chicago takes off WINDY CITY PAGE 37 THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 March 7, 2012 vol 27, no. 22 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.comTIMES Guide to the Gays Running For Office

HRC chooses Windy City Times Election Guide new president Pages 11-14, 18-21 pagE 5

With over a dozen gay and lesbian candidates for various county, state and federal seats, the LGBT community is making more of an imprint in Illinois politics than ever. Clockwise from upper right: Alex Arroyo, Paula Basta, Deidre Baumann, Kelly Cassidy, John Dalton, Michael Forti, Greg Harris, Deb Mell, Andrea Schleifer, Debra Shore, Mary Trew and Brad Trowbridge.

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MCTKW-7231 Windy City Times Newspaper LO1 • 2/8/12 WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 3 this week in WINDY CITY TIMES WIN NEWS ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Lesbian denied communion in Md. 4 Scottish Play Scott 27 HRC selects new president 5 Theater reviews 28 LGBT teen site; marriage in Md. 6 Fawzia Mirza profile 30 Couple’s travel dilemma 7 Annie Potts of ABC’s GCB 31 MADONNA Judy Shepard; Kameny’s grave 8 Knight: John Carter 32 Anita Bryant’s son; Prop 8 reading 9 Gay-rights movie; Kyle Richards 33 LGBT shelter opens 10 Pop Making Sense 34 PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE 11 Author/activist Mary Patten 35 Dish: The Gage 36 TICKETS! Darrow; DIFFA; amendment 15 T in the Life 16 Chicago Takes Off photos 37 Gay in the Life 17 Billy Masters 41 with Political charts 18 AIDS @ 30 22 OUTLINES Views: Mena; letters 26 Real estate; classifieds; pets 38 Calendar Q 40 Sports: “You Can Play” 42 Photos on cover (left, from top): Chicago Takes Off by Kat Fitzgerald; pic of Chad Griffin by Rex Wockner; photo of Robert Green Jr. from Green Jr.; Judy Shepard PR photo

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Psychologist Read about a Dr. Edward forum with queer Fajardo writes writers of color at beauty mark about pursuing Center on Halsted. Read about the Lesbian Leadership happiness. CLICKTOWIN! Council’s event at Beauty Bar. Photo of Vaimoana Photo from Fajardo Niumeitolu from Niumeitolu ENTER TO WIN one pair of tickets by sending IN CHAMBERS an email with “MADONNA” in the subject line to EAT TO THE BEAT Read an interview with The Cooking Channel’s Nadia G. [email protected] by Mon., Mar. 12 to be entered. Winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email. One entry per person, please. THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT Read entertainment news about Janet Jackson, Adele and Brad Goreski.

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Mr. Union Suit Manhole’s 2012 at Touche. Phys Ed. at page 12 Hydrate. page 8 PLUS Find Nightspots on www.WindyCityQueercast.com 4 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES and in every situation,” he said. ONLINE AT “It appears more and more that the Spirit is calling us to be that sacramental presence of WINDYCITYMEDIAGROUP.COM Lesbian denied Christ to our community; and we will continue NATIONAL NEWS to be faithful to that call, in spite of efforts by leaders in the Church to deny our dignity and communion at baptismal rights as happened in Maryland,” Pett said. For its part, the Washington archdiocese ac- mother’s funeral knowledged in a statement, that Guarnizo had acted inappropriately, saying, “Any issues re- by Chuck Colbert garding the suitability of an individual to re- —Sebelius (left): Key ceive communion should be addressed by the to re-elect Obama The denial of communion to a lesbian at her priest with that person in a private, pastoral mother’s funeral in Maryland has touched a raw setting.” —Hawaii governor nerve among LGBT Catholics, prompting a vari- The Washington archdiocesan policy of not won’t defend state’s ety of responses there and beyond. withholding communion and for priests to coun- anti-gay statute But first, the facts of the incident are perhaps sel Catholics privately is similar to the rule in best described in the words of the woman, Bar- the Chicago archdiocese under leadership of Car- —Newton, Mass. has bara Johnson, 51, who explained to local met- dinal Francis George. first transgender rep ropolitan media in Washington, D.C., what Rev. Johnson also received an apology through Marcel Guarnizo said to her, “I cannot give you correspondence from an auxiliary bishop. communion because you live with a woman, and “I am sorry that what should have been a in the eyes of the church that is a sin.” celebration of your mother’s life, in light of His denial stunned Johnson, a lifelong Catho- her faith in Jesus Christ, was overshadowed However, the Johnson family wants disciplin- lic and former Catholic schoolteacher, who lives by a lack of pastoral sensitivity,” Bishop Barry ary action taken against Guarnizo. In a letter to with a partner of 20 years. Johnson has ties to Knestout wrote. him, she wrote, “You brought your politics, not Chicago, having lived here for some time. Johnson told local media that she was sat- your God into that Church yesterday, and you will pay dearly on the Day of Judgment for judg- “I just stood there, in shock. I was grieving, Barbara Johnson. Photo from New Ways isfied with the archdiocesan apology, adding, ing me. I will pray for your soul, but first I will crying. My mother’s body was behind me, and Ministry although the damage done to her family and all I wanted to do was provide for her, and the mother’s memory cannot be repaired. do everything in my power to see that you are final thing was to make a beautiful funeral, and Still, she does not want Catholics to walk away removed from parish life so that you will not be here I was letting her down because there was a to bullying some priests can be under the cur- from a faith her mother dearly loved. “So many permitted to harm any more families.” scene,” she told the Washington Post. rent teaching on the homosexual person in the people have said to me that now they will never The Johnson family’s mission is “not to divide The setting, for what Francis DeBernardo, ex- church,” he said. go back. That would break my mother’s heart,” the church,” Barbara told NCR. “Our mission is ecutive director of New Ways Ministry, called a “The present climate of hostility to everything Johnson told the National Catholic Reporter to receive an apology from Fr. Marcel.” “grievous error of one priest,” was a Feb. 25 fu- LGBT in the Catholic Church, I fear, has only en- (NCR). ©Chuck Colbert. All rights reserved. neral Mass at St. John Neumann Catholic Church couraged this priest to take this course of ac- in Gaithersburg, Md. tion,” said Murray. Not only did Guarnizo put his hand over the Equally sharp was lesbian feminist theologian WikiQueer launches Dignity/Chicago’s Lent communion platter, but he also walked away Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D. who voiced similar senti- The Aequalitas Project has announced the during Johnson’s eulogy. In addition, he refused ments. “The Eucharist is a sacrament, not a po- public launch of WikiQueer (www.WikiQueer. program thru April 1 Dignity/Chicago and Wisdom & Word Works to go to the cemetery with the family for her litical football,” she said. org), the nonprofit’s LGBT wiki program, ac- Foundation will present a program for Lent fo- mother’s burial. “This terrible abuse of one family at a time of cording to a press release. WikiQueer is a cused on “What Covenant means to us today “For Barbara Johnson, this is an utterly un- great pastoral need is but a snapshot of anti- web-based, not-for-profit, free-content ency- ... after 40 years” through Sunday, April 1, at believable and painful experience,” said De- LGBTQ theology in action. It is outdated, out- clopedia and resource project, and it’s based Broadway United Methodist Church, 3338 N. Bernardo of New Ways, a gay-positive ministry moded, and outrageous,” said Hunt, co-founder on an openly editable model. Broadway. of reconciliation, healing, and justice for LGBT and co-director of the Women’s Alliance for The- Anyone with Internet access can write and Rev. Barbara Zeman and Rev. Mary Ramsden Catholics based in Mt. Rainier, Md. ology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER). make changes to WikiQueer articles—except will lead reflections during Dignity’s weekly “The fact that it has resonated so strongly Based in Silver Spring, Md., WATER is a femi- in certain cases where editing is restricted to Sunday Mass followed by group discussions within the Catholic community shows that peo- nist educational center and social justice net- prevent disruption or vandalism. during customary soup supper after each of ple are very concerned. Gay Catholics are upset,” work. WikiQueer is a program of The Aequalitas the five Sundays of Lent at 5 p.m. For more he added. Chris Pett, president of Dignity Chicago, used Project, a nonprofit organization serving as information, visit www.dignity-chicago.org or “What it tells me is there has to be a lot better a softer tone. “The Catholic Church has always an incubator for new progressive programs. In call 312-458-9438. pastoral training of priests, particularly on gay taught that its mission is to be the sacrament addition to The Aequalitas Project, a global and lesbian issues,” said DeBernardo. of Christ to the world, an agent of healing and advisory board and participating content Joe Murray, executive director of Chicago’s spiritual nurturance. It is our belief as LGBT Ro- partners oversee the administrative and stra- Rainbow Sash Movement, was pointed in his man Catholic communities, like Dignity Chicago, tegic aspects of WikiQueer. assessment. “I think this illustrates how open that we are called to live that mission every day EDWARD J.

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www.edmaloneyforjudge.com Paid for by AdvocatesPaid for forby AdvocatesAbbey for for Judge Abbey for Judge Paid for by Advocates forPaid Abbey for by Advocatesfor Judge for Abbey for Judge Paid for by Friends of Edward J. Maloney WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 5 campaign firm of Griffin|Schein in Los Angeles. There is no better person than Chad Griffin to A native of Arkansas, Griffin also worked for a lead the Human Rights Campaign and their mil- time in the White House communications office lions of supporters.” HRC appoints of President Bill Clinton. —Judy Shepard, president of the Matthew HRC is perhaps the LGBT national community’s Shepard Foundation: “I couldn’t be happier for most stable organization, having changed lead- HRC and my good friend, Chad Griffin. He’s just new president ers on a fairly consistent basis every six years. brilliant. The ways in which he connects with The organization was established in 1978 by people on issues of equality continue to amaze By Lisa Keen The announcement of that lawsuit drew resis- Steve Endean and hired Washington, D.C., ac- me. He’s going to be a great leader for HRC, and Keen News Service tance from many established LGBT legal activists tivist Vic Basile as executive director in 1983. the equality movement and I look forward to at first. Many thought that taking the marriage Basile was followed by Massachusetts activist working with him.” The next president of the nation’s largest LGBT issue into federal court—a seemingly inevitable Tim McFeeley in 1989, California leader Eliza- —NAACP Chairman Emeritus Julian Bond: political group will be Chad Griffin, a California issue for the U.S. Supreme Court—was risky and beth Birch in 1995, Washington operative Joe “Chad Griffin is a great choice—he is a major activist who has made a name for himself by ini- premature, given the growing conservatism of Solmonese in 2005 and, now, Griffin. leader in the fight for equality. HRC has staged a tiating and orchestrating one of the most impor- the high court. They wanted a lawsuit to evolve ©2012 by Keen News Service. All rights re- coup!” tant legal challenges in LGBT history. Griffin will out of a careful campaign of public education. served. —Current HRC President Joe Solmonese: succeed current Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Even renowned constitutional law expert Lau- “Chad Griffin has the leadership qualities critical President Joe Solmonese in June. rence Tribe believed the timing was risky. Ten- to propel our movement for equality forward and Griffin, 38, is the founder of the American sions were so high at one point, Griffin’s legal What others say about I am so proud that he will succeed me this June Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the group team opposed the appointment of LGBT legal Griffin’s appointment leading HRC.” that enlisted the legal services of some of the groups as intervenors in the case, leaving the —Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to Presi- —Writer Rex Wockner: “This is a new day for nation’s best lawyers to launch a lawsuit against LGBT community essentially out of the loop in a dent Obama: “The President appreciates the HRC—and a vindication/embracing of younger California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Propo- case that would directly impact it. work that the Human Rights Campaign has done LGBT activists who have dared to think outside sition 8. The lawsuit, which so far has been However, as the litigation developed, Griffin with us and we congratulate Chad on his new the box. Several national LGBT groups were, as and his litigators began to work with LGBT legal position as President of HRC. We look forward to you recall, ferociously opposed to Chad’s fed- group leaders and the tensions turned quickly working with him.” eral lawsuit against Prop 8—and now he’s to be into teamwork. —AFER Executive Director Adam Umhoefer: America’s #1 gay activist.” Prior to founding AFER, Griffin was a found- “Chad is a visionary leader who not only dreams ing partner of the political communications and the impossible, but also accomplishes it. ...

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Chad Griffin. Photo courtesy of Human Rights Campaign succeeded in having Prop 8 declared unconsti- tutional in both federal district court and by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Supreme Court, is considered one of the most important pieces of litigation in LGBT history. HRC announced Griffin’s appointment March 2. “We’re ecstatic to have someone of Chad’s caliber as our next president,” said HRC co-chair Tim Downing and HRC Foundation co-chair San- dra Hartness in a joint statement. “His superior credentials and achievements, both as a vision- ary and strategist, make him uniquely qualified to lead this organization forward. Chad has a proven track record of consistently delivering results during his career. That’s something that our community rightly expects and deserves.” Through an HRC press release, Griffin said he was honored by the HRC board’s decision. “While there’s no doubt that we’ve made tre- mendous progress on the road to equality, we must not forget that millions of LGBT Americans ASSIGNED TO LARGEST VOLUME CHILD PROTECTION COURT still lack basic legal protections and suffer the IN COOK COUNTY FOR NEARLY 4 YEARS. consequences of discrimination every day,” said APPOINTED BY THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT IN 2008 Griffin. “Today’s generation of young people, and each generation hereafter, must grow up with AND RECALLED TO JUDICIAL SERVICE IN 2010. the full and equal protection of our laws, and BAR RATINGS finally be free to participate in the American CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION QUALIFIED dream. As HRC president, I’ll approach our work ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION QUALIFIED with a great sense of urgency because there are real life consequences to inaction.” ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION QUALIFIED Log Cabin Republicans’ national president, CHICAGO COUNCIL OF LAWYERS QUALIFIED R. Clarke Cooper, called Griffin “a leader who BLACK WOMEN LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED knows achieving victory will require advocacy COOK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED and champions on both sides of the [partisan] DECALOGUE SOCIETY OF LAWYERS RECOMMENDED aisle.” HELLENIC BAR ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED Solmonese, whose contract with HRC was PUERTO RICAN BAR ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED scheduled to end this month, will stay on until HISPANIC LAWYERS ASSOCIATION QUALIFIED Griffin takes the helm June 11. Ben Speckmann WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS RECOMMENDED Griffin was a relative unknown to the LGBT community nationally until he organized the lawsuit Perry v. Brown against Prop 8. He enlist- ed lead attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies to electjudgegeanopoulos.com take the case, drawing a flood of publicity and optimism to the prospects for success in striking Paid for by Elect Judge Geanopoulos down the ban. 6 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES Social-networking site launches for LGBT teens by Charlsie Dewey

