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

1977

Mattachine Midwest honors Barbara Gittings and Rev. Peggy Way by presenting them with the annual Pearl M. Hart Award. The award is given to individuals who have given of themselves to further the acceptance of same sex lifestyles. Gittings was a founding member of the 1950s lesbian group the Daughters of Bilitis, and Rev. Way is a Doctor of Divinity and an ordained United Church of Christ Minister, who has taught "Ethics and Homosexuality" and "Morality and Homosexuality" at both McCormick Seminary and the Jesuit Theological Seminary.

(Image: From Blazing Star, March 1977)

Activist Nancy Davis holds a solo-sit-in at the Cook Country Marriage License Bureau protesting their refusal to grant her and her partner a marriage license. She had just completed her jail term for a previous similar protest.

Disco DeeJay Grant Smith lists the current hits in Gay Chicago News:

New York You Got Me Dancing – The Andrea True Connection on Buddah Records; Uptown Festival – Shalimar on Soul Train Records; Don't Leave Me This Way – Thelma Houston on the Talma LP Anyway You Like It and also on a Motown 12" Disco Single; Open Sesame – Kool and the Gang on a 12" Disco Disc from De-Lite Records; Boy I Really Tied One On – Esther Philips, from the Kudu album Capricorn Princess and also available in a 12"; Body Contact Contract/Disco Inferno – The Trammps on their Atlantic album Disco Inferno; This Will Make You Dance – G.C. Cameron on Motown Records; Do What You Want To Do – T Connection on a T.K. Records Disco Single; Hit and Run – Loleatta Holloway, on the album Loleatta from Gold Mind Records.

(Image: Advertisement from Gay Life, March 4, 1977)

Kinky Klassifieds in Chicago Gay News include:

Chicago Male

30 years old (looks 25), tall and slim, I'm Greek Active and would like to meet Greek Passive guys under 35 yrs. old. Also looking for friends, any race, call
______

Japanese/Korean

W/M 39, attractive and hairy, athletic body, seeks attractive Japanese/Korean to enjoy the warmth of friendship. No fats. Send recent photo & how to contact to
_______

Gentlemen

Attr. W/M wants to wear silky panties for dominant stud. Are you man enough to treat me like a girl? Would also like to meet TS's, for friendship only. Billie
_______

The Rogers Park Gay Youth Group holds a houseplant sale at the Rogers Park Gay Center, 7109 N. Glenwood.

1992

Showing at the Bijou Theatre this week is The Ivy League:
"'Brothers' Brian Yates and Alex Thomas work their way through college at a bar in this Vivid Video release. Brian sucks face with a mysterious stranger in the bar; horny Alex leaves his bookworm charm behind to experience the men he's been reading about; and nice ‘boys' exploring the meaning of hardworking love! A Jim Steel video with Mark Andrews, Sonny Listz, sexy Arik Travis, and Danny Sommers."

Events in the bars and clubs this week include, Chicago's Original Country Dance, hosted by David Boyer and DJ Ron Goodman at Deeks, 3401 N. Sheffield. Free dance lessons at 6:00 p.m. with Hania Richmond, a 1991 International Gay Rodeo Association Dance Champion; Join hostess Saroya in selecting the new queen. Miss Gay Joliet 1992 Contest, and a salute to Miss Gay Joliet 1991 Jasmine, at Maneuvers and Co., 118 E. Jefferson St., Joliet, Illinois; Boys in the Bathroom, that crazy comedy group, are at the Sunday Tea Dance at Roscoe's, 3354-56 Halsted; and "Savages" … Join the tribe of INFRARED as they perform primitive Rites of Manhood at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted.

(Image: Advertisement from Gay Chicago, March 12, 1992)

Meet Robert Rodi, author of Fag Hag, at People Like Us gay and lesbian bookstore, 3321 N. Clark St.

Cure AIDS Now host a memorial tribute to honor artist/activist Daniel Sotomayor at the Riviera Nightclub, 4746 N. Broadway. The evening includes a multi-media video and slide show celebrating Daniel's life and the legacy of his activism.

2000

A Sex Workshop Series, facilitated by Frank Strona of Scarlet Letter of SF, takes place at Steamworks, 3246 N. Halsted.

Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Grand Opening of the Visitor's Center at 3713 N. Halsted. Special guests include State Rep. Larry McKeon, Ald. Bernie Hansen, and Mary Morten. New Chamber president Ted Lally cut the ribbon with McKeon, while Chamber board Vice President Barb Kay and outgoing co-chair Tracy Baim held it for them.

(Image: Advertisement from Gay Chicago, March 9, 2000)

Executive Sweet Pat and Vera's "Marching to the Beat" party is at Hot House, 31 E. Balbo with DJs Ron Carroll and Southside Lynn.

Stardust, the David Bowie Tribute band, featuring Lair, performs at Temptations, 10235 W. Grand, Franklin Park.

According to Gay Chicago March 9, 2000, Fireball 2000, a series of parties over the February 18-20, 2000 weekend, sold-out and raised record amounts of money for the Hearts Foundation. From corporate sponsors, individual donations, to foundation seed money, Hearts Foundation was able to raise more than $200,000 in net proceeds to be distributed to the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, Test Positive Aware Network and Howard Brown Health Center.

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life 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 the upcoming book Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.