VOL 31, NO. 45 AUG. 3, 2016 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Mindy Verson (right) and Olivia Newton-John. Photo courtesy of Verson GETTING PHYSICAL Chicago entrepreneur teams with Olivia Newton-John on fundraising walk, run BY GREtchEN RACHEL HAMMOND a teenager in her hometown of Melbourne—Verson and her friends will participate in the 2016 Wellness Walk & Research In the title track of her 2006 album Grace and Gratitude, musi- Run. cian, cancer survivor and philanthropist Olivia Newton-John Verson’s company Verson Productions is a corporate sponsor sang “All I have and all I feel is all because of you. All I reap is of the fundraising event which includes a 5K walk, 5K run and all I sow and love is our living proof.” 10K run around the magnificent Bundoora campus of La Trobe It sums up the effect Newton-John has had on Chicago entre- University in Melbourne. preneur and philanthropist Mindy Verson. It is organized by and in support of the Olivia Newton-John On Sept. 11, 2016, Verson—who describes Newton-John as a Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (The ONJ Centre) which, childhood hero and a woman who “inspired my dreams”—will according to its website, is “dedicated to providing the very MAKING HERSTORY make the trip of a lifetime to Melbourne, Australia. best in medical care and treatment; combined with research Hillary Clinton is official Democratic presidential There, Verson will team with six individuals who not only programs for new treatments to help stop cancer from destroy- candidate. share a passionate love for Newton-John’s work but a motiva- ing the lives of so many people.” Washington Blade photo by Michael Key tion to “do something good in this world for others.” In the ‘70s and ’80s, Newton-John was a worldwide 14 Collectively calling themselves The Sol Seven—a tribute to the all-girl group The Sol Four, which Newton-John formed as Turn to page 16 GUAY & KOLDAN GOING FOR THE GOLD GORE VIDAL Lesbian couple are artists, shop owners. Record number of LGBTs set to compete in Olympics. Late author is subject of new book. Photo of Shirley Guay and Rosalie Koldan by Carrie Maxwell 8 Photo of Megan Rapinoe by David Durochik/Chicago Red Stars 22 25 @windycitytimes1 /windycitymediagroup @windycitytimes www.windycitymediagroup.com 2 Aug. 3, 2016 WINDY CITY TIMES Ride together Get a reliable ride in minutes with the Uber app Sign up with the code WINDYCITYTIMES at Uber.com/app for a FREE ride. First-time riders only. Up to $20. Expires 12/31/16. WINDY CITY TIMES Aug. 3, 2016 3 WINDY CITY TIMES INDEX presents NEWS Jerusalem Pride; column 4 DOWNLOAD About Face director deals with fire 6 THIS ISSUE Lesbian couple are artists, shop owners 8 AND BROWSE THE ARCHIVES at Out model/designer dies 9 DNC roundup 14 WWW.WINDYCITYTIMES.COM Chicago entrepreneur and Olivia Newton-John 16 VIEWS: Michelle Obama 18 ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Scottish Play Scott 19 Olympics and LGBTs 22 Wedding listings 24 VOL 31, NO. 45 AUG. 3, 2016 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Author talks about Gore Vidal 25 Mindy Verson and Olivia Newton-John. NIGHTSPOTS 26 Photo courtesy of Verson GETTING PHYSICAL OUTLINES Chicago entrepreneur teams Classifieds 28 with Olivia Newton-John on fundraising walk, run Chicago Dancers United BY GRETCHEN RACHEL HAMMOND a teenager in her hometown of Melbourne—Verson and her friends will participate in the 2016 Wellness Walk & Research Calendar Q 30 In the title track of her 2006 album Grace and Gratitude, musi- Run. cian, cancer survivor and philanthropist Olivia Newton-John Verson’s company Verson Productions is a corporate sponsor sang “All I have and all I feel is all because of you. All I reap is of the fundraising event which includes a 5K walk, 5K run and all I sow and love is our living proof.” 10K run around the magnificent Bundoora campus of La Trobe It sums up the effect Newton-John has had on Chicago entre- University in Melbourne. preneur and philanthropist Mindy Verson. It is organized by and in support of the Olivia Newton-John On Sept. 11, 2016, Verson—who describes Newton-John as a Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (The ONJ Centre) which, childhood hero and a woman who “inspired my dreams”—will according to its website is “dedicated to providing the very MAKING HERSTORY make the trip of a lifetime to Melbourne, Australia. best in medical care and treatment; combined with research Hillary Clinton is official Democratic presidential There, Verson will team with six individuals who not only programs for new treatments to help stop cancer from destroy- candidate. share a passionate love for Newton-John’s work but a motiva- ing the lives of so many people.” Washington Blade photo by Michael Key tion to “do something good in this world for others.” In