LGBT teens have a new social-networking site they can call their own. JustLeftTheCloset.com launched in February and is a social-networking space for kids just coming out or not quite out yet to connect with one another. The site is for kids age 13-18 and has already added nearly 800 members in its first three weeks. “We wanted to give kids a community where they knew there were other people like them,” said Just Left The Closet Community Manager Jeremy Cabalona. “Growing up I kind of dealt with a lot of the same things, being in a small, isolated community and not really having any friends and being in a really conservative fam- ily without anyone to talk to. Feeling like I was the only person going through this. Having a re- source where there are other kids going through the exact same thing in a non-threatening en- vironment and a safe environment, I felt would Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley signs the marriage bill. Photo by Patsy Lynch have made a huge difference in my life so I’ve always wanted to do something like this.” Unlike Facebook, Cabalona said the website offers gay kids a greater opportunity to be Jeremy Cabalona. Photo courtesy of Cabalona Maryland’s marriage and that separate and unequal are not the themselves. American way. “On Facebook, your friends from school are on bill becomes law National Center for Lesbian Rights Execu- there, your family is on there,” he said. “For a Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed Mary- tive Director Kate Kendell, Esq., said, “There kid who is just coming out or not out yet they Teens can also find links to TheTrevorProject. land’s marriage-equality bill into law March 1, is no doubt that 2012 is off to a firecracker can’t really say anything on there or be them- org and ItGetsBetter.org for support and help becoming the eighth state to legalize same- start when it comes to tipping the scales in selves on there. The goal of Just Left the Closet with the issues they are struggling with. Caba- sex marriage. favor of full equality for our relationships and is to get someone who needs that space, who lona said in the future they hope to be able to The law takes effect January 2013, accord- a future where the promise of justice for all is needs a bit of anonymity, or somewhere to just create a state-by-state resource list. ing to the Washington Times. realized. talk about how their day is going without being However, the main purpose of the site is to “Religious freedom was the very reason for “Governor Martin O’Malley, like Washington judged. A big part of Just Left the Closet is giv- give teens an opportunity to share their coming our state’s founding and at the heart of re- Governor Chris Gregoire last month, has dis- ing them that safety.” out stories, inspirational quotes or comments, ligious freedom is the freedom of individual tinguished himself as a political leader who Cabalona and founder Tomo Delaney decided tough experiences they are facing and just have conscience,” O’Malley said. takes seriously his oath to uphold and defend to create the website in response to the on- fun talking with one another. In the future be- Lambda Legal Executive Director Kevin the Constitution. We know we have farther slaught of teen bullying stories and suicides sides the postcard feature, which is the way in Cathcart said in a statement, “It’s a great day to go before every LGBT person can live fully that continue to occur across the country. The which kids send messages to one another, the for equality in Maryland. The state is indeed and freely, but today in Maryland our brothers site is designed to be a safe space for teens to site will also offer an open forum for discussion. stronger today with marriage equality for and sisters can rest easier, knowing that their be themselves. “I think their user experience is a lot different same-sex couples and their families. families are recognized and secure under the Cabalona said that visitors are encouraged to than on Facebook because you are kind of inter- “This past month has been a momentous law.” select user names. The site also does not of- acting with people who you might not necessar- one for the LGBT community. From coast to Opponents of same-sex marriage are already fer a photo album feature and kids are reminded ily know, but who you know understand you,” coast—in Washington, New Jersey and Mary- working to gather the 55,736 signatures nec- not to post photos of themselves if they are not Cabalona said. land—many elected officials are standing up essary to refer the Civil Marriage Protection comfortable or out. The site also emphasizes us- For more information, visit www.JustLeft- for equality, and old-fashioned American val- Act to the general election in November, the ers’ ability to block or report anyone who makes TheCloset.com. ues of fairness and common sense again have Digital Journal reported. them uncomfortable. Cabalona and Delaney carried the day. People all across the country monitor all content that is posted on the site understand that marriage protects families, for appropriateness as well. Sharon Finegan Patterson for Circuit Court Judge, 8th Subcircuit, Durkin Roy vacancy Democratic Primary, March 20, 2012

• Former middle school teacher • 31 years of legal experience • Protector of every person’s rights to be treated equally and with dignity and respect! • Highly recommended/highly qualified or

“Particularly hard-working recommended/qualified by every attorney bar association! with good legal ability and • “GOOD CANDIDATE” -Chicago Tribune Sharon with her son Tom, a clinical psychologist temperament, and good who is counseling our soldiers in the US Army. analytical skills.” Paid for by Friends of Sharon Finegan Patterson -Chicago Council of Lawyers A Vote for Sharon is a Vote for Equality! Punch # 193 WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 7 Travel regulation affecting gay couple’s future By NATASHA HEMLEY know it would be his last. “When I entered, the immigration officer said It seems like something out of a movie: two lov- that [I] have used the visa waver program six ers meeting on the Internet, thousands of miles times, and it’s starting to look as though you away from each other, pouring their hearts out live here. In the future, you will be refused entry through a computer screen. However, this ro- into the U.S. It’s best if you get a visa,” said mance may not have a fairy-tale ending, thanks Roach. to a passport-related rule limiting same-sex Roach claims that when he went for his tourist couples. visa application interview the consulate denied Mike Roach and Carl Barlow first met on an him a visa because he was gay. Internet forum for newly out LGBT members. He said, “I didn’t know what to expect. I said, The two men were coming to terms with their ‘I’m in a gay relationship, I want to go spend sexuality; Roach was a newly out gay man and some time with him, I’m not using it to live Carl was a former Mormon whose marriage to a there,’ and he actually said to me ’If you [were] woman was ending. in a straight relationship, we probably would “We were both on symmetrical wave lengths at grant you this visa.’” that time. Both of us venturing out embracing Lavi Soloway—an immigration attorney and what we knew was inside of us and trying to find founder of Stop The Deportation—told Windy somebody of like heart [and] mind to talk with,” City Times that Roach is in the situation “be- said Barlow. cause he told them he was in a relationship with The couple’s love for travel and sharks kept a U.S. citizen.” [Note: Soloway is not involved in them talking. Roach and Barlow’s case.] “Our first conversations were about sharks Soloway added that the solution to Roach’s [and] places we would like to visit,” said Barlow. problem is for him to stop visiting the United After three months of steady five-hour long States until he can rebuild ties with his own conversations, the couple decided to transition country. their relationship from the virtual to the real Roach recently made a YouTube video called Mike Roach (left) and Carl Barlow. Photo courtesy of the couple world. Roach flew from the United Kingdom to “My Desperate Plea: Let Me Be With The Person Tennessee, where Barlow is in medical school; I Love.” The video, made a few weeks ago, has plagued by immigration issues each year, but shared love of video games to get them through. after two weeks, the couple was in love. already generated more than 8,000 hits. In the not as many as opposite-sex cases. Barlow will be graduating from medical school in “It was amazing. We had a connection straight video, Roach explains his story and begs viewers “Heterosexuals deal with this more because August. The couple will then have more time to away. We decided to continue the relationship,” to go the White House website and sign a peti- there is more of them,” said Soloway. decide what to do next. said Roach. tion. Roach has already gotten 985 signatures, Soloway added that because each case has “In ways, our relationship is really good, and Roach was using the U.S. visa waver program, but needs 24,015 more before March 13 in order to be looked at individually, individuals cannot then, in ways, it’s really tragic. If you had my which allows citizens of other countries to come for his case to be examined. create universal laws that dictate the number apartment hacked with a camera, you would see to the United States for a maximum of 90 days “I was asking people to write to the White of times each person can come into the United someone sitting in front of a monitor anywhere without a visa, to visit Barlow on and off during House [to] express [how] they think it’s wrong,” States. from four to 15 hours just interacting with his 2010 to 2011. When Roach flew back to Tennes- said Roach. For now, the couple is relying on Skype and a computer monitor,” said Barlow. see for the last time in August 2011, he didn’t Roach and Barlow’s case is one of many

Appointed by Illinois Supreme Court

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PUNCH NUMBER 186 Judge Trew officiating at the mass civil union event, Early Vote: Feb. 27 - Mar. 15 sponsored by the Civil Rights Agenda, Chicago History Museum, June 3, 2011. Election Day: March 20

9th John Subcircuit VOTE #183 on March 20, 2012 EHRLICH Democrat for Judge, 8th Judicial Subcircuit Endorsed by Chicago Tribune

Paid for by the Committee to Elect John H. Ehrlich; a copy of our report is available for purchase from the and IVI-IPO State Board of Elections or the Cook County Clerk. www.VoteTrew.com Advertisement paid for by Vote Trew Committee 8 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES Activist Judy Shepard coming back to Chicago BY JERRY NUNN our money but we are doing okay. We never want to turn down a donation, don’t get me wrong, Judy Shepard is the mother of Matthew Shepard but we are not in danger of having to close our who was murdered in Laramie, Wyo., in 1998. doors. Since then she has become an advocate for LGBT WCT: Politically, how are you seeing things? rights creating the Matthew Shepard Foundation JS: On a personal level, I am very much an with her husband. Obama supporter. He has been wonderful for Several events are bringing Judy back to town the community. In a follow up term he could and we caught up with her to talk about it. do amazing things. One concern I have in the Windy City Times: Hello, Judy. We haven’t Republican campaign is that it has dissolved talked in a while. You have been a little busy. into this mess of 1950 attitudes. We could have Judy Shepard: It has been crazy busy. the most amazing president in office but if he WCT: You are coming back to Chicago with a doesn’t get some cooperative work with Con- full schedule. gress, nothing will get done. The system is the JS: I am looking forward to it. Keep that system and, yes, it is annoying but it works with weather nice until we get there, okay? people compromising. It is not what everyone WCT: I will do my best! You have an appear- wants 100 percent, but it certainly seems better ance at the Chase Auditorium and then a re- than the stalemate we have right now. ception after. WCT: Were you involved with “Don’t Ask, JS: Yes, at The Carlyle. Don’t Tell?” WCT: Elaine Dame, who is singing in a jazz JS: I wasn’t directly a part of “Don’t Ask, Don’t quartet, I have seen perform several times. Tell.” I spoke on it when asked. I was invited JS: Great. I have not. Is she wonderful? to come to the signing but I couldn’t. I had a WCT: Yes. I saw her perform at coffee houses conflict. Everyone in country worked very hard years ago. On Saturday, you are a Center on on that. It was a life changing moment for ev- Halsted. eryone. I think it is appalling that folks are still JS: I have been there before. fighting against it. It is done so let’s move on! WCT: Is it a speech that you are doing there? WCT: You’re doing something on the mar- JS: It is H.E.R. day at the Center. I speak then riage-equality front. there is a luncheon. After the luncheon there are JS: I am on the advisory board for the organi- Judy Shepard. several workshops dealing with women’s issues. zation that is sponsoring Prop 8’s decision. They This is also for anyone describing themselves as have done amazing work. Chad Griffin is doing women so for transgender also. great work. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Olson, the attor- WCT: The play The Laramie Project: Ten Years neys, are keeping the discussion in the forefront. Later opens that night. The fact that we have gone in Washington State The grave of JS: It is the second half 10 years later. and making progress in Maryland is important. Sgt. Leonard WCT: So this is a completely different pro- I am very disappointed that Governor Christie Matlovich. The duction. took the stance that he did. Everyone should Kameny stone JS: It is the Redtwist Theatre group. The group realize that when you put any civil rights issue is the white one went back in 2010 to do research and visited to the popular vote it is never going to work. on the left. some of the same folks. They re-interviewed It just doesn’t. If we did that in the 1960s, we Photo by some of the same people from the first play would still have segregation. Tracy Baim to see if anything had changed since Matt was That was disappointing. I understand he has killed. to keep his little pocket of people happy. He I think, initially, they were pretty disappointed is on the wrong side of history. I think in my that things hadn’t changed that much but over- lifetime we will actually see a national change all I don’t think it was less or more any different like we did in Loving versus Virginia where there Kameny ceremony delayed, than the rest of the country at that point in time will be a federal mandate to recognize marriage on how far they had come in the recognition of equality. but stone in place the gay community and their rights. In the last WCT: I am from Tennessee and wondered if few years, things have totally turned a corner. you get a chance to speak down there with all By Tracy Baim WCT: What part did you play in the show? of the recent controversy. JS: I was interviewed this time. That is pretty JS: Oh, my. I have spoken to several colleges A planned March 3 graveside ceremony at much it. As with the original production I had there and churches as well. If I am invited to an the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, no input and no involvement other than being area it is never the area where I am the contro- D.C. for the late gay activist Dr. Franklin E. interviewed. versy. I am invited because they are already on Kameny was postponed after a disagreement WCT: So there is a person playing you on- the same page as me or I am on the same page surfaced between his estate and organizers stage this time. as them. It is a reinvigoration of the movement. of the tribute. JS: Weird, huh? Well, it was weird for me. I don’t get invited to a place where I have the Many LGBTs were in town for the event, be- WCT: I imagine it would be. Where have you opportunity to change anyone’s mind. It is the cause it was held the same day as the Service- been traveling to? yin and the yang of what I do, I guess. members Legal Defense Network national din- JS: I couldn’t even tell you. I am gone all the My husband was in Tennessee with the Tennes- ner, but fortunately the stones (one a head time it seems like. I was at the UN. They are see hate-crime folks. He spoke to members of stone, and the other a grave marker stating getting ready to do a giant global initiative on the state congress and was very critical of the “Gay is Good,” a phrase coined in the 1960s homophobia. It is really a big deal for them. I “Don’t Say Gay” bill. I can’t believe the things by Kameny) were in place. His remains will be was part of a panel there. they are doing in Tennessee and Virginia as well. placed there once there is a resolution be- We were participants in getting awards for It is beyond the pale how many steps we have tween those who raised funds for the tribute Chase. It was on TV before Christmas. taken backward. and Kameny’s estate. It has been really busy in a really good way. I WCT: That is very common down there to The inscription on Kameny’s headstone was happy to see that in some places; attitudes avoid the subject and not talk about things. (provided by the U.S. Veterans Administration are changing. The poles are showing how much Well, I always enjoy talking to you. See you which identifies Kameny’s rank, military ser- more accepting folks are about the gay commu- in town soon and keep up the important work vice, WWII engagement and theater of battle nity. That is wonderful. you are doing. in Germany as well as his date of birth and WCT: Has it been challenging to raise money JS: I will. See you soon. death) reads: Franklin E. Kameny, PFC, U.S. in these economic times? Take your own steps forward to see Shepard Army, World War II, May 21, 1925, October JS: We have survived that. We are doing okay. in person March 9 at the Chase Tower Audito- 11, 2011, Germany. We have been doing more corporate tasks and rium, 10 S. Dearborn St., at 11:30 a.m.; on The grave is just a few feet behind that of sponsorships. We are not huge. We never have March 10 at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Hal- the late Sgt. Leonard Matlovich (1943-1988). been huge. There are only five or six of us at any sted St. at 11 a.m.; and the same day at 6:30 His headstone famously states, “A Gay Viet- given time. We are not looking to be a huge or- p.m. at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr nam Veteran: When I was in the military they Kameny’s grave; the stone in the fore- ganization. We have our own little niche and we Ave. For more details and tickets for Judy’s gave me a medal for killing two men and a ground reads “Gay is Good.” Photo by Tracy fill it very well. I think that is how we are still appearances, visit www.matthewshepard.org. discharge for loving one.” Baim here. When times are tough we are tight with WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 9 have to doubt that was purely something he did I was a teenager. Being at that age, I was ques- to make her a better performer. I think he maybe tioning pretty much everything about what my Talking with the son of subconsciously resented her success. parents thought and did anyway, regardless of WCT: Your dad has been portrayed as some- whether they had gotten involved in that or not. one whose life just stopped after their di- It’s not like I sought out this strange forbidden Bob Green and Anita Bryant vorce. Do you think that’s accurate? tribe, but I was very open to meeting and talk- BY KATE SOSIN Nowhere have I seen … any expression on his RG: Yeah. I think in a lot of ways it did. I know ing with gays and lesbians. part of responsibility for the life he ended up that in the year or two after that he pretty much Since then, I’ve made friends with a lot of In late January, Robert Green Jr. found himself leading. To be honest, I didn’t really broach the broke down. I don’t think he was really fully- people, some of whom I didn’t know were gay or back where he started more than 30 years ago— subject with him. In the limited amount of time functioning for a couple of years. Three out of lesbian. I don’t think in some cases they knew trying to reconcile the parents he knew with the that I had with him, living up here in Chicago. the four of us kids moved away with my mom. for a while… it’s deepened our friendship, or public image they created, an image he fled and ... I preferred I guess to keep things positive I decided to stay, largely because I was worried sense of loyalty and solidarity to still be friends largely avoided for decades. and not go into that territory. about my dad, you know, what if he decided to after each came out and for them to see that Green Jr. is the oldest son of famous anti-gay I have to some extent gone into that terri- kill himself? I had one more year of high school, there was no need to worry in our case. crusaders Anita Bryant and Bob Green, who bat- tory with my mom, however. We’ve definite have so I figured I would stay with him. Here were WCT: Were your gay friends afraid to come tled the Dade County, Fla., ordinance banning some back and forth about what her views were the two of us in this big, more or less empty, out to you because you are the son of Anita discrimination against gay people and won in back then, what they are now and if those views big house. He never really let go of his sense of Bryant? 1977. have changed in any way and from my point of loss, his grief, the resentment over the breakup RG: I don’t really think so, because people who On Jan. 26, Green Sr. died at the age of 80, view, if not, then why not? of his family. potentially worried about that already knew to after suffering kidney failure. WCT: So, you don’t share your parents views WCT: What was he like as a person? some extent. … I didn’t share my mom’s views. The news of his passing spread slowly, mostly on gay rights? RG: Like any human being, he was a compli- I don’t think it was a worry really. It was more because Green Jr. spent weeks agonizing over RG: I think of the four of us kids of Bob Green cated guy. It is unfortunate that most people like, it made me a curiosity to some extent. his father’s obituary before he widely announced and Anita Bryant, I am probably the most sym- only had gotten to see them through the lens WCT: Do you think your mom has softened the death. He has complicated feelings about pathetic towards gay and lesbian rights and of their position against gay rights. As a dad, he on the issue? his father, a man he said was devoted and kind probably in a lot of ways more socially, political- was a lot of fun to be around. He had a perverse RG: I think she is certainly more willing now to his children. He wants his father to be re- ly, religiously left of certainly where my parents sense of humor his whole life. To people outside to live and let live, I guess. She’s about 70, and membered for more than the fiercely anti-gay were at that time. All of us are more moderate our family, I think he would often come across she’s still amazingly energetic, and she would stance that came to define his family, but Green than our parents. at first as a prickly character, but once they saw be putting a lot more energy into fighting gay Jr. concedes disappointment in some of his fa- WCT: Your dad converted to Christianity the prickliness was part of the sense of humor, rights if she still felt as strongly. ther’s views. around the time he married your mom. Was they enjoyed being around him. WCT: Do you remember the details of the Green Sr. married Anita Bryant in 1960, aban- your sense that he following your mom’s lead WCT: What do you think is the biggest mis- controversy and how it felt? doning his deejay career to manage the fledgling on gay issues? conception people have about your parents? RG: I was in my early to mid teens in the late singer. The couple raised four children together RG: I think, at first, he was trying to dissuade RG: I guess that they were hateful. I remem- 70s and yeah, I certainly do remember a lot before Bryant called it quits in 1980 and left her from taking any public position. He was ber in the heat of the controversy going into a from it. I’m kind of like my dad in that until the shop with my mom… [a man] came over and past two years, I have not really liked revisiting shook her hand and said he backed what she was those times, those memories. doing and basically said “I hate fags, too.” She WCT: What changed in the last two years? immediately set him straight about that, that RG: I think maybe it’s because I’m middle- she did not hate anyone. That wasn’t the point aged. I have a family of my own. I’m just at a for her about what she was trying to do. point in my life where there’s enough distance. WCT: Do you remember when you started I think more and more, it’s been easier for me to actually interacting with gay people? accept that past and not just turn away from it. RG: When my parents first got involved in this,

