Gay life in Chicago this week, back in... 1998, 1981 and 2014

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

1998

In the bars and clubs, Sizzling Saturdaze starring Veronica Madison with M.C. JoJo and special guests at Spin, Halsted and Belmont; Wear Your Rubber, pay no cover, at the Rubber Ball at Manhole, 3458 N. Halsted; every Monday in Kickback Monday at the 7301 Club. Thursdays are still sizzling with 5 Hot Male Dancers; Different Strokes, 4932 N. Clark St., presents Frankie "Da" Kat & "Da" Kit-Kat Goils celebrating Tony's 30th Boithday; Wednesdays is Gay & Lesbian Night at Michelle's Sports Bar, 7225 W. Grand Ave.; the 1998 Miss Gay Joliet Contest, hosted by Soroya, takes place at Maneuvers & Co, 118 E. Jefferson St. Joliet; Girl Bar, 2625 N. Halsted, introduces DJ Tim Cleary on Wednesdays.

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IMAGE: Cover – Gay Chicago June 4, 1987

An article in Gay Chicago reads:

"A group of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Latinas/os, families and friends will be among the contingents in two Mexican Independence Day parades on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept 13. Comité Organizador de Chicago/LLEGO will participate in the Mexican Independence Day Parade on Saturday, Sept. 12, on Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago. Persons wishing to march with Comité Organizador de Chicago should gather at the corner of Dearborn Street and Wacker Drive at 11:30 a.m. (look for rainbow flag) The Parade kicks off 12:30 p.m. For more information, contact Robert Castillo at ________ "

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Chi-Town Squares, Chicago's only Lesbian and Gay Square-Dancing Club invites you to come to one of their beginners' classes at Ebenezer Church, 1650 W. Foster.

1981

An article in GayLife reads:

"The Gay and Married Men's Association, a support group for gay men who are or have been married, has been announcing events in classified ads and press releases using the acronym GAMMA. Now the group is reportedly being threatened with suit from Chicago-based Gamma Photo Labs Inc. for allegedly using the photo processing company's name. A spokesperson for the gay men's group said that the photo company was concerned that some people might be 'confused.' The Chicago telephone directory lists three other firms besides the photo company whose names begin with 'gamma,' which is the third letter of the Greek alphabet."

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IMAGE: Christopher Street – Gay Chicago January 26, 1989?

An article in GayLife reads:

"Applications are being solicited for the new position of development director of the Henry Gerber-Pearl M. Hart Library, 'The Midwest Lesbian and Gay Resource Center.'

"The job will involve fundraising responsibility, including the library's subscription drive and efforts to secure foundation grants. The library is raising funds primarily to rent facilities to house its large collection of gay and lesbian books, magazines, and archival materials.

"Although the new post will initially be unsalaried, 'a commission may be negotiated, said library spokesperson Greg Sprague. The job will begin Nov. 1.

"Persons wishing more information may call Sprague at _____ "

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IMAGE: De Javu – Gay Chicago October 14, 1982

Odd pieces from Ron's Town in GayLife, a column written by Ron Helizon (The Polish Princess).

"Park West and Wax Trax present a Divine Party on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9:00 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave. Dress is polyester, and a Divine Lookalike Contest, dancing, and prizes will be some of the fun highlighting this Divine evening. Tickets are $6 at the door."

And:

"John Waters, who discovered Divine, was seen enjoying a quiet moment at the Gold Coast."

And:

"The Ram is a new bookstore at 3511 N. Halsted St.

2014

In this week's Windy City Times, Matt Simonette writes:

"Members of Gay Liberation Network (GLN) were among the groups joined in a protest in front of Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 S. Dearborn St., Sept. 10 in anticipation of President Obama's address about the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

"GLN's Andy Thayer spoke at the gathering, saying that U.S. interventions in the region have only exacerbated problem in the region: "People have asked me, "What would you do about the violence?' We can stop arming the world. The U.S. spends more on its military than the rest of the world combined. ... Over and over, the U.S. has aligned itself on the side of tyrants."

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IMAGE: Sidetrack – Babble June 22, 1995

In Windy City Times, Matt Simonette writes:

"Historian John D'Emilio, who this past August retired from his post at the University of Il- linois at Chicago (UIC), was the honoree at a two-day symposium celebrating his research and accomplishments Sept. 11-12.

"A number of scholars from across the country, among them his longtime friend and co-author, Estelle Freedman, gathered to pay tribute to D'Emilio's work, much of which has focused on the history of the LGBT community.

"D'Emilio began teaching at UIC in 1999. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2005."

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September 17, 2014

Some of this week's events from the Windy City Times calendar:

"Trans Youth Resources and Advocacy Youth Drop-In Center. Every Wednesday, safe, confidential place for transgender people between the ages of 14 to 24. Meet other youth who also identify as transgender, or are questioning their gender identity. Free food, snacks and refreshments, music, peer support, adult supervision, referrals and education. 5:00pm - 7:00pm Broadway Youth Center, 615 W Wellington Ave."

And:

"National AIDS & Aging Awareness Day. For National HIV, AIDS & Aging Day, the HIV services team of Center On Halsted will be providing free rapid walk-in HIV testing, linkage to care and other support services for Seniors and their loved ones. Learn more about HIV, AIDS, and how it impacts our aging population. 2nd Floor Lobby 10:00am - 1:00am Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted St."

And:

"Reeling Opening Night. Chicago's LGBT film festival, through Sept. 25. Longest-running LGBT film festival in the world, showcasing the best LGBT films and videos from around the globe. From international feature films to social issue documentaries to experimental shorts, 75-100 independent films and videos over eight days."

Homework

Is Soroya still around?

Whatever happened to Frankie "Da" Kat?

Is Comité Organizador de Chicago/LLEGO still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Spike King and Bert Glidewell photograph at Cheeks, Gentry, and Bistro for Gay Chicago January 26, 1989

Photographs of Michael Graber, Michael Shimandle, Paul Beasley, Jim Dohr, and Harry Kuck for Gay Chicago July 2, 1981

Male Image Photography covers the Manhandler 24 th anniversary for Gay Chicago September 16, 2004

Bob Bearden photographs Roger and Larry at Ozone bar for GayLife July 24, 1981

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.