Gay life in Chicago this week, back in... 1986, 1990 and 2003

(January 3-9, 2019)

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

1986

Headline on the front page of Windy City Times reads: "Christopher Isherwood dead at 81.

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An article by Howard Wolinsky in the Chicago Sun-Times begins:

"Chicago's health commissioner warned the public today of what he termed the 'extreme urgency' in avoiding prostitutes, male and female, because of the possibility of contracting AIDS.

"'Even if only one in 1,000 prostitutes is infected with AIDS, no one should want to risk contracting this fatal disease,' Commissioner Lonnie C. Edwards said.

"He also told reporters that 'heterosexuals with multiple partners should be considered in a new risk group for AIDS.' AIDS in this country primarily has affected male homosexuals, but new studies have indicated the disease may be spread from women to men during sexual intercourse.

"Transmission of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, the deadly breakdown of the human immune system, has been linked to intravenous drug use, an activity not uncommon among prostitutes, as well as to sexual activity."

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An article by Tracy Baim in Windy City Times begins:

"Longtime Chicago resident Wayne Riddle, 61, died in a New Year's Eve plane crash on an Antarctic glacier. Riddle and seven other American tourists were bound for Antarctica to celebrate the arrival of the new year.

"Riddle was secretary of Integrity/Chicago. While he moved to Buchanon, Mich., two years ago, he never lost contact with his many friends in the Chicago lesbian and gay community."

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IMAGE: Wig Out – Gay Chicago August 5, 1993

Howard Brown Memorial Clinic will receive $2,000, which represents the first proceeds from the sale of the 1986 Safe Sex Calendar. Dan DiLeo, co-publisher of Gay Chicago magazine, will make the presentation at the clinic on Friday, Dec. 27 at 2:00 p.m. The calendar is the work of Glen Mansfield.

1990

An article in Windy City Times reads:

"The Chicago Women's AIS Project is looking for a fulltime, bilingual patient advocate for women living with HIV or AIDS. Responsibilities include case management for women and their children, emergency intervention for women in crisis, advocacy, phone counseling and client intake. Degree in social work or counseling is needed plus one year experience; or equivalent in social work experience. Valid driver's license and vehicle reuired. Send resume to ..."

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IMAGE: AA Meat Market – August 12, 1993

In the bars and clubs, you waited a decade. What's a few more days. Opening soon. The Clubhouse, 3127 N. Clark St.; there's an open bar every Sunday 10-11 p.m. for VIP members at U-Bahn, 3406 N. Sheffield; Jeff Roberts and guest vocalists present an evening of light classical music every Sunday at Hev'in, 54 E. Walton; X-Rated night with hourly drawings for XXX videos takes place at Carol's Speakeasy, 1355 N. Wells St.: Buck Off bottled beer every Wednesday in January at Bucks, 3439 N. Clark St.; Monday Night at the Movies is showing "Auntie Mame" at Bulldog Rd., 2916 N. Broadway; Mikee O'Connell, crazy, wacky, spunky, super, spontaneous, jazzy, performs at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St. every Monday.

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IMAGE: Foxy's – Gay Chicago August 5, 1993

Brigid Brophy is Millie's Orchid Show at 3458 N. Halsted. The show includes strait-jacket break dancing, cool movies by David Sedaris, the Lassoo Lassies (Rodeo Girls), the biggest sissies in the world, mashed potato wrestling and Aquanetta.

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IMAGE: Frankie Knuckles – Blacklines June 1999

Music Playlist courtesy of DJ Frank Lipomi of Rage: 1) "Love on Top of Love" – Grace Jones; 2) "Walk On By" – Sybil; 3) "1, 2, 3" – Chimes; 4) "Rock to the Beat" – 101; 5) "Baby, Don't Say Goodbye" – Dead or Alive; 6) "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" – Fine Young Cannibals; 7) "Oh World" – Paul Rutherford; 8) "Rhythm Nation" – Janet Jackson; 9) "Sueno Latino" – Sueno Latino; 10) "Jazzie Groove" – Soul to Soul.

2003

Sarabia hosts several stripper boys at Man's Country, 5015 N. Clark St.

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A "Wizard of Oz" sing-along at the Oriental Theater, 24 W. Randolph, benefits AIDS related charities like Open Hand.

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In Quotelines in Windy City Times:

"I've learned a lot from my drag queen fans! They have hooked me up, they have helped me in makeup. My fashion, they showed me how to talk ...they helped me out a lot, they don't even realize it." – Toni Braxton

And:

"I've always been bisexual my whole life. I don't think whether somebody is, in a sense, male or female. My brain doesn't compute that." – Nona Hendryx

And:

"Fellas, I know you're awfully fond of your pee-pees, but they're not very pretty. If I saw one crawling on my kitchen floor, I'd call an exterminator." – Jennifer Parello

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An article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Open Hand Chicago, Community Response of Oak Park and the HIV Coalition of Elk Grove, who merged in July 2001, have become Vital Bridges, helping people impacted by HIV/AIDS to build healthier lives.

"The name Vital Bridges came after four months of discussions held by a committee of the board of directors about the meaning and impact of the recent merger. Vital Bridges helps clients impacted by HIV/AIDS to build healthy, self-sufficient lives, by distributing food, providing housing assistance, counseling and prevention education."

Homework

Who remembers Dan DiLeo?

What happened to Millie's Orchid Show?

What's Sarabia up to these days?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

North End's 16th birthday in Nightspots, November 28, 2001

Annie Lee photographs women for Sister Source, June 18, 1982

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.