Undated photo of Robert Green Jr. and Robert Green Sr. Photo courtesy of Green Jr.

Green. Three of the four kids left with Bryant, clear-sighted about what the consequences for but Green Jr. moved with his father just three their careers would be. I do think that my mom blocks from their old home. Green Sr. spent the always had much stronger religious and moral next three decades fixated on the past. Green convictions than my dad. He did very much fol- Jr. fled to Wheaton College in Illinois, far away low her lead in those areas of her life. I think from the controversy and pain of his parent’s he followed her lead in the decision to fight gay divorce. For years, he avoided looking back. rights. Green Jr., a senior copywriter, lives in Chicago WCT: Do you think their battle against gay now and has a family of his own. He also has a rights, as some have suggested, caused the number of gay friends, a fact he discusses unre- end of their marriage and careers? markably. He does not share his parents’ views RG: No. I think it just aggravated problems on LGBT issues. that they already had in their marriage that Windy City Times caught up with Green Jr. and existed maybe from the beginning. I think it’s From left: Jamie Lee Curtis, Christine Lahti, Matt Bomer, Matthew Morrison and George asked him to share his memories of growing up telling that my dad accepted my mom’s version Clooney at the March 3 Prop 8 reading. Photo by Michael Underwood/ABImages and explain why he spent his life trying to es- of Christianity right around the time they got cape that past, only to come back around. married. That was kind of a condition of their The interview has been edited for length and getting married. Prop 8 reading: Top actors and global audience clarity. From what I could tell from the time when I The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact presented the West was old enough to pay attention to such things, Windy City Times: You were disheartened by Coast premiere reading of the play 8 March 3 before a sold-out crowd in Los Angeles and a there was always this tension between them your father’s outlook on life before he died. worldwide audience watching on YouTube, according to an AFER press release. about the direction her career should go in, Why? The production is an account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Robert Green Jr.: He blamed gay and lesbian about how many engagements she should take Perry v. Brown), the case filed by AFER to overturn Proposition 8, which denied marriage equality people for the disappointments that followed on. … I think from pretty early on as her man- in California. the aftermath of that for wrecking my mom’s ager, he saw all of the praise she was getting The West Coast premiere reading of 8 was written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and career, which of course my dad at the time had from everybody, and so he made a deliberate ef- AFER founding board member Dustin Lance Black and directed by founding board member Rob been very much a part of as her manager as well fort to play devil’s advocate, play her toughest Reiner. Bryan Singer, director of The Usual Suspects and X-Men, was the presenting sponsor. as her husband. I think he blamed gay and lesbi- critic. She would finish a show, and everyone The benefit event raised more than $2 million for the fight to secure full federal marriage an people in some parts for my parent’s divorce would tell her how great she had been. Then, equality. Photos by Michael Underwood/ABImages; more pics online at www.WindyCityMedia- and the difficulty that my dad had in finding when the two of them would be alone, he would Group.com other work. point out every single mistake she had made. I 10 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

patrol duty. Vida/SIDA opens LGBT shelter Immigration “We have put more officers on the street and we are creating efficiencies to better activists serve the residents in communities across Chicago,” McCarthy said in a statement. headed for trial Residents have expressed concerns, how- By Jamie Anne Royce ever, that the closures will make their com- munities less safe. Six youth immigration activists, arrested According to the Chicago Tribune, McCarthy while protesting an U.S. Immigration and said the cutbacks will save the city between Customs Enforcement (ICE) Secure Communi- $10 to $12 million. ties public hearing, face a bench trial March The consolidation means some reorganiza- 20. tion of Lakeview CPD officers, some of whom Through Secure Communities, when some- became familiar faces last summer when con- one is arrested, that person’s biometric in- troversy over a perceived increase in violence formation (fingerprints) is checked against sparked a heated community debate. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) da- Kathleen Boehmer, former 23rd Dist. Com- tabases. If there is a match, ICE is notified mander, has been transferred to the Area and takes action. Central Detective Bureau, according to a CPD DHS hosted a series of public hearings news affairs spokesperson. Boehmer is well- across the country on Secure Communities known in Boystown as she attended several to gain feedback from the people. During community meetings in summer 2011 when the Chicago hearing in August, members of residents expressed concerns about a per- the Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL), ceived increase in crime. Nuestra Voz and the Latin@ Youth Action Taking charge of the Town Hall District sta- League (LYAL) shared their opinions on the tion is Commander John Kenney. program and called for attendees to walk out. After leaving the meeting, six undocument- From left: Juan Calderon, state Sen. Iriz Martinez and Roberto Sanabria take part in a ribbon- ed immigrants—Fanny Lopez-Martinez, Jorge Fairchild to head cutting. Photo by Ed Negron Mena, Arianna Salgado, Ireri Unzueta Carras- co, Carla Navoa and Miguel Martinez—formed Cream City Fdn. By Kate Sosin in services in the Latino/a community. a circle on West Washington Street, blocking Cream City Foundation, Inc.—a commu- “We have noticed the same thing with home- traffic. Police removed them from the street nity-based organization focused on funding It took years of revised plans and fundraising, less youth,” he said. “Once a child is homeless, several times before the activists sat in an LGBT programs and organizations working to- but on March 3 Vida/SIDA cut the ribbon on its especially if he is LGBT, these children are ex- entrance to the I-94 expressway. Police asked wards social change in southeastern Wiscon- much-anticipated LGBT homeless youth shelter, posed to violence.” them to move, and upon refusing, the activ- sin—has announced the appointment of Paul the first of its kind in the Midwest. Sanabria and others credited Vida/SIDA Di- ists were arrested. R. Fairchild as its new executive director. More than 75 people packed into the Humboldt rector Juan Calderón with making the project Mena and Unzueta Carrasco have been Fairchild joins the organization as it cel- Park organization to celebrate the opening of El a reality. At age 25, Calderón has overseen the named Windy City Times 30 Under 30 hon- ebrates its 30th year. Rescate. organization for four years now, making him the orees for their work on LGBT undocumented He most recently served as chief develop- “This is about hope,” said Cook County Com- youngest to hold the position. immigrant rights. ment officer and interim CEO for Howard missioner Edwin Reyes. “It’s about dignity, and According to José López, executive director of The activists were scheduled for a bench Brown Health Center. it’s about saving lives.” the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Vida/SIDA will trial March 2, but Judge Peggy Chiampas The transitional housing facility, located on operate with a budget in excess of a million dol- granted prosecutors a continuance because the 4th floor of Vida/SIDA, 2703 W. Division lars this year. two police officers set to testify were not in Purdue Univ. to St., will house up to 12 LGBT youths ages 18-24 López noted that the shelter opening comes court due to deaths in their families. Prosecu- hire LGBT director and provide young people with social services just days after the Tipsy Cake bakery controver- tors also added an additional charge of reck- BY KATE SOSIN like employment and education resources, skills sy, when a Humboldt Park baker said in an inter- less conduct to the mob action and obstruc- training and case management. view that she moved her storefront to Bucktown tion of traffic charges the activists are already Purdue University has launched a search for The brightly painted space contains bedrooms because Humboldt Park was dangerous. The bak- facing. a director of LGBT issues, a first for the West with bunk beds and desks, a lounge and a full ery has since apologized. The activists are now looking at a sixth Lafayette, Ind., school. kitchen/ dining area. “The news media continues to perpetuate a court date, with a trial set for March 20. According to Chris Sigurdson, a spokesper- Plans to open the shelter have been in the myth,” he said, adding that the shelter opening “I feel really frustrated. It seems like the son for Purdue, the position was created after works for more than three years. Vida/SIDA was representative of the community. city and state are really messy, really sloppy,” a recent accreditation review suggested the had announced the housing as a 2010 goal but Local politicians and LGBT leaders attending said Mena. “We’ve been ready to testify, but lack of an LGBT director was an area where struggled through fundraising and red tape to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Among them were prosecutors keep asking for a continuance. the school could improve. Other Big Ten make it happen. Chicago Commission on Human Relations Direc- It’s just taking up a lot of time.” schools already have such directors. However, on March 3, the doors finally opened. tor Mona Noriega, state Rep. Cynthia Soto and The defendants will rely on the “neces- “I think it’s pretty clear that these positions Vida/SIDA, the only local HIV/AIDS organiza- state Sen. Iris Martinez. sity defense,” an argument anti-war activists and programs are necessary,” said Sigurdson. tion that specifically serves the Latino/a com- Noriega called El Rescate “long overdue.” spearheaded in the 1980s. To successfully ar- Sigurdson cited bullying and suicides like munity, was founded in 1988 to address a lack of “This is a citywide problem,” she said. “But [El gue this defense, they must prove the protest that of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi as culturally competent healthcare for HIV-positive Rescate] is a community-based solution.” action is directly connected with the laws be- proof. Puerto Ricans. Roberto Sanabria, a longtime Attendees at the ceremony were given a tour ing protested. The university has not said when the new activist with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center of the new facilities and were shown other Vida/ hire will be announced. The school is accept- (PRCC) which oversees Vida/SIDA, said that the SIDA projects. ing applications through at least March 23. organization has grown to respond to other gaps CPD cutbacks consolidate LaBarbera up for Lakeview stations BY KATE SOSIN anti-LGBT ‘award’ The San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee and its board of directors have After a year of controversy over a perceived announced the slate of nominees for the pub- uptick in crime in Lakeview and a tight city lic’s choice for Individual Community Grand budget, the Chicago Police Department is Marshal, Organizational Community Grand combining Lakeview area police districts in Marshal and the Pink Brick, a faux award cutbacks. given to a detractor of the LGBT community, Districts 19 and 23 have been consolidated according to a press release. into the Town Hall District station, 850 W. Ad- Peter LaBarbera, president of the Naper- dison St., which previously housed Dist. 23. ville, Ill.-based organization Americans For Police Superintendant Gary McCarthy an- Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), is up for nounced the closure of four stations at a the Pink Brick. On Feb. 12, he and a few other March 3 press conference at the Town Hall people held a counterprotest while LGBT ac- station. Those include Districts 1, 2, 9 and tivists demonstrated outside Chicago’s Holy 19 (the Belmont station), all of which will be Name Cathedral. AFTAH’s mission, according combined into other districts. to its website, is “exposing and countering According to a CPD statement, the reorga- the homosexual activist agenda.” nization is the most significant the district Previously, LaBarbera was with the anti-gay structure has seen in more than three de- group Culture and Family Institute. cades, putting 100 additional police offers on One of the rooms in the shelter. Photo by Kate Sosin WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 11 BT: We thought there was going to be an Windy City Times opening in the 8th Subcircuit. My intention at Election Guide WINDY CITY TIMES the time was to get a head start if that opening Welcome to the 2010 Windy City Times Primary ever became available, and it didn’t. An opening Election Guide. PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE occurred countywide, and I tried to get enough Although a lot of local residents may be look- signatures at the last minute to get on the bal- lot. When it became clear that I didn’t have ing ahead to the general elections in November, ELECTIONS 2012: there are many intriguing races in the primary enough, I withdrew. elections March 20. WCT: You wrote a chapter on same-sex re- For example, there is the dogfight in the Sec- Brad Trowbridge on lationships in the Illinois State Bar Associa- ond Congressional District between incumbent tion’s Family Law Handbook. How did that Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. and former Congress- come about? woman Debbie Halvorson. counseling, inclusive slogan BT: I don’t know. [Laughs] I got a call from the On the state level, there is a heated race be- By Erica Demarest editor. Someone had referred me because they tween lesbian state Rep. Kelly Cassidy and les- knew I worked with a lot of same-sex couples; I bian challenger Paula Basta in the 14th District. Since leaving his counseling position at North- think it was just word of mouth in Springfield. Their interviews are in this issue. western University more than a decade ago, They asked me to write about civil unions and Next week’s issue will include talks with Cook Brad Trowbridge has launched his own family- same-sex couples—not so much as an advocate, County Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown law practice, represented more than 500 domes- but as an educator. It was finished in December and Ald. Ricardo Munoz, who are locked in a tic abuse victims and written a chapter on civil 2010, but we held off publishing since the Civil battle for her position. Both candidates are for- unions for the Illinois Bar Association. Unions Act was about to be voted on. Once that midable, but reveal personal insights in their This month, the openly gay attorney is looking was passed, [the chapter] changed entirely. It interviews with Windy City Times. to make the next leap in his career as a candi- was really focusing on how same-sex couples The March 14 issue will also include interviews date in the 8th Judicial Subcircuit. Trowbridge could contract with themselves to share prop- with several judicial candidates. With the huge recently sat down with the Windy City Times to erty and raise children—to sort of legally meld number of candidates for various levels of the talk about his campaign, counseling work and their lives together. With the passage of the civil bench, these talks may help readers to make cru- hopes for 2012. union act, that made things a little easier—kind cial choices. (This issue includes an interview Windy City Times: Can you tell us a little bit of like one-stop shopping. with out candidate Brad Trowbridge. See right.) about your counseling background? WCT: Do you think there are any areas of As always, there are political charts that show Brad Trowbridge: I started counseling in 1986, the law where LGBT people are particularly recommendations and endorsements from vari- after I got my master’s degree. Then I went to discriminated against? BT: The law, for the most part, is gender- and ous organizations and associations as well as Northwestern University to be their “gay coun- Brad Trowbridge. candidates’ scores on our questionnaire. (Windy selor,” so to speak. There’d been at least one sexual orientation-neutral. What really comes into play is the judge that people end up stand- City Times does not endorse any candidates.) suicide on campus by a gay student, and there marriage was not even seriously considered. WCT also has its Guide to the Gays, which lists was a second student that they suspected of be- ing in front of. I decided that it really wasn’t my natural way One of the things I think will be interesting: LGBT candidates. There are currently more than ing gay. The administration thought we needed to be—to be the comforter and the healer, the a dozen who are running for everything from ju- to address this head-on, so they sent a message We celebrated the passage of the Civil Unions therapist. I really wanted to roll up my sleeves Act this past June. Well, if our relationships are dicial posts to Metropolitan Water Reclamation to the LGBT student population that they valued and go kick butt, go do something. Law school commissioner. LGBT students and had a resource available to like heterosexual relationships, half of those es- would give me an avenue to do that. sentially ‘marriages’ are going to end. We’re go- Lastly, please do not forget to vote; everyone’s them. Although I counseled all undergraduate WCT: Your campaign slogan is “All Families voice deserves to be heard. And please feel free and graduate students, I was the designated gay ing to end up in the court system more than ever Matter.” Can you tell us more about that? before. to take our charts into the voting booth with counselor. I dealt with a lot of coming out is- BT: It’s supposed to encompass the idea that you. sues. It’ll be interesting to see how our judges han- all families are important. A family could be one dle same-sex couples essentially divorcing and WCT: What prompted your transition into person. It could be a straight couple, a same- law? disputing custody of their children. That could Early voting sex couple, a couple that has children, a single be an area where we’re at a disadvantage. We BT: I decided I wanted to be more of an advo- mother or a victim of abuse. cate. I went to law school at the University of Il- don’t know whether those judges are going to through March 15 It’s everybody. One of the things that I’ve treat us with respect…. or whether gender ste- For the March 20 presidential primary election, linois at Urbana-Champaign, and couldn’t move learned in my career is that our court system back here fast enough. [Laughs] It’s hard to be reotypes are going to come into play in terms of early voting will take place through March 15. doesn’t often demonstrate that all families do awarding custody. Voting locations and hours are listed at www. in your 30s and out in Champaign. matter. Sometimes people who have the money As a counselor and therapist, your role is to We need judges who have more than just cookcountyclerk.com/elections/earlyvoting/ and resources get better treatment, better rep- sound legal minds. We have to have judges who Pages/EarlyVotingLocations.aspx. In Chicago, help people heal from traumatic experiences. resentation—or representation at all. Many peo- Many of the students I worked with at North- understand the complexities of life today: hu- visit www.chicagoelections.com/page.php?id=9 ple can’t afford representation. I want to send man relationships, same-sex marriage, same-sex for sites and times. western had suffered some sort of abuse in their the message that all people should be treated lives, some sort of childhood trauma. Many of couples having children, domestic violence. It’s People who vote early must vote in person. equally, have equal access to the courts and get a different world than it was 20 years ago. them were having a hard time coming out, ei- the same justice. ther because of their family, their church or so- To learn more about Trowbridge, visit www. WCT: I saw that you ran in the 2010 judicial bradforjudge.com. ciety in general. We’re talking about the early-to election, but withdrew. mid-’90s. The notion of civil unions or same-sex

