Gay life in Chicago this week, back in... 1982, 1999 and 2002

(June 21-27, 2018)

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

1982

A headline in this week's Gay Life reads: "Byrne order bans anti-gay bias in city jobs."

"Stating that it is the 'policy of the City of Chicago to extend protection to all groups and persons who are victims of discrimination,' Mayor Jane M. Byrne on June 18 issued an executive order banning anti-gay discrimination in city employment, housing and services."

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IMAGE: Nightspots cover – Nightspots July 16, 2003

A full-page ad for the Unicorn bathhouse in Gay Chicago reads:

"On Sunday, June 27th, a free Unicorn T-shirt will be given to the first two hundred people who enter after the Gay Pride Day Rally! (offer begins 6:00 p.m.) Also, do you know what day in June 1969 the police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village, setting in motion two nights of rioting and the beginning of the modern Gay Liberation Gay Liberation movement? Come in on that day and say 'Remember the Stonewall' and receive a locker for only $1."

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The Artemis Singers, the Contemporary Gospel Singers from Good Shepherd Metropolitan Community Church and the Resurrection MCC/Holy Covenant MCC Bell Ringers take part in the Wednesday Gay Pride Interfaith Service at Good Shepherd Parish, 615 W. Wellington.

1999

In the bars and clubs, every Sunday there's a free BBQ at Spin, Halsted and Belmont; Honey West sings at Gentry on Halsted every Sunday; it's the annual Reimer Foundation Benefit at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted; the Test Positive Aware Network's 12th anniversary party and cookout takes place at the back of 1258 W. Belmont; the Valerie James Band performs at Temptation, 10235 W. Grand Ave, Franklin Park; ACLU's Official After Party is at Star Gaze, 5419 N. Clark St.: enjoy a pre-Gay Pride Parade breakfast at Buddies, 3301 N. Clark St.

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Poetry and fiction reading for LGBT's, an open mic and invited readers, takes place at Women and Children First Bookstore, 5233 N. Clark St.

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IMAGE: Tillie at Darche's – Gay Chicago April 22, 1979

Quotelines in Outlines:

"I do love dyke marches–in the bigger cities they're usually scheduled to happen a few days before the bigger, all inclusive gay parade. They're a frisky and fierce occasion for a bunch of topless women to march down the street, chanting, 'What do we want? Pussy! When do we want it? NOW!'" – Author Susie Bright

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IMAGE: Crystal's Blinkers – Gay Life April 20, 1979

In Outlines newspaper:

"Chicago's GLBT History by Chicago Neighborhood Tours with guide St. Sukie de la Croix; tour retraces steps of unwritten history, from the Halloween Balls of the '40s to the bar raids of the '50s & '60s & the long struggle for acceptance & today's vibrant G&L community of Chicago; departs from 77 W. Randolph; reservations recommended; $54; 5 ½ hour trip includes lunch at Ann Sather."

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The 30th Annual Parade steps off from Halsted & Belmont, proceeding north on Halsted, south on Broadway then east on Diversey to Lincoln Park for the annual rally.

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There's an open house and meeting for New Town Alano Club, 909 W. Belmont, 6:00 p.m. in an alcohol and drug free environment.

2002

A letter to the editor from Bart Webb:

"I have always assumed, given that the name of your magazine is Gay Chicago, that you were a mouthpiece for the gay community. Therefore, it was an unpleasant surprise to read the article in praise of Eminem's new album.

"The article was effusive in its praises and at no point mentioned the homophobic lyrics and references to 'fags' in some songs.

No amount of artistic talent is an excuse for spreading hatred and bigotry. By encouraging readers to buy this album, you perform a real disservice to the community you purport to represent."

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IMAGE: ILGRA's Miss Firecracker at Jackhammer – Nightspots July 9, 2003

An article in Windy City Times begins:

"Unity Temple's Pride service will include a sermon by Rev. Jay Deacon–his last before departing the congregation he has served since 1993. In the Fall he becomes minister of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, in the gay friendly western Massachusetts city.

"Previously, he'd served as Director of the Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns of the Unitarian Universalist Association. He also served Metropolitan Community Churches in Hartford and Chicago."

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An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"The seventh annual 'Slaves to Pride Auction' to benefit the McAdory Fund will be held at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, June 28, at the Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted.

"The auction will feature staff members and friends on the auction block. They are offering their services to the highest bidders to be a 'personal slave' for a day or evening. In the past, these 'slaves' have provided an evening out for dinner, a theatre outing, leather cleaning, gardening, house-cleaning and even trips on the lake, amusement parks and leather events.:

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An article in Windy City Times reads:

The Chicago Dyke March will be Saturday, June 29 in Andersonville, starting at 2:00 p.m. on the corner of Foster and Ashland, heading north on Clark St. to Bryn Mawr. At Bryn Mawr, the march will head over to the lake for the rally at the beach. There will be a flatbed truck in the march to enable folks of all abilities and ages to participate. The keynote speaker this year is long-time progressive activist, Amber Hollibaugh."

Homework

Are the Artemis Singers still around?

What's Valerie James up to these days?

Who remembers Darche's?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Spike King photographs for Gay Chicago May 21, 1992

Terri Klinsky photographs Star Gaze for Nightspots July 9, 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.