Gay life in Chicago this week, back in... 1979, 1999 and 2005

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

1979

A letter to the editor of Gay Chicago from Disgruntled Spectator reads:

"What a fiasco the Mr. Loading Zone contest on May 31 turned out to be!

"As usual, it was started late–I assume to sell more drinks!

"When the contest finally began it was announced that the contest had been narrowed down to two contestants–what happened to the other three preliminary winners?

"The two contestants were introduced to the audience–one a short, milky-white man showing a rather adequate basket–his one good feature! Competing against him was a tall muscular tanned Adonis who set many a heart aflutter. There was really no comparison!

"It was then announced that they (the judges–whoever they were) would make their final decision.

"Much to the disgust of many of the bar patrons including myself, the short bar employee won!

"Could the reason have been that he was an employee of the bar or did he do something else to win the judges favor??

"If you had to be an employee of the bar to win, why didn't they announce that? Also, why did we not know who the judges were and see the actual judging and tallying of votes?

"I hope all contests are not run in this manner!

"If it was a foregone conclusion who the winner would be (as it obviously was), why go to the trouble of having a contest?"

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IMAGE: Bijou – Chicago Free Press June 21, 2006

In the bars and clubs, every Friday there's a female impersonation show with Tamara Lee and the Bank Vault Vultures at the Bank Vault Lounge, 200 State Street, Calumet City; every Friday Eve plays the piano at the Blue Pub, 3059 W. Irving Park; Jim Hardy plays the piano at Porquoi Pas?, 2568 N. Clark St.; the Jimmy Walker Blues Band plays at the Greenleaf, 1770 W. Greenleaf; it's Newcomer Night at Touche, 2825 N. Lincoln. Visitors from out of town get half-price drinks; the movie "The Ritz" starring Rita Moreno and Treat Williams, is shown at the Gold Coast, 501 N. Clark St.

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IMAGE: Male Hide Leathers – Gay Chicago May 21, 1992

It's Games Night every Friday at the Lesbian Community Center, 1226 W. Grace.

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The Shepherd Players from the Good Shepherd Parish MCC present "Lion in Winter" at the 2nd Unitarian Center, 656 W. Barry.

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There's a Rock Against Racism concert held in Lincoln Park with Immune System, Lonnie Brooks Blues Band and British gay (at the time) rock star Tom Robinson.

1999

An article by Kristen Lukowski in Outlines begins:

"The adoptions of three young children by two separate lesbian families were affirmed June 1 by the Illinois Appeals Court. The unanimous decision by the three judges included an apology to the two families.

"In making the apology, Appellate Justice Morton Zwick declared 'null and void all orders entered by [Cook County] Judge [Susan] McDunn.' He also commented that 'it is undisputed that no one opposed these adoptions except the judge.' He said McDunn was guilty of 'insensitive probing and wrongful interrogation [about the couples' sexuality, and it] was clearly inappropriate. [McDunn] obviously had a predetermined bias against lesbians.'"

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In Quotelines in Outlines:

"Don't expect anyone to love you. In fact, they will despise you. Unless you pay them in some way. No one simply volunteers their affection. And I've never loved anyone as much as I love money" – Quentin Crisp

And:

"AIDS was so awful, the government wasn't doing anything and a lot of us were angry. I guess I discovered that I could get more accomplished with vinegar than honey. The media started calling me the angriest gay male alive, and while I didn't like it, I learned to live with it. I'm basically shy and would rather talk about you than me" – AIDS activist and author, Larry Kramer.

2005

The 30 Under 30 Awards, presented by Windy City Times and co-hosted with AIDS Foundation Chicago, Chicago House and the Lesbian Community Cancer Project takes place at the Hilton hotel.

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IMAGE: Gurlesque Burlesque – Nightspots July 16, 2003

About Face Theatre holds its 5th Annual Wonka Ball to kick off its 10th Anniversary Season. The evening's entertainment includes video installations, music, food by J&L Catering, cocktails by Sidetrack, a live and a silent auction, and more. Leppen Leadership Awards are given to State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz and Lambda Legal. Takes place at Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood.

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IMAGE: Madrigals – Nightspots July 16, 2003

An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Season of Concern, the Chicagoland theatre community's fund-raising effort to assist individuals living with HIV and AIDS, will hold its 13^th annual Bowl-O-Rama, a unique bowling fund-raiser, at Diversey River Bowl, 2211 W. Diversey, on Sunday, June 12, from 7-9 p.m. The costume theme for this year's Bowl-O-Rama is rock 'n' roll, the perfect theme for Diversey Bowl, which was voted Best Rock 'n' Roll bowl by Playboy."

Homework

Who were the Bank Vault Vultures?

What happened to Eve at the Blue Pub?

What was the Porquoi Pas? like?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Spike King and Su Gregg took these pictures at Forbidden Fantasies at Temptations and Vikki Spike and Paula Sinclaire at North End for Gay Chicago May 21, 1992

Frank Failing at Male Image took these photos at Scott's bar for Gay Chicago October 21, 2004

Anonymous photographer takes these at Hydrate Nightclub for Nightspots, July 9, 2003

Photos of ChixMix by Kathleen Ulm for Nightspots, July 16, 2003

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.