On Tuesday, Courageously standing up for March 20, Progressive a woman’s right to choose. elect Kelly Cassidy Democrat Punch Working for economic justice #62 and job creation.

A lead sponsor of the Illinois Marriage Equality measure.

Endorsed by: Mayor Rahm Emanuel Equality IL PAC Planned Parenthood IL Action Personal PAC NOW 20 Years Spent Fighting The Brady Campaign to for Our Community Prevent Gun Violence PAC Paid for by Citizens for Cassidy 12 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES ELECTIONS ‘12 cratic primary March 20. The Basta/ Voters will be choosing between two long- Cassidy question time community activists, both of whom sup- Paula Basta on priorities, BY KATE SOSIN port marriage equality, boast records of fight- ing for LGBT people and offer a progressive Only one thing is certain when it comes to the agenda. The race has divided a community campaign strengths that often throws its weight behind the out 14 District race for state representative: The BY KATE SOSIN winner is going to be an out lesbian. gay candidate, and it has become the most- Paula Basta and recent appointee Kelly Cas- watched campaign battle in Chicago’s LGBT When Paula Basta kicked off her campaign for sidy will face off in a winner-take-all Demo- community this season. 14th Dist. State Rep., Chicago’s LGBT communi- ty was given an unprecedented choice between two out lesbians for the seat. as we have seen. Discrimination is also key. public officials, I know. I’ve known them through Basta, a native of Ohio, stands at the helm of Jobs, where you live, all the things that you my work with Equality Illinois. I’m very friendly the city’s busiest senior center, the Northeast want to make sure are going to be on an equal to everyone, and basically everyone knows my (Levy) Regional Senior Center. She served on the footing and an equal basis, you have to continue work. So, this has been for me, going the next board of Equality Illinois for seven years and has to struggle for. That’s the kind of stuff that I step running for public office. I’ve been able to been active in the city’s LGBT community for look at and say we have to work hard at. garner a lot of positive feedback about my work years. The third thing would be LGBT aging. The LGBT and the history of all that I’ve accomplished. While some have said that Basta could have aging issue is interesting and important on two WCT: You have been billed by your campaign added to the ranks of openly gay politicians by levels—one is for those who are seniors now and as the independent candidate. What sets you choosing another office to pursue, others say those who will be seniors in the next 10 to 20 apart from your opponent? that Basta’s run against freshman incumbent years. This is the fastest-growing population in PB: What I’ve always said is that I can talk Kelly Cassidy may also present a new day in LGBT the country… not so much LGBT seniors but se- about me. I have been working in the field for politics, where sexual orientation is neither a niors in general. over 30 years. I think that what I find in my qualification nor deterrent to office. WCT: The 48th Ward Democratic Committee work every day is when you talk about quality of Windy City Times caught up with Basta and held an endorsement session. You didn’t at- life issues, people are really wanting somebody asked her about what sets her apart in the race tend, and the endorsement went to Cassidy. who is going to be a strong advocate for them, and why she decided to run against another les- Why didn’t you go? an independent advocate for them, and not bian. PB: We have done just about every endorse- thinking about who do you owe or who do you Windy City Times: For those who don’t know ment session that we’ve been invited to, and have to please? It’s got to be about the people. you, tell us a little bit about yourself. we have actually been doing all our endorse- WCT: There are people who have lamented Paula Basta: Currently, I run the busiest se- ment questionnaires, so we’re very much work- that are running against another out lesbian. nior center in the city of Chicago, the Northeast ing on trying to get the message out about our How do you respond to that? Levy Senior Center. We see over 200-300 people campaign. The 48th Ward endorsement session, PB: Well, I basically think that this is a race a day. Over 5,000 people a month come through Paula Basta. I personally was never asked to go. It came that is about choice. It should be able to give our doors, and basically the senior center is a through our campaign chair, Marty Rogo, and people choices, and the choices are clear. It’s community center. we had a month out scheduled—which is very not just about being a lesbian. We’re, hopefully, ize how to connect the two between policy and WCT: And most of your experience has been important—a meet-and-greet out in the com- bigger than that. I would like to open the ques- service than to see that on a daily basis. in activism and advocacy. munity. tion or maybe broaden our vision about what WCT: What are your top legislative priori- PB: I have lived in Chicago over 30 years. ... WCT: But they did invite you? we would like to see in good candidates, and to ties? I started out as a social worker. As I was work- PB: They invited us through Marty Rogo. make sure that good candidates come forward no PB: I know senior issues the best because I ing full-time, I was always involved in various WCT: The suggestion from your campaign matter their sexual orientation. worked so long in that, but also with working non-profits, and that continues to this day. I seemed to be that you have not been sup- WCT: What is the single most important families, we see a lot of folks come through our was on the board of Equality Illinois from the ported by the party. Your campaign staffers thing for voters to know about you? doors who are really struggling, and struggling year 2002 to 2009, president of the board … for have said this is a strength of your candidacy. PB: That I am an independent candidate who because as we all know, the economy has been a year. But I’m also currently on the board for PB: The work that I do presently … is to pro- will work tirelessly for the people of the 14th struggling too, but also because we see that TPAN, Test Positive Aware Network. I’m also on vide all the public officials with everything they District. people are underemployed. Also, we see a lot the Lesbian and Gay Task Force for Anita Alvarez, need around senior services … so a lot of the See www.PaulaBasta.org. the state’s attorney’s office [and was] a Gay and of our small businesses, especially in the 14th Lesbian Hall of Fame inductee in 2009. District … we have seen, unfortunately, over 30 WCT: Why the switch to politics now? businesses that have left the community, and Lesbian judge holds campaign fundraiser PB: Every day, I see the faces and hear the I think this is a real concern to people in the voices of people that are impacted by the legis- neighborhood. By Jamie Anne Royce lation and policy. Everything that’s going on in WCT: What do you see as the most impor- Springfield, many times is directly affecting the tant issues facing LGBT people? Supporters of lesbian Judge Mary S. Trew hosted a campaign fundraiser March 4 at Tsamis Law people’s lives that come to me and come to our PB: Well, obviously we need legislation around Firm in Andersonville. office. So, there’s no better thing for us to real- marriage equality. That’s key, and that’s coming After two unsuccessful—but close—judicial campaigns, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Trew to the Epstein vacancy in the 9th Judicial Subcircuit in November 2010. “I’d get close. I had good bar ratings. You get close enough, you feel like you can taste it,” said Trew. Once appointed, Trew was assigned to parentage court because of her background in family law, hearing mainly custody, visitation and child support cases. “The court is high-volume. There’s lots of problems, lots families in crisis, lots of domestic violence,” said Trew. Trew also performs civil unions, and led a mass civil-union ceremony organized by the Civil Rights Agenda in June 2011 in Millennium Park. Vote on She is currently running to retain her seat in the Democratic primary March 20. “I hope people consider my candidacy. My whole career, the reason I do what I do, is to serve the public,” said Trew. March 20 For more on Trew, visit www.votetrew.com.

From left: Betty Tsamis, judicial Equal candidate John Ehrlich, Trew, Rick Garcia and Marriage Tom Chiola. Photo by Jamie Anne Now! Royce

Paid for by Friends of Heather Steans WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 13 ELECTIONS ‘12 But yes, this is not the first year that marriage has been introduced. WCT: You have been billed as the political insider in this race by some. How do you re- Kelly Cassidy on spond to that? KC: The reality is, I am related to no one in Chicago that I didn’t give birth to. I am the marriage, activism original nobody [that] nobody sent. I came from a little island on the west coast of Florida. I BY KATE SOSIN WCT: In this race, the community gets to came here 20 years ago. I didn’t know a soul. choose between two out lesbians. What do The people that are supporting me are support- Depending on where you stand on an issue, Kelly you bring to the table that sets you apart? ing me because I spent 20 years getting things Cassidy can be your best friend or your mor- KC: My combined experience, my ability to done. They’ve seen it happen, and they are im- tal enemy. It’s a quality the recent appointee hit the ground running, pass legislation within pressed by that and they like working with me. prides herself on. The freshman state rep says the first couple of weeks within arriving there, WCT: You have also taken heat from con- she intends to be annoying in her opposition tough legislation, the relationship building I’m servatives. Do you have a favorite criticism to “concealed carry” legislation in Illinois, and able to do at a time when we need to be on you’ve received? she admits to telling anti-gay lobbyists to stop the ground quickly and really the breadth of my KC: The NRA lobbyist just threatened to en- wasting her time. experience and the issues that I can bring there dorse me if I introduced anymore gun-control Cassidy, a Rogers Park resident and a lesbian really sets me apart. bills. You know, “I’ll show you, I’ll give you my Kelly Cassidy. mother of three, got her start in Chicago as the WCT: You introduced a marriage-equality support and then everybody in your district will legislative director for the National Organization bill. Many activists say this won’t pass this hate you for it.” for Women. She went on to work in Sen. John year. few substantive bills get passed the first time WCT: What is the single most important Cullerton’s district office before holding multiple KC: Well, it took 30 years to pass human they’re introduced. thing for voters to know about you? roles in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s of- rights. It took three years to pass civil unions. I WCT: Marriage equality has been introduced KC: I don’t shrink from a fight, whether that’s fice. She was appointed in May to fill the 14th like the way those timelines shrink. Is it going before in Illinois, however. about passing a bill or winning an election, and Dist. house seat. to happen this year? Who knows? It would be KC: It has been introduced a few times. This if I say that I am with you to get something But as her political star has risen, so too have remarkable if it were to rocket to the top of the time is different in that it acknowledges the ex- done, I am not going to back down. criticisms that she has become a Democratic house agenda. Whether we get there this year or istence of civil unions and the transition to be See www.CitizensForCassidy.com. Party insider. Windy City Times caught up with not, shouldn’t be disconcerting to folks... very made, so we did have to go about it differently. Cassidy and questioned her about that percep- tion and about why she is feels like the best pick for her office. Windy City Times: You are someone who Punch started as a community activist and moved into politics. How has that transition been? #173 Kelly Cassidy: I think I have really done a Elect Judge great job for many years of bridging those two roles and carrying them out simultaneously and continue to in many ways in this role. So, it is funny because when my appointment was an- nounced, the Sun Times headline was “Lesbian Activist.” [Laughs] It was sort of hilarious, but that’s obviously how the mainstream media writes headlines. Peter Vilkelis I think that we each carry different percep- Democrat-Circuit Court of Cook County tions of what words mean, whether it’s “working from the inside” or being an activist. I actually on March 20, 2012 think that all those roles are critically impor- tant to a successful movement, and I think that people can play multiple roles in any given. WCT: What do you consider to be your most Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court and Assigned to Child Protection important legislative priorities right now? KC: For all of us, we have to be focused on The Chicago Bar Association found Peter Vilkelis... “enjoys an outstanding getting our state’s finances in order and getting this budget passed in a way that doesn’t harm reputation for his integrity, legal knowledge, trial skills, temperament and the most vulnerable folks in the community. You fine demeanor.” go there, and you’re done, and obviously we can’t be done because the needs are too great. 30 years experience as a trial lawyer and former prosecutor I did an interview ... about the marriage bill, and somebody asked, “Do you think that you’re Endorsed by Ald. Tom Tunney going to hear from critics that this is a bad year to push this because you have to pass the bud- get first?” I said, “We always have to pass a bud- get but we also have a responsibility to carry out Judge Vilkelis was recommended by the following organizations: good policies.” • The Black Women Lawyers’ Association • The Hellenic Bar Association Public safety: Going about that in a way that balances the need for public safety with the • The Cook County Bar Association * The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association need for smarter policies that spend less money • The Decalogue Society of Lawyers • The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois that actually make us safer, that’s going to be big. And fighting the coming wave of “concealed carry” is something that I’m quite excited to be In addition to the Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, part of. That’s going to be a big fight. Judge Vilkelis was found “Qualified” by the following organizations: WCT: What do you think are the most press- ing issues facing the LGBT community? • The Asian American Bar Association KC: It depends on where you are in the com- munity. As a lawmaker representing, among • The Illinois State Bar Association many other things. our community, I have to be • The Hispanic Lawyers Association mindful that marriage is important to a segment of the community, elder issues are important to a segment of the community, healthcare issues www.friendsofjudgepetervilkelis.com or 312-291-1361 are important. So, you cannot say marriage is the most important or AIDS drug funding is the most important because we are not one mind. The Chicago Council of Lawyers found Peter Vilkelis... “has good legal ability So introducing the hate-crimes act to add gen- der identity is going to be somebody’s highest and is praised for his litigation skills. He has substantial ... experience in more priority within the community. Introducing fam- complex matters.” ily medical leave so that civil-union couples are covered is going to be someone else’s highest priority. Paid for by Friends of Judge Peter Vilkelis 14 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

The March 20 primary elections feature several openly gay and lesbian candidates for office. Guide to the gays (All of the candidates are in the Democratic party.)