the 1970s and ’80s, Newton-John was a worldwide 14 Collectively calling themselves The Sol Seven—a tribute to the all-girl group The Sol Four which Newton-John formed as Turn to page 16 GUAY & KOLDAN GOING FOR THE GOLD GORE VIDAL Lesbian couple are artists, shop owners. Record number of LGBTs set to compete in Olympics. Late author is subject of new book. Photo of Shirley Guay and Rosalie Koldan by Carrie Maxwell 8 Photo of Megan Rapinoe by David Durochik/Chicago Red Stars 22 25 @windycitytimes1 /windycitymediagroup @windycitytimes www.windycitymediagroup.com online exclusives at www.WindyCityTimes.com MEX-IMUM EXPOSURE Windy City Times shows why so many people love going to Puerto Vallarta (left). Photo by Jerry Nunn STORMIN’ ‘MORMON’ August 20, 2016 WORLD PREMIERES BY Randy Duncan 5pm Harrison McEldowney Hilton Chicago’s Dara Holmes & Tom Mattingly Dara Holmes & Tom Grand Ballroom EMCEES Carisa Barreca and Tim Mason 7:30pm of The Second City DANCER FIVE BY FIVE Auditorium Theatre The upcoming film Suicide Squad and Daxton Bloomquist plays Elder McKinley of Roosevelt University BENEFICIARIES Sandro | Home Run Inn are among Five Worth in Book of Mormon, which is wrapping up The Dancers’ Fund Finding. PERFORMANCES BY AIDS Foundation of Chicago its Chicago run soon. Giordano Dance Chicago PR photo Hubbard Street Dance Chicago $15 – $75 Performance Only Joffrey Ballet PHOTOGRAPHY Chicago Dance Crash $250 – $600 Includes admission BAR NONE Visceral Dance Chicago to the 5:00p.m. gala reception and premiere seating at the LEWIS AND SNARK performance SPONSORS Windy City Times reviews the theatrical production C.S. Lewis Onstage. MEDIA PARTNERS THAT’S SHOW BIZ a&u Magazine | 4Dancers.org | Best Gay Chicago | ChicagoPride.com | GC Magazine Find out the latest about Justin Bieber, Star Trek and Troye Sivan. GRAB Magazine | Positively Aware Magazine | SDC Chicago SeeChicagoDance.com | Windy City Media Group Equality Illinois honored local law firms with its “Raising the Bar” event. plus Photo of Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson and ChicagoDancersUnited.org | 312-922-5812 Judge Staci M. Yandle by Gretchen Rachel Hammond DAILY BREAKING NEWS /DanceForLifeChicago @danceforlifechi /DanceForLifeChicago 4 Aug. 3, 2016 WINDY CITY TIMES GUEST COLUMN BY MICHAEL A. HORVICH Evolving as “Gay” I have grown up. Again. When I was was young. a young man, I would look at a new As a young man; Drag Queens, understanding regarding myself and Transsexuals, Transvestites, Leather life and say, “Wow, I was so naive. I Men, Butch and Lipstick Lesbians, and will never let that happen again.” Ends probably a few others groups were up, my life, which is now in its 71st embarrassing to me. I wanted gay men year, has been a series of “being naïve and women, including myself, to be agains.” Maybe that is not so bad as well-behaved, normal, invisible, etc. it shows I am continuing to grow and I thought that if only these extremely become. visible groups would calm down, gays My recent visit to San Francisco, Gay like me in general would be more easily Capital of the USA to attend the Frameline accepted into society or at least go un- 40 Film Festival where I experienced my noticed. This belief was pretty common, documentary ALZHEIMER’S: A Love Story I think, among many gay men of that screen in front of a warm, accepting time. For me this was based on little audience of 1,300 gay and gay-friendly if any knowledge of who these people Marchers at Jerusalem Pride. people—and having had the chance to were emotionally, physically, or belief Photo by Ronit Bezalel view over 25 films (shorts and longs) system wise. I had few if any friends dealing with gay issues, and meeting in these groups and knew little of who a wide variety of people from different they really were so I had no right to walks of life—has brought a new sense judge, but judge I did. Jerusalem hosts its to my homosexuality. After Stonewall, during what is I have been gay all my life. In looking known as the Gay Liberation Era, there back, the signs were there since my was a huge spit between gay men and earliest memories. I “came out” at the gay women, the women fighting to be largest Pride march, age of 18, meaning had my first sexual known as “lesbians” not “gay women.” experience, and began to understand At the time I thought this was foolish. why I was different than most other I understand this now and give the honors slain teen boys. I had known it for a long time but lesbian community credit for being didn’t understand why. among the first groups (including the BY RONIT BEZALEL Security was high as the police blocked traffic I probably did not fully accept with early suffragettes) to fight for equality and all marchers had to pass through a security confidence that I was gay until I was for women in general.