tseko Simon Nkoli speak?

Who remembers Rage?

Is Jessica Williams still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Shirley Cox and Rene Van Hulle in Chicago Gay News July 15 1977

Sherman Heinrich photographs at TJ's on Oak for Gay Chicago August 21, 1986

William Burks at Asians and Friends for Windy City Times August 21, 1986

Author Yvonne Zipter in Windy City Times August 21, 1986

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.