Paula Basta Alex Arroyo Race: State House (14th District) Race: State House (84th District) Web site: PaulaBasta.org Web site: Arroyo2012.com The skinny: This increasingly contentious race between The skinny: Arroyo was born and raised in Aurora. The Basta and incumbent state Rep. Kelly Cassidy took on in- former chair of the Aurora Democratic Party is an active trigue because it’s possibly the first political contest in union member in good standing with the Association of the state pitting two out lesbians against each other. (On Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America. Jan. 19, for example, Basta’s campaign issued a press re- Arroyo also sits on the board of directors of the Illinois lease accusing Cassidy of implying through a phone-survey Coalition of Community Services in Springfield. question that Basta’s campaign was in violation of federal law.) Basta’s website highlights her LGBT-related accom- plishments and “deep understanding of the intricacies of aging and City services.” Mike Forti Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kelly Cassidy (Simmons vacancy) Race: State House (14th District) Web site: MichaelFortiForJudge.com Web site: CitizensForKellyCassidy.com The skinny: Forti has been practicing law for more than The skinny: Once a part of the Cook County state’s attor- three decades and has been with the City of Chicago’s law ney’s office, Cassidy became a state representative in May department for 17 years. In an interview with Windy City 2011 after Harry Osterman stepped down to successfully Times, he said, “This is not an instance where people have run for alderman. Recently, she has protested library cut- to pick either someone that is highly qualified someone backs, and helped introduce a marriage-equality bill and a that is a member of the LGBT community. I think that gender-identity amendment. people in the LGBT community want and deserve both, just like the rest of the population.” Greg Harris Race: Illinois State Representative (13th District) Web site: GregHarris.org The skinny: Harris, who is openly HIV-positive as well as John Dalton being openly gay, has represented his district (which in- Race: 16th Circuit Court, Kane, “A” vacancy cludes Uptown, Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, North Center Web site: JohnDaltonForJudge.com and Bowmanville) since being elected in 2006. Although The skinny: Dalton—who would be the first openly gay his name has appeared most prominently in LGBT publica- judge elected outside of Cook County if he prevails—has tions in connection with the issue of marriage equality (in- been an arbitration chairman for more than a decade and troducing a civil-marriage bill), he is intimately involved an attorney for more than two decades. Dalton plans to with a host of other issues, such as the state budget, fore- fund his campaign without accepting donations from closure mediation, children of incarcerated parents and attorneys—a rare position among Illinois judicial candi- insurance reform. He is currently running unopposed. dates. Also, Dalton is an active member of Elgin’s First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. Deb Mell Race: Illinois State Representative (40th District) Web site: DebMell.org The skinny: Deb Mell started her first term making his- Deidre Baumann tory as the first open lesbian in the Illinois General Assem- Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge (Stewart vacancy) bly—and then did something historic in being the only Web site: DeidreBaumann4Judge.com representative to vote against impeachment of then-Gov. The skinny: Baumann is a member of the Chicago Bar Rod Blagojevich, her brother-in-law. A staunch advocate Association, having served as president of the Constitu- for marriage equality, Mell is running unopposed in the tional Law Committee, the Cook County Bar Association, primary, although it looks like she’ll face Republican An- the Chicago Lesbian and Gay Bar Association and the legal toinette “Toni” Puccio-Johnson in the general election. fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. She is also an active member of her community, including serving as president of the Chi- Mary Trew cago/Cook County 4-H Foundation and as a board member Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge of the Lane Tech Alumni Association. (Ninth Subcircuit, Epstein vacancy) Web site: www.VoteTrew.com The skinny: When she was the executive director of Do- mestic Violence Legal Clinic, she helped create one of the Debra Shore nation’s first on-site civil court clinics for orders of protec- Race: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board tion in the Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse. In Web site: DebraShore.org November 2010, Trew was appointed by the Illinois Su- The skinny: Shore has been on the board since 2006. preme Court to the James R. Epstein 9th Subcircuit Va- One of nine elected commissioners, she chairs the commit- cancy. tees on stormwater management and state legislation and rules. Fun fact: Shore has climbed 42 of the 54 mountains John Ehrlich in Colorado more than 14,000 feet high. Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge (Eighth Subcircuit, Cole vacancy) Web site: EhrlichForJudge.com The skinny: Another race pitting two out candidates is Andrea M. Schleifer a judicial one involving John Ehrlich and Brad Trowbridge. Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge As deputy corporation counsel in the City of Chicago’s law (12th Subcircuit, Rochford vacancy) department, Ehrlich oversees almost three dozen attorneys Web site: ElectJudgeSchleifer.org and a staff of 15. He’s personally handled cases such as the The skinny: A resident of Des Plaines, Schleifer (a mem- Wrightwood porch collapse and the E2 nightclub tragedy. ber of the LGBT organization the Alliance of Illinois Judg- es) has been serving as a Cook County judge at the Richard Brad Trowbridge J. Daley Center for more than a year. She is currently hear- Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge ing custody/visitation and child support matters, and is (Eighth Subcircuit, Cole vacancy) responsible for more than 6,400 cases. Website: BradForJudge.com The skinny: On his website, Trowbridge discusses his There are also LGBTs running as presidential delegates, legal and counseling/social service experience, and has including for President Barack Obama. Those include Gail worked at agencies such as the Northwestern University Morse, Ald. Tom Tunney, Debra Shore and Center on Hal- Counseling Center and the AIDS Legal Council. He also au- sted’s Modesto “Tico” Valle. thored the “Alternate Family Relations and Civil Unions in Anti-gay former state rep. Penny Pullen is running as a Illinois” chapter for Illinois State Bar Association Family Santorum delegate. Law Handbook. WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 15 with supporters of DIFFA coming from every field ing a very very sick individual.” associated with fine design. The foundation has Bam is not the first company to offer tours on Altgeld, Haymarket Riots granted more than 38 million dollars to hun- the lives of serial killers. Ray himself attended a dreds of community-based organizations.” tour on “Jack the Ripper,” the unknown London subjects of Darrow event Other cities with chapters include Atlanta, serial killer from the late 1800s. Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, San The difference between the two, Ray said, is March 13 Francisco and Seattle. that the victims’ immediate families are not still The annual gala, regarded as the social kickoff alive to watch it go by. CHICAGO—Clarence Darrow aficionados will and popular journals. He is writing a book en- to the NeoCon tradeshow, will take place June Amanda Morden, head of marketing for Bam, gather at the Darrow Bridge in Jackson Park titled Union Made: Working People and the Rise 9. The DIFFA/Chicago Believe 2012 Garden Gala said the tour does not dramatize the life of Dah- Tuesday, March 13, at 10 a.m. for the annual cer- of Social Christianity in Chicago, which tells the will focus on meals and nutrition, one of the mer. Rather, she said, it aims to dispel myths emony commemorating Darrow’s death in Chica- story of how wage-earning believers innovated a granting categories. This is the second in the se- surrounding the murders and give a historical go on March 13, 1938. Darrow is remembered for fierce critique of both the captains of industry ries of galas dedicated to the chapter’s grantees. perspective of the neighborhood. his crusading role as “attorney for the damned” and the churches that underwrote their rule. He For more information, visit www.diffachicago. “It’s part of the city’s history,” Morden said. in such controversial cases as the Scopes Mon- has taught courses at the University of Illinois org. “It’s simply informational, not sensational.” key Trial, the Leopold and Loeb murder case, and (Chicago), Loyola University Chicago, and the The tour, offered at three different times on the pardoning of the Haymarket anarchists. Newberry Library. In the summer of 2012, he will Saturdays through September, covers a one mile After the ritual outdoor wreath-tossing cer- assume a new post as the assistant professor of Residents area where Dahmer stalked seven of his 17 vic- emony, guests will move inside to the Museum modern United States history at Valparaiso Uni- tims, said Morden. of Science and Industry’s New Columbia Room versity. criticize tour of Morden said the tour offers a different histori- for a lecture and discussion on the Haymarket Loyola Law Professor Anita Weinberg, daughter cal perspective than one can get from a book case, “Absolving Anarchy: John P. Altgeld and of the late Arthur and Lila Weinberg, will preside Dahmer haunts BY KATE SOSIN or documentary. As for arguments that the tour the Pardon that Shook Gilded Age America,” to over the indoor program. Tracy Baim, daughter comes too soon for the community, Morden said be given by Heath W. Carter. of the late Joy Darrow, will preside at the bridge. In the two decades since the Walker’s Point that is a matter of perspective. The talk delves into the precipitous rise and Other Darrow committee members are event co- neighborhood in Milwaukee became known as “We still have accurate information on this,” fall of one of Illinois’ most progressive gover- founder Herb Kraus, Bill Campbell, Nina Helstein the stalking grounds of serial killer Jeffrey Dah- said Morden, adding that decades down the line nors. On June 26, 1893, Illinois Gov. John P. and Nina Barrett. mer, the neighborhood has slowly rebuilt itself. the Dahmer story would likely become more leg- Darrow, who was born in 1857 in Farmdale, Most of the old bars frequented by Dahmer, who end than history. Ohio, practiced in Chicago, repeatedly repre- killed at least 17 young men, are now gone. Not everyone agrees. The first tour was met sented underdog clients and vigorously opposed However, a new commercial tour of the area with quiet protest from victim’s families. capital punishment. None of his many clients threatens to open old wounds, say residents. It received so much bad press leading up to was sentenced to death. On March 3, Bam Marketing and Media hosted the event that Groupon cancelled a deal promo- Darrow’s death on March 13, 1938, was me- its first tour of Dahmer’s old stomping grounds, tion on the tour and released a statement say- morialized throughout the world. His ashes, and amid outcry from victims’ families and area resi- ing that no offense was intended. The deal was later the ashes of his wife Ruby and his son Paul, dents. pulled after 15 people purchased tickets. were scattered from the Darrow Bridge which Victor Ray, president of the Walker’s Point As- Morden said that with the bad press, many was dedicated to his memory by the Chicago sociation, said the tour is too soon for victims’ people on the tour backed out or rescheduled. Park District in 1957. families, many of whom still live in the neigh- “There was actually more media on the tour For more details, see www.darrowbridge.org. borhood. than there were patrons,” she said. “It’s been less than 20 years,” said Ray. “I DIFFA/Chicago holds think this is absolutely horrible. ... We’re elevat- grant ceremony By Carrie Maxwell to include people that are victimized at high- Hate-crimes er rates based on the perpetrator’s bias,” said The Chicago chapter of Design Industries Foun- amendment passes Anthony Martinez, executive director of TCRA, dation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA/Chicago) held its in a statement.” annual Excellence in Care Grants presentation through committee Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, at the Chase Auditorium in downtown Chicago BY KATE SOSIN said the next step will be outreach to lawmak- Feb. 28. ers. About 150 people attended the event, in which An amendment to the Illinois hate crimes Other LGBT bills are up for passage in the 27 organizations representing various granting statute that would add gender identity to General Assembly. Heath Carter. categories received unrestricted grant awards. protected classes passed out of committee In addition to the hate-crimes amendment, The AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, Center on March 1. 14th Dist. Rep. Kelly Cassidy has introduced Halsted, Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN), Altgeld pardoned the three surviving prisoners The Criminal Law Committee voted 5-3 in a Family Medical Leave Act to allow same-sex Howard Brown Health Center, Chicago House, favor of HB 4725, which would amend the spouses in Illinois to take time off work to who had originally been sentenced to death for Vital Bridges and VIDA/SIDA were among the 27 Chicago’s Haymarket bombing. He was widely criminal code to include gender-identity pro- care for a partner. That bill passed out com- grant awardees that night. tections. Such protections could be applied to mittee Feb. 29. vilified for this decision and his political career DIFFA/Chicago, according to its website, “is was never the same, but upon his death in 1902 transgender victims and others who are tar- Cassidy is also pushing a bill that would bol- a not-for-profit fundraising and grant making geted because of their gender identity and/ ster the state’s current anti-bullying policy as Darrow praised him in a famous eulogy as “a sol- foundation that distributes funds to Chicago dier in the everlasting struggle of the human or presentation. well as a marriage-equality bill. The fates of area HIV/AIDS service agencies that provide The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) announced both are expected to be decided in committee race for liberty and justice on the earth.” direct service, preventative education and out- Heath W. Carter is a Ph.D. candidate in U.S. the win in a press statement. March 7. Windy City Times will release break- reach to people who are HIV positive, living with “HB 4725 does not create a new law, or con- ing news on both as details become available history at the University of Notre Dame. He has AIDS or at risk for infection. DIFFA was founded broad interests in the social history of modern fer special rights to a certain group of people, at www.windycitymediagroup.com. in 1984 by volunteers from the fashion indus- but rather, amends the current hate crime law industrial society, and has published articles on try, interior design, furnishings and architecture race, religion, and labor in a variety of academic

Chicago’s Dedicated and JUDGE KAY MARIE ALEO Comprehensive LGBT Program VAT CHICAGO LAKESHORE HOSPITAL Valeo at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital provides comprehensive psychiatric and addiction-related treatment for HANLON gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. DEMOCRAT FOR The program offers a safe, affirming PUNCH therapeutic environment for members APPELLATE of the LGBTQ community. The Valeo staff is comprised of well-trained, COURT 113 (Cahill Vacancy) experienced gay and gay-sensitive behavioral health professionals from “HIGHLY QUALIFIED” a wide variety of disciplines. Chicago Bar Association “RECOMMENDED” 4840 N. MARINE DRIVE Lesbian & Gay Bar Association CHICAGO, IL 60640 1-800-888-0560 www.chicagolakeshorehospital.com • EXPERIENCE • INTEGRITY • INDEPENDENCE Paid for by Friends of Kay Marie Hanlon 16 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES Van Binfa WCT seeks Identifies as fused (like my family was telling me) and left nominations Tin the LIFE Queer stone femme Latino trans*man. it at that. I didn’t think about it again until I * “I am super careful to include the asterisk was seventeen, and I didn’t find out the word for 30 Under 30 COMPILED BY KATE SOSIN because it symbolizes every identity within the for transgender in Spanish until I was twenty. CHICAGO—Windy City Times is seeking to term transgender.” I haven’t always been trans* and I’ve never recognize 30 more outstanding LGBT indi- Pronouns felt like I’ve been trapped in a wrong body. I’m viduals (and allies) for its annual 30 Under He/his proud to say that I love my body and honor my 30 Awards. female experience.” Nominees should be 30 years or under as Life’s work of June 30, 2012, and should have made “Creating and continuing advocacy, support, What is the best thing about being trans/ some substantial contributions to the LGBT and resources for the trans*/queer commu- gender-variant? community, whether in the fields of enter- nity—especially for those of color. I’ll be in “One of the best things about being trans* is tainment, politics, health, activism, aca- graduate school working on a PsyD in Clinical the experience you get from seeing gender on demics, sports or other areas. Psychology this fall, with a concentration in both ends in our system. That’s really what The deadline to nominate individuals is queer studies.” makes up my comics--like one year my naked chest is illegal and the next year no one cares. Friday, April 20. Neighborhoods Another part is being part of the trans* com- Individuals, organizations, co-workers, Schaumburg and Pilsen munity, which is so diverse and passionately etc. can nominate a person by e-mailing Jobs insistent about acknowledgement. We have so [email protected] or “In addition to running and facilitating SQS, I many new words and narratives we can describe faxed to Andrew Davis’ attention to 773- am also resident cartoonist at xQsi magazine (a ourselves with and find others like us--it’s an 871-7609. Self-nominations are welcome. multimedia LGBTQ Latin@ publication). I am a exciting time!” I think being trans often forces The nomination should be 100 words public speaker, often at college campuses, and the issue.” or fewer, and should state what achieve- ments or contributions the nominee has am a soon to be board member of Pride Call Do you have a coming out story? made. Nominators should include their own Inc., a LGBT hotline based in Woodstock. You “I think I’ve been every letter in LGBTQ. names and contact information as well as can also catch me at Starbucks and Wal-Mart, My family flipped out when I came out as a the contact information and the age of the where I work at each part-time for a total of lesbian, and I frequently depended on school nominee. forty hours a week.” and my friends to escape problems at home. Note: Following the policy instituted in When did you start questioning gender? So coming out as a queer, femme trans*man, 2005, individuals can only win once. Those “I was fourteen when I first experienced dys- which involves an explanation of gender on top have won the award since that year are in- phoria. One of my closest friends had come out of sexuality, that was even more complicated. eligible for this year’s awards. as gay and that word/identity had never come I’ve been homeless a handful of times, but Honorees will be notified in May and rec- up in my family. I come from an old school thanks to my fabulous friends, extended family, ognized at a free ceremony Thursday, June Chilean family. I used the internet and read as and my two beautiful sisters, I got through it. 28, at 5:30 p.m., at Center on Halsted, much as I could. When I read these books—of I’m back at home and everyone is trying their 3656 N. Halsted St. all identities and backgrounds—I identified best. I just had my first shave last night and the most with male narrators. I literally had no my father helped! I’m gradually becoming hijo words to describe that, so I decided I was con- de la casa (son of the house).” To nominate a person for T in the life, email: Kate Sosin [email protected]

Michael Forti will bring over 30 Among Michael Forti’s key supporters are: Rated “Highly Qualified”, H “Qualified”, or “Recommended” years of federal and state courtroom Congressman Michael Quigley H Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky H Chicago Bar Association H experience and knowledge to the Cook H Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle Chicago Council of Lawyers H H Illinois State Bar Association County Circuit Court. A graduate of Debra Shore, MWRD H H Lesbian and Gay Bar Association State Representative Kelly Cassidy H Northwestern University School of Law, H Cook County Bar Association State Representative Sara Feigenholtz H Women’s Bar Association Michael is the only candidate in his race H State Representative Greg Harris H Black Women’s Bar Association H found Highly Qualified by the Chicago State Representative Deb Mell H Hispanic Lawyers Association H Alderman James Cappleman H Puerto Rican Bar Association Bar Association and ranked Qualified H Alderman Joe Moore H Asian American Bar Association or Recommended by every other H Alderman Ameya Pawar H Hellenic Bar Association H Alderman Tom Tunney H Decalogue Society of Lawyers bar association. He is the endorsed H Judge Tom Chiola (Retired) candidate in the Simmons Vacancy for H Hon. Carol Ronen H Circuit Judge of Cook County. Michael Bauer H Art Johnston Punch 158 On Tuesday, March 20Th Vote for Michael forti

Paid for the Friends for Forti. WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 17

Thursday, March 8 7:30 p.m. GAY in the Renée E. D’Aoust Body of a Dancer LIFE Tuesday, March 13 7:30 p.m. Jeanette Winterson John Park Why Be Happy When Text AND PHOTOS BY Ross Forman You Could Be Normal? Swedish American Museum Center 5211 N. Clark St. Book purchase required

5233 N. Clark When John Park was laid off from his insurance job (773) 769-9299 after 24 years, he turned to his passion for painting. “I wanted to do something more fulfilling, and this has more than exceeded my expectations,” Park said. “The business alone, in the first six month, we did what we anticipated doing in the first year. And to do that in this economy, I’m thrilled.” [email protected] The official one-year anniversary party/showing at www.womenandchildrenfirst.com Park Schreck Gallery is scheduled for May 4 at 7-10 Parking Available p.m. The 1,300-square-foot facility has special show- Wheelchair Accessible ings once every six weeks or so, highlighting up to four artists. There will be evening showings on Feb. 3 and March 16. Park Schreck Gallery focuses on the work of emerg- Age ing artists, often with a contemporary and modern 47 look. Neighborhood Park said about half of the artists on display at the Buena Park gallery are from the LGBT community. “The focus of the artists [chosen to be showcased Hometown at the gallery] is those who are under-represented, Boston artists with great talent,” Park said. “We really are Job title about the long-term relationships—of our clients and Owner, Park Schreck Gallery, which the artists.” opened in April 2011 Park Schreck Gallery is located at 1747 W. North Have your Relationship status Ave.; call 773-309-1747. Partners with Mike Ryan, 48, an premiums associate media director Favorite local restaurant increased Joy’s Noodles & Rice Favorite TV show recently? Revenge Coming out See me: In 2000; had been married (to a woman) for 13 years and has three Charles T. Rhodes, daughters (ages 19, 22 and 24) Agent Quote 2472 N. Clark “I’m happier now than I’ve ever been 773.281.0890 in my life.” State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (not in NJ) State Farm Indemnity Company (NJ) Home Offices: Bloomington, Illinois ELECT JUDGE DIANN KAREN MARSALEK (Countywide Margaret O’Mara Frossard Vacancy) PUNCH #153 on March 20, 2012

ENDoRSEMENtS ExPERIENCE Cook County Democratic Party Lawyer for 21 years with trial experience Chicago Federation of Labor Judge assigned to Traffic Court Personal Pac, IVI-IPO Performs Civil Unions Cook County College Teachers Union #1600 Chicago Fire Fighter Union Local 2 BAR RAtINGS Indo-American Democratic Organization Qualified or recommended by many bar associations including: Committee For Honest Government Chicago Bar, Lesbian and Gay Bar, Cook County Bar, Hon. Jan Schakowsky, Hon. Mike Quigley, Women’s Bar, Black Women Lawyers, Asian American Bar, Vernita Gray, Hon. Tom Tunney, Decalogue Society, Illinois State Bar, Hon. Sara Feigenholtz, Puerto Rican Bar and Hispanic Lawyers. Rick Garcia, Ellen Meyers, *FAIRNESS Art Johnston *INtEGRItY CoMMUNItY INVoLVEMENt Active in CAPS, Community Leader in Lake View *HoNEStY Paid for by Citizens to Elect Diann Karen Marsalek. *ExPERIENCE A copy of our report is or will be available for purchase from the Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois. 18 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES WCT IVI HRC PP WCT IVI PPAC EI PP Election 2012 8th congressional district 9th SENATE DISTRICT Raja Krishnamoorthi (D) Y Daniel Biss (D) Y Y Y Tammy Duckworth (D) Marc Levine (R) COOK COUNTY RACES Robert Gregory Canfield (R) WCT = Windy City Times questions, number listed is of the total ques- Richard Evans (R) 10th SENATE DISTRICT tions correct for that race Joe Walsh (R) John G. Mulroe (D) Y Y Y IVI = Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization PPAC = Personal PAC 9th congressional district 11th SENATE DISTRICT EI = Equality Illinois Janice D. Schakowsky (D) 19/19 Y 100 Y Martin A. Sandoval (D) Y Y Y CNOW = Chicago NOW PAC Simon Ribiero (D) 13th SENATE DISTRICT AIDS Foundation of Chicago also does a survey of candidates, but the Timothy Wolfe (R) Kwame Raoul (D) Y Y Y results were not ready in time for the WCT Election Guide. Susanne Atanus (R) 14th SENATE DISTRICT In addition, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund endorses Debra Shore for 10th congressional district Emil Jones III (D) Y Y Y Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Vivek Bavda (D) 18/19 Brad Schneider (D) 15th SENATE DISTRICT WCT IVI PPAC EI CNOW Ilya Sheyman (D) 19/19 Y Patricia “Pat” Mahon (D) John Tree (D) COOK COUNTY clerk Donna Miller (D) 17/17 Y Y Y Y Aloys Rutagwibira (D) Dorothy A. Brown (D) 11/12 Y Y Napoleon Harris (D) Robert Dold (R) Joseph T. “Joe” Letke, Jr. (D) Ricardo Munoz (D) 12/12 11th congressional district 16th SENATE DISTRICT RECORDER OF DEEDS Bill Foster (D) Jacqueline “Jacqui” Collins (D) Y Y Karen Yarbrough (D) 9/9 Y Y Jim Hickey (D) 16/19 Juan Thomas (D) 17th SENATE DISTRICT state’s attorney Judy Biggert (R) Donne E. Trotter (D) Y Y Y Anita Alvarez (D) Y Y John A. “Jack” Cunningham (R) Diane M. Harris (R) 19th SENATE DISTRICT METROPOLITAN water reclamation district Michael E. Hastings (D) Y Patricia Young (D) Y 13th congressional district Gregory J. Hannon (D) Y George Blakemore (D) David M. Gill (D) Y Patricia Horton (D) Matthew J. Goetten (D) 2oth SENATE DISTRICT Patrick Daley Thompson (D) 6/6 Michael Firsching (R) 6/19 Iris Y. Martinez (D) Y Y Y Debra Shore (D) 6/6 Y Y Y Tim Johnson (R) 22nd SENATE DISTRICT Kari Steele (D) Y Y Frank L. Metzger (R) Stella Black (D) 6/6 Y Tim Elenz (D) Michael Noland (D) Y Y Y Karen Roothaan (G) 6/6 14th congressional district Harold “Noonie” Ward (R) Dennis Anderson (D) Y 23rd SENATE DISTRICT Dave Ehrlich (G) Johnathan Farnick (D) 17/19 Julie Samuels (G) Greg Brownfield (D) Y Randy M. Hultgren (R) Thomas E. Cullerton (D) Y Y Y Kevin Allen (D) US congress RACES 16th congressional district Carole Pankau (R) Adam Kinzinger (R) Randy Ramey (R) WCT = Windy City Times questions, number listed is of the total Donald A. Manzullo (R) 0 questions correct for that race 25th SENATE DISTRICT IVI = Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization 17th congressional district Corinne M. Pierog (D) 16/17 Y Y Y HRC = Human Rights Campaign 111th Congress, ratings are a percentage Greg Aguilar (D) Steven L. Hunter (D) Y of total 100% based on HRC tracking of how candidates voted in the Cheri Bustos (D) Y Dave Richmond (R) 111th Congress George Gaulrapp (D) Richard C. Slocum (R) PP = Planned Parenthood Bobby Schilling (R) Jim Oberweis (R) AIDS Foundation of Chicago also does a survey of candidates, but the results were not ready in time for our WCT Election Guide. 18th congressional district 26th SENATE DISTRICT Steve Waterworth (D) Amanda Howland (D) Y Y Matthew A. Woodmancy (D) 17/19 Dan Duffy (R) WCT IVI HRC PP Aaron Schock (R) 0 28th SENATE DISTRICT Darrel Miller (R) Daniel W. Kotowski (D) Y Y Y 1st congressional district Jim O’Donnell (R) Bobby L. Rush (D) 94 Y Gayle A. Smolinski (R) Clifford M. Russell, Jr. (D) ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RACES Jordan Sims (D) 15/19 WCT = Windy City Times questions, number listed is of the total ques- 29th SENATE DISTRICT Fred Smith (D) tions correct for that race Julie A. Morrison (D) Y Y Y Raymond M. Lodato (D) 18/19 Y IVI = Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization Milton J. Sumption (D) Y Harold L. Bailey (D) PPAC = Personal PAC Arie Friedman (R) Frederick Collins (R) 14/19 EQIL = Equality Illinois PAC 30th SENATE DISTRICT Donald E. Peloquin (R) PP = Planned Parenthood Terry Link (D) Y Y Y Jimmy Lee Tillman II (R) AIDS Foundation of Chicago also does a survey of candidates, but the results were not ready in time for our WCT Election Guide. Don Castella (R) 2nd congressional district 31ST SENATE DISTRICT In addition, Gay & Victory Fund endorses Alex Arroyo for State House of Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D) Y 100 Y Melinda (Willen) Bush (D) Y Y Representatives, 84th District. Deborah “Debbie” Halvorson (D) 18/19 Linwood “Linnie” Jarratt (R) James H. Taylor, Sr. (R) Lawrence “Larry” Leafblad (R) WCT IVI PPAC EI PP Brian Woodworth (R) Michael L. White (R) Joe Neal (R) 3rd congressional district 1ST SENATE DISTRICT Daniel William Lipinski (D) 40 Adolfo Mondragon (D) 34th SENATE DISTRICT Farah Baqai (D) Antonio “Tony” Munoz (D) Y Y Marla J. Wilson (D) Arthur J. Jones (R) Dan Lewandowski (D) Richard L. Grabowski (R) 2nd SENATE DISTRICT Glenn Patterson (D) Jim Falvey (R) William “Willie” Delgado (D) Y Y Y Steven “Steve” Stadelman (D) Y Y Frank M. Gambino (R) 3rd SENATE DISTRICT 4th congressional district Mattie Hunter (D) Y Y Y Luis V. Gutierrez (D) 100 Y 36th SENATE DISTRICT Mike Jacobs (D) Y Jorge Zavala (D) 17/19 4th SENATE DISTRICT Hector Concepcion (R) Mike Boland (D) Y Kimberly A. Lightford (D) Y Y Y Bill Albracht (R) 5th congressional district 5th SENATE DISTRICT 38th SENATE DISTRICT Mike Quigley (D) 100 Y Patricia Van Pelt Watkins (D) Y Dan Schmitt (R) Kevin E. Kunkel (D) Annazette R. Collins (D) Y Y Y Christine Benson (D) Y Y 6th congressional district Tom Ganiere (D) 6th SENATE DISTRICT Sue Rezin (R) Leslie Coolidge (D) 17/19 John J. Cullerton (D) Y Y Y Geoffrey Petzel (D) 39th SENATE DISTRICT Tim Ritter (D) 7th SENATE DISTRICT Don Harmon (D) Y Y Y Maureen E. Yates (D) Heather Steans (D) Y Y Y Peter J. Roskam (R) 0 40th SENATE DISTRICT 8th SENATE DISTRICT Toi W. Hutchinson (D) Y Y Y 7th congressional district Ira I. Silverstein (D) Y Y Jacques A. Conway (D) Danny K. Davis (D) Y 100 Y WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 19 WCT IVI PPAC EI PP WCT IVI PPAC EI PP WCT IVI PPAC EI PP

42nd SENATE DISTRICT 22nd representative DISTRICT 58th representative DISTRICT Linda Holmes (D) Y Y Y Michael J. Madigan (D) Y Scott Drury (D) Y Y Peter Hurtado (R) Olivia Trejo (D) Mark G. Neerhof (R) Michele J. Piszczor (D) Lauren G. Turelli (R) 43rd SENATE DISTRICT Mike Rodriguez (D) Arthur “AJ” Wilhelmi (D) Y Robert Handzik (R) 59th representative DISTRICT Sandi Johnson (R) Carol Sente (D) Y Y Y 46th SENATE DISTRICT 23rd representative DISTRICT Sidney H. Mathias (R) Y Y James K. Polk (D) Anna Goral (D) Marvin Bainter (D) Michael J. Zalewski (D) Y 61st representative DISTRICT David Koehler (D) Y Y Y Ed Erwin (D) Y Y Pat Sullivan (R) 24th representative DISTRICT JoAnn D. Osmond (R) Robert R. Reyes (D) Y 52nd SENATE DISTRICT Neftalie Gonzalez (D) 62nd representative DISTRICT Michael W. Frerichs (D) Y Y Y Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez (D) Y Y Sam Yingling (D) Y John Christian Bambenek (R) Sandy Cole (R) Y 25th representative DISTRICT 54th SENATE DISTRICT Barbara Flynn Currie (D) Y Y Y 63rd representative DISTRICT Danny L. Stover (D) Y Jack D. Franks (D) Y Kyle McCarter (R) 26th representative DISTRICT Christian L. Mitchell (D) 16/17 Y Y Y Y 67th representative DISTRICT 57th SENATE DISTRICT Kenny Johnson (D) Charles E. “Chuck” Jefferson (D) Y Y James F. Clayborne, Jr. (D) Y Y Y Gloria M. Lind (D) Wyatt C. Frazer (D) 27th representative DISTRICT Dave Barnes (R) Preston Brown, Jr. (D) 68th representative DISTRICT Monique D. Davis (D) Y Y Y Carl R. Wasco (D) Y Y 1st representative DISTRICT Clint Little (D) Daniel J. Burke (D) Y Y Y 28th representative DISTRICT John M. Cabello (R) Robert “Bob” Rita (D) Y Y Y 2nd representative DISTRICT Michael E. Mayden (D) 71st representative DISTRICT Edward J. Acevedo (D) Y Y Y James J. Taylor (D) Mike Smiddy (D) Y Y Y Cuahutemoc “Temoc” Morfin (D) Patricia “Teesha” Hanson (D) James F. Arduini (D) Josip “Joe” Trutin (D) Richard Morthland (R) 29th representative DISTRICT 3rd representative DISTRICT Thaddeus Jones (D) Y Y 72nd representative DISTRICT Luis Arroyo (D) Y Y Y Glen Evans (D) 30th representative DISTRICT Patrick Verschoore (D) Y 4th representative DISTRICT William “Will” Davis (D) Y Y Y Jonathan Wallace (R) Cynthia Soto (D) Y Y Y Neil Anderson (R) 31st representative DISTRICT 5th representative DISTRICT Mary E. Flowers (D) Y 77th representative DISTRICT Kenneth Dunkin (D) Y Y Y Kathleen Willis (D) Dori Collins (D) 32nd representative DISTRICT Angelo “SKip” Saviano (R) Y John Hu (D) Andre Thapedi (D) Y Bobby Joe Johnson (D) 78th representative DISTRICT 6th representative DISTRICT Camille Y. Lilly (D) Y Y Y Esther Golar (D) Y 33rd representative DISTRICT Michael D. Nardello (D) Marlow H. Colvin (D) Y Raplh P. Vara (R) 7th representative DISTRICT Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D) 17/17 Y Y Y 34th representative DISTRICT 80th representative DISTRICT Princess C. Dempsey (D) Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D) Y Y Y Y Anthony DeLuca (D) Y Y Y Beyonca Johnson (D) Richard A. Wooten (D) Rory Hoskins (D) Y Y Kyle Kasperek (D) 84th representative DISTRICT Sherby J. Miller (D) Paul Steven Gregoire (D) Ken Maurice (D) Y Sandra J. Wortham (D) Alex Arroyo (D) 16/17 Y Y 8th representative DISTRICT Stephanie A. Kifowit (D) Y La Shawn K. Ford (D) Y 35th representative DISTRICT Carole Cheney (D) Y Y Frances Ann Hurley (D) Y Patricia “Pat” Fee (R) 9th representative DISTRICT Anthony R. Martin (D) Arthur Turner (D) Y Y Andrew Byrne Hodorowicz (D) 85th representative DISTRICT Steven Williams (R) Emily McAsey (D) Y Y Y 10th representative DISTRICT Derrick Smith (D) Y Y Y 38th representative DISTRICT 86th representative DISTRICT Tom Swiss (D) Al Riley (D) Y Y Y Y Jack McGuire (D) Y Vetress M. Boyce (D) Clifton Graham, Jr. (D) Ryan Martin Alm (R)

11th representative DISTRICT 39th representative DISTRICT 92nd representative DISTRICT Ann M. Williams (D) Y Y Y Maria Antonia “Toni” Berrios (D) 17/17 Y Y Y Jehan Gordon (D) Y Y Y Will Guzzardi (D) Y 12th representative DISTRICT 96th representative DISTRICT Sara Feigenholtz (D) Y Y Y 40th representative DISTRICT Winston Taylor (D) Y Y Deborah L. Mell (D) Y Y Y Sam Cahnman (D) 13th representative DISTRICT Antoinette “Toni” Puccio-Johnson (R) Sue Scherer (D) Gregory Harris (D) Y Y Y Jared S. Perry (R) 43rd representative DISTRICT Dennis Ross Shackelford (R) 14th representative DISTRICT Keith Farnham (D) Y Y Y Paula A. Basta (D) 17/17 97th representative DISTRICT Kelly M. Cassidy (D) 17/17 Y Y Y Y 44th representative DISTRICT Tom Cross (R) Y Y Fred Crespo (D) Y Y 16th representative DISTRICT Ramiro Juarez (R) 98th representative DISTRICT Lou Lang (D) 17/17 Y Y Y Natalie A. Manley (D) Y Y Vincent William Romano (R) 45th representative DISTRICT Robert “Bob” Kalnicky (R) Joann Franzen (D) Y Y Janet C. Silosky (R) 17th representative DISTRICT Dennis M. Reboletti (R) Laura Fine (D) Y Y Y 103rd representative DISTRICT Kyle Frank (R) 50th representative DISTRICT Naomi D. Jakobsson (D) Y Y Y Andrew Bernard (D) Y Robert A. Meister (R) 18th representative DISTRICT Kay Hatcher (R) Y Robyn Gabel (D) Y Y Y 113th representative DISTRICT 55th representative DISTRICT Jay Hoffman (D) Y 19th representative DISTRICT Martin J. Moylan (D) Y Y Melinda Hult (R) Robert F. Martwick, Jr. (D) Y Y Y Y Sandra Stoppa (D) 56th representative DISTRICT 114th representative DISTRICT Michelle Mussman (D) Y Y Eddie Lee Jackson (D) Y Y Y 20th representative DISTRICT John R. Lawson (R) Ryan Stookey (R) Bruce Randazzo (D) Y Michael P. McAuliffe (R) 57th representative DISTRICT Elaine Nekritz (D) Y Y Y 21st representative DISTRICT Jonathan L. Greenberg (R) Rudy Lozano (D) 17/17 Y Y Silvana Tabares (D)

Particular races for which there were no data have been deleted for space. See our downloadable charts at WindyCityTimes.com. 20 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES JUDICIAL EVALUATIONS WCT PPAC IVI CCL CCBA DSL ISBA LAGBAC WBAI Cook Circuit Court Windy City Times does not endorse candidates. Key to Ratings: (Simmons vacancy) Rather, we list their answers to our questionnaire Q – Qualified Michael A. Forti (D) 9/9 Y Q R R Q R R as well as the ratings of legal organizations so that NQ – Not Qualified Jessica A. O’Brien (D) 9/9 Y Q R R Q R R readers can make informed choices when they vote. WQ – Well Qualified James A. Wright (D) 9/9 Q R R Q R R HQ - Highly Qualified Cook Circuit Court Key to Organizations: HR - Highly Recommended (Stewart vacancy) WCT = Windy City Times questions, number listed is R - Recommended Pamela M. Leeming (D) Q R R Q R R of the total questions correct for that race NR - Not Recommended Terrence M. Jordan (D) 7/9 NR NR NR NQ NR NR PPAC – Personal PAC NE - Not Evaluated Deidre Baumann (D) 9/9 Y Y NQ R R NQ NR R IVI - Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent (D) = Democrat Mary Margaret Burke (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Precinct Organization (R) = Republican Sammy W. Lacey, Jr. (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR CCL – Chicago Council of Lawyers Rhonda Sallee (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR Steve Demitro (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR CCBA – Cook County Bar Association In addition, Planned Parenthood endorses Mary Jane Cook Circuit Court DSL – Decalogue Society of Lawyers Theis for Illinois Superior Court, 1st District; and (Stralka vacancy) ISBA – Illinois State Bar Association Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund endorses Michael Forti Michael Tully Mullen (D) WQ R HR HQ R R LAGBAC – Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago for Cook County Circuit Court and Mary Trew for Cook Cook Circuit Court WBAI – Women’s Bar Association of Illinois County Circuit Court, 9th Subcircuit. (Ward vacancy) Alfred M. Swanson, Jr. (D) 8/9 Y Y Q R R Q R R Denise Marie Nalley (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR WCT PPAC IVI CCL CCBA DSL ISBA LAGBAC WBAI Elizabeth Mary Hayes (D) NQ NR NR NQ R NR Joan Marie Kubalanza (D) 6/9 Q R R Q R R Sup. Ct-1st Dist. Peter J. Vilkelis (D) 9/9 Q R R Q R R (Fitzgerald vacancy) Brian J. Stephenson (D) Q R R Q R R Mary Jane Theis (D) 8/9 Y HQ R HR HQ HR R Cook Circuit Court-2nd Sub Aurelia Marie Pucinski (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR (Stuttley vacancy) Joy Virginia Cunningham (D) Y WQ R R Q R R Carl B. Boyd (D) NQ R R NQ R R Thomas W. Flannigan (D) NQ NE NR NQ NR NR Arthur Wesley “Wes” Willis (D) Q R R Q R R James Gerard Riley (R) NQ R R Q R R Alma Learetta Tyson (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR App. Ct-1st Dist. Chester Slaughter (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR (Cahill vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-3rd Sub Pamela E. Hill-Veal (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR (McGann vacancy) Mathias William Delort (D) 8/9 Y Y WQ R R HQ R R Maureen Leahy Delehanty (D) Q R R Q R R Kay Marie Hanlon (D) 9/9 Q R R Q R R Scott Edward Lipinski (D) NQ NR NR NQ NR NR Mary Brigid Hayes (D) Y Q NR R Q HR R Cook Circuit Court-3rd Sub James Michael McGing (D) Q R R Q R R (McSweeney-Moore vacancy) Laura Marie Sullivan (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Thomas J. Carroll (D) App. Ct-1st Dist. Daniel R. Degnan (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR (Johnson Coleman vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-4th Sub Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. (D) 8/9 Y Q HR HR HQ HR R (Riley vacancy) App. Ct-1st Dist. Daniel Lawrence Peters (D) NQ R R Q R R (Gallagher vacancy) William “Gomo” Gomolinski (D) Q R R Q R R Patrick J. Sherlock (D) NQ R R Q R R Michael J. “Mike” Dickman (D) NQ R R NQ NR NR P. Scott Neville, Jr. (D) Y Q HR HR HQ HR R Terry Gallagher (D) Q R R Q R R Marguerite Anne Quinn (D) 8/9 Y NQ NR NR NQ R R Joanne Marie Rogers (D) Q R R Q R R App. Ct-1st Dist. Harry J. Fournier (R) Y NQ R R Q R R (O’Brien vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-4th Sub Jesse G. Reyes (D) 8/9 Y Y Q HR HR Q R R (‘A’ vacancy) Rodolfo “Rudy” Garcia (D) WQ HR R Q R R Julie Line Bailey (D) Q NR NR Q NR R William Stewart Boyd (D) WQ HR R Q R R Karin Elizabeth Swanson (D) Q R R Q HR R Ellen L. Flannigan (D) NQ NR NR NQ NR NR Linda A. Walls (D) NQ R NR NQ NR R Don R. Sampen (D) WQ R R Q R R Martin D. Reggi (D) App. Ct-1st Dist. Edward M. Maloney (D) Q R R Q NR R (Theis vacancy) Christine Cook (R) Q NR NE Q R R Maureen Elizabeth Connors (D) WQ R R Q R R Cook Circuit Court-6th Sub App. Ct-1st Dist. (Delgado vacancy) (Tully vacancy) Beatriz Santiago (D) Y Q R R Q HR R Terrence J. Lavin (D) Q R R Q R R Mark V. Ferrante (D) 9/9 WQ R HR Q R R William D. O’Neal (D) Gregory Emmett Ahern, Jr. (D) Q R R Q HR R App. Ct-2nd Dist. Carlos Claudio (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR (O’Malley vacancy) Kent A. Delgado (D) Q R R Q R R Joe Birkett (R) Ricardo Lugo (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR App. Ct-4th Dist. Glenn J. Kahn (D) (Myerscough vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-7th Sub Carol Pope (R) (Jones vacancy) App. Ct-5th Dist. Aicha Marie MacCarthy (D) NQ NR R Q R R (Donovan vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-7th Sub Judy Cates (D) (Starks vacancy) Stephen McGlynn (R) Tommy Brewer (D) Y Q R R NQ NE R Cook Circuit Court Roxanne L. Rochester (D) Q R R Q R R (Conlon vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-7th Sub Karen Lynn O’Malley (D) 9/9 Q R R Q R R (Terrell vacancy) Jo Anne Hopson Guillemette (D) NQ NR NR NQ NR NR William G. Gamboney (D) Q R R Q R R Stanley L. Hill, Sr. (D) 8/9 Y Q R R Q R R Cook Circuit Court-7th Sub Cook Circuit Court (Toney vacancy) (Jordan vacancy) Arthur P. Wheatley (D) Y Q HR HR Q HR R Jean Prendergast Rooney (D) WQ R HR Q R R Mable Taylor (D) NQ NR NR NQ NR NR Cook Circuit Court Kimberly D. Lewis (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR (Kinnaird vacancy) Mark Battaglia (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR Kevin Cunningham (D) 9/9 Q R R Q R R Cook Circuit Court-8th Sub Erica L. Reddick (D) 4/9 Y Q HR R HQ R R (Chiola vacancy) Cook Circuit Court Rodney W. Stewart (D) 9/9 NQ R R Q R R (Moran vacancy) Celia Louise Gamrath (D) 8/9 Y Q R R Q R R Russell W. Hartigan (D) 7/9 Y Q R HR HQ HR R James A. Shapiro (D) Y Y Q R HR Q R R Cook Circuit Court Thomas N. Osran (D) Q R R Q R R (O’Brien vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-8th Sub Gerald V. Cleary (D) Q R HR Q R R (Cole vacancy) Cynthia Ramirez (D) 8/9 Y Q R HR Q R R Brad Trowbridge (D) 9/9 Y Y NQ R R Q R R Cook Circuit Court John H. Ehrlich (D) 9/9 Y WQ R HR Q HR R (O’Mara Frossard vacancy) Gideon Abraham Baum (D) Q R R Q R R Nichole C. Patton (D) NQ R NR NQ R R Helaine “Lainie” Berger (D) Y NQ R R Q R R Kevin W. Horan (D) Q R R Q R R James L. Kaplan (D) Q R R Q R R Diann Karen Marsalek (D) 8/9 Y Y NQ R R Q R R Ellis B. Levin (D) 9/9 Y NQ NR NR NQ NR NR Rodrick F. Wimberly (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Cook Circuit Court-8th Sub Cook Circuit Court (Durkin Roy vacancy) (Pucinski vacancy) Deborah Jean Gubin (D) Y Y WQ R HR Q R R Edward J. Maloney (D) 8/9 Q R HR Q R R Sharon Finegan Patterson (D) 9/9 Y Q R R Q R R Lorna Ellen Propes (D) Y WQ R R Q NR R Nicholas Geanopoulos (D) 8/9 Q R R Q R R Cook Circuit Court-8th Sub (‘A’ vacancy) Laura Liu (D) Y Q R R Q R R WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 21

WCT PPAC IVI CCL CCBA DSL ISBA LAGBAC WBAI WCT PPAC IVI CCL CCBA DSL ISBA LAGBAC WBAI

Cook Circuit Court-9th Sub 17th Circuit Court-3rd Sub. (Bender vacancy) (‘A’ vacancy) Michael Ian Bender (D) 5/9 Q R R Q HR R Brendan Maher (R) Lionel Jean-Baptiste (D) 8/9 Q HR R Q R R 18th Circuit Court Cook Circuit Court-9th Sub (Thompson vacancy) (Epstein vacancy) Alice Wilson (D) Mary S. Trew (D) 9/9 Y Q R R Q HR R Patrick J. O’Shea (R) 8/9 Abbey Fishman Romanek (D) 8/9 Y Q R R Q R R Bob Gibson (R) David C. Adams (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Brian McKillip (R) Larry G. Axelrood (D) 9/9 Y WQ R HR HQ HR R 19th Circuit Court-2nd Sub. Cook Circuit Court-10th Sub (‘A’ vacancy) (Locallo vacancy) Patricia Fix (D) Y Thomas R. Allen (D) Y Q R R Q R R Luis A. Berrones (R) 5/9 Cook Circuit Court-11th Sub 19th Circuit Court-3rd Sub. (O’Brien vacancy) (‘A’ vacancy) Maureen A. Murphy (D) Q R R Q R R Jeffrey S. Braiman (D) Michael R. Clancy (D) Q R R Q R R Daniel B. Shanes (R) Maritza Martinez (D) Q R NR Q NR NR 19th Circuit Court-3rd Sub. Roger Zamparo (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR (‘B’ vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-11th Sub Nancy Waites (D) 7/9 (Urso vacancy) Thomas Schippers (R) Lisa Ann Marino (D) Q R NR Q NR R Todd Brian Projansky (R) Pamela McLean Meyerson (D) 9/9 Q R HR Q HR R 20th Circuit Court Deborah J. Fortier (D) NQ R NR NQ NR NR (O’Malley vacancy) Jennifer A. Blanc (D) NQ NR NR NQ NR R Vincent J. Lopinot (D) Cook Circuit Court-12th Sub Ronald R. Duebbert (R) (Rochford vacancy) 20th Circuit Court Andrea M. Schleifer (D) 9/9 Y WQ R R Q HR R (Wharton vacancy) Michael John Halloran (D) Q R HR Q R R Zina R. Cruise (D) Robert P. Babbitt (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Anne Fohne Keeley (D) Daniel P. Scott (D) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Laninya A. Cason (R) James C. Murray (D) Y WQ R R Q R R 20th Circuit Court-St. Clair Co. James Paul Pieczonka (R) NQ NR NR NQ NR NR (Cueto vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-13th Sub Brian K. Trentman (D) (Pietrucha vacancy) Julie A. Koluszek (R) Ketki “Kay” Steffen (R) 6/9 Q R R Q R R Daniel J. Emge (R) Paul S. Pavlus (R) Q R R Q R R 23rd Circuit Court-DeKalb Co. Nicholas G. Grapsas (R) Q R R Q R R (Klein vacancy) Peter A. Pacione (R) NR NR NR NQ NR NR Ronald G. Matekaitis (D) Cook Circuit Court-13th Sub Bill Brady (R) (‘A’ vacancy) 23rd Circuit Court-Kendall Co. Martin C. Kelly (R) NQ R R Q NR NR (‘A’ vacancy) Cook Circuit Court-14th Sub Melissa S. Barnhart (R) (O’Gara vacancy) David S. Kim (R) Regina Ann Scannicchio (R) WQ R R Q HR R 16th Circuit Court-2nd Sub. (‘A’ vacancy) John G. Dalton (D) 9/9 Y John F. Hurlbut (R) John N. Walter (R)

Particular races for which there were no data have been deleted for space. See our downloadable charts at WindyCityTimes.com. WINDY CITY 2012 TIMES primary election Voting charts guide Endorsements and ratings to help you make the best decisions at the polls March 7 & 14 Candidate interviews We speak directly with candidates about issues important to you Our special “Guide To the Gays” A special focus on all of the out candidates across all primary races See more online at www.WindyCityTimes.com 22 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

A special series in partnership with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago The Rev. Sid Mohn: Chicago’s vanguard against AIDS By JOE FRANCO to be dealt with,” said Mohn. “I wanted to in- sure that those living with AIDS and HIV had the The Rev. Sid Mohn grew up on a rural Pennsylva- respect they deserved as well as having all of nia farm in roots deeply entrenched in both the their rights to treatment with dignity protected. conservative Dutch environment that he lived I also recognized that at that time, there were and in the Anabaptists that enveloped him. To no organized systems of care available to those Mohn, his entire childhood was spent connected living with AIDS and that only some hospitals to the church and he very early on felt a call to had emergency care that could handle this new work within that establishment. crisis. We at Heartland sought to define a con- “It wasn’t until much later,” said Mohn, “that tinuum of care to respond to the multiple needs I came out and struggled deeply with the ir- of those with HIV, such as basic healthcare, nu- rationality to continue to seek ordination in an trition and housing,” organization that was predominantly exclusion- In those early years of AIDS, Mohn was instru- ary to gay men and lesbians.” mental in establishing one of the nation’s first Mohn’s Anabaptist pedigree—their solemn specialty clinics with Cook County Hospital for critique of unfair or unjust social policy—took those with AIDS. Mohn also worked in partner- over. ship with others to develop one of the country’s The Rev. Sid Mohn. Photo courtesy of Heartland Alliance “Just because society and the church oppose first integrated housing for those with AIDS and or condemn LGBTQ people is no reason to stay HIV. literally busloads of people brought in.” portive housing and finding reimbursement silent. I felt that I needed to complete my semi- “This was a systemic response,” said Mohn. Mohn linked the mania surrounding the inte- mechanisms for those reforms. Heartland is narian training,” he said. “We had to provide not only those basics but gration of housing with the hysteria surround- committed to community-based alternative care The Presbyterian church rejected Mohn but the mental healthcare and become an advocate for ing the dental care of those with AIDS. “[Large] and community based re-integration strategies United Church of Christ actually asked him to those living with HIV and AIDS. We became fis- numbers of dentists refused to provide treat- for folks in prison populations. We also are seek- serve and he was ordained a minister in that cal agents seeking funds and grants to help with ment to those living with HIV, so we had to de- ing integrated models of healthcare and legal congregation. these projects. What we did then eventually laid velop a dental clinic too,” he said. protections for the LGBT populations for those “Getting a job full time in the church was just the groundwork for the establishment of the Heartland Alliance continues to focus on the living in the global South.” not possible. I believe I became ordained to not AIDS Foundation of Chicago.” most vulnerable, not only in Chicago but across Currently in Central and West Africa, the Ca- only say ‘there are gay men who are being or- “It was the ’80s. The idea of ‘alternative the globe. Mohn believes very strongly in “de- ribbean and Central America, the same medical dained’ and as a symbol that there were openly healthcare’ was quite radical but we were sure to signing systems of care that ensure the dignity problems and social issues that the U.S. has dealt gay people in the clergy,” said Mohn. help provide this early group of men and women and just treatment for those who rarely experi- with as a nation 30 years ago are now becom- Mohn’s training and upbringing made work with AIDS access to massage, acupuncture, diet ence in that in their lives.” Mohn believes that ing problems and issues for the Global South. with the Chicago-based Heartland Alliance im- and stress alleviation techniques. By the ’90s, Heartland should make certain that individual- “We have to insure that these people have le- mediately attractive to him. these same folks were now not only living with ized care “extends to the totality of the indi- gal rights and protection, access to healthcare, “I saw the service of people who are marginal- a medical condition but had to deal with the so- vidual and the advancement of human rights.” equal treatment in employment and housing and ized and typically the most excluded as the best cial diseases of homophobia and AIDS-phobia,” Heartland, unlike a number of other humani- access to social and recreational supports,” said opportunity,” he said. “I believed that I could said Mohn. tarian and non-profit groups, re-establishes Mohn. translate my own person experiences with the “We established the nation’s second inte- their own strategic plans on an annual basis. “It is our job,” continued Mohn, “to make cer- social exclusion of so many.” grated permanent housing project for those with With such rapid changes in healthcare law in the tain that the [U.S.] Affordable Healthcare Act Mohn became president of Heartland in 1980. AIDS which was modeled after a similar proj- coming years, this manner of doing business, and the laws that come with it becomes a tool of In 1981, the disease we now know as AIDS be- ect in New York City,” he continued. “Up until more than other models, have Heartland poised real healthcare reform. We must build a system gan to take its very early and immediate toll on that point in the early ’90s, separate housing for for the new challenges 2012 brings. that is fully inclusive. We must build a system large numbers of gay men—and others. those with HIV was the norm. I felt that these “We’re focused on accountable care for vulner- that not only makes well those who are in the “I instantly recognized that this new ‘gay dis- folks should be living with members of their able populations,” said Mohn. “We are deter- mainstream but also those who are the most vul- ease’ as it was branded at the time, had both community and not apart from them. The debate mined to build models for integrated and sup- nerable.” public health and social justice issues that had in the public arena was enormous. There were

requirements for the drugs, along with a photo Director of the Johns Hopkins AIDS Service; Positively Aware HIV to help easily identify each medication. Read- activist Joey Wynn, Director of Public Policy at drug guide available ers will also find detailed information on side Broward House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Re- The Positively Aware 16th Annual HIV Drug effects, drug interactions, and current trends in nata Smith, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Profes- Guide, widely recognized throughout the coun- HIV care and treatment. sor in HIV/Infectious Diseases at the University try as the “must-have” reference tool for HIV This year’s HIV Drug Guide also has an up- of Illinois at Chicago; and Associate Editor Enid service providers and consumers alike, is now dated and expanded article on HIV drug co-pay Vázquez. available. and patient assistance programs being offered “Positively Aware’s Annual HIV Drug Guide is There are now 30 FDA approved HIV therapies by pharmaceutical companies, including an easy a great source for cutting edge treatment infor- to choose from, and finding the most effective to read chart, plus information on AIDS Drug mation, not only for those of us who prescribe and appropriate medication regimen is vital to Assistance Programs, Medicare, and Medicaid. these drugs, but for our HIV-positive patients as success in treating HIV. The Positively Aware “It’s so critical that people know that there is well,” says Dr. Gallant. “I was happy to be asked HIV Drug Guide provides important information help available when accessing and paying for again to contribute to this year’s edition—it’s to individuals living with HIV as well as their treatment,” says Positively Aware Editor Jeff always an enjoyable project.” caregivers on how best to manage their treat- Berry. “There is no reason why anyone should Positively Aware is an internationally known ment. be denied access to lifesaving medication based and respected magazine devoted to HIV treat- This 80-page issue of Positively Aware devotes solely on an inability to pay for their drugs or ment and health. It has a circulation of over a full page to each approved HIV medication, co-pays, or because they cannot afford health 100,000, and is published bi-monthly by Test plus four experimental medications, three of insurance.” Positive Aware Network (TPAN). Founded in which are slated for approval later this year: the One of the most popular features of the Posi- 1987, TPAN is Chicago’s oldest peer-led AIDS integrase inhibitors elvitegravir and dolutegra- tively Aware HIV Drug Guide is the viewpoint service organization and specializes in treat- vir (the latter now available through expanded given on each medication from a well-respected ment information, support services, and preven- access), the new upcoming single-tablet regi- physician and an activist. Contributors to this tion. men known as the “Quad”, and the pharmaco- year’s Drug Guide include Dr. Joel Gallant, Pro- To order copies of the magazine, call (773) enhancer boosting agent cobicistat. The pullout fessor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the 989-9400 or [email protected] . For in- drug chart, sponsored by Walgreens, includes Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s formation about TPAN and Positively Aware dosing information, as well as food and liquid Division of Infectious Diseases, and Associate magazine and www.positivelyaware.com . WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 23

Workers meet and help clients at Heartland Alliance. Photos courtesy of Heartland Alliance

HIV prevention has also been a recent objec- both housing and healthcare are basic human tive for Heartland with the establishment of rights,” said Batia. “One of our greatest goals “Promise.” “This is community-based interven- today is finding that housing, although with the Heartland Alliance: tion. We are reaching out to the unidentified new healthcare law taking effect in 2014, that community. These are predominantly African- may become somewhat less challenging for us.” 125 years of protecting American men who have sex with men. First, we The Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA) has be- identify advocates in the community then take come Heartland’s and other centers like theirs those advocates’ stories and disseminate them greatest “what-ifs”. “Heartland does have a stra- society’s most vulnerable through those men who may be at risk. This is tegic direction when AHA is in force in 2014,” more than just distributing condoms. This is said Batia. “It is important to remember that By Joe Franco who are normally ‘cut out’ of the table were not peer-to-peer intervention with counseling on just because the law is there that suddenly all cut out at that table,” said Karen Batia, the ex- safer-sex and testing,” said Dinauer. of the problems we had will be solved. It is up The mission of Heartland Alliance for the last ecutive director of Heartland Health Outreach. Batia, with Heartland Health Outreach, to us to help enforce that law and make certain 125 years has been to advance human rights Since Heartland intervened, the face of AIDS stressed the importance of medical care that that we shape the service systems for the ben- and respond “to the human needs of endangered has changed as have the funds made available to went beyond the basics. “We recently merged efit of the most vulnerable. We need to make populations—particularly the poor, the isolated, sustain their innovative programs. “We offered a with Vital Bridges so that folks would have ac- sure that our folks, and those on Medicaid will and the displaced—through the provision of holistic approach to those living with HIV. We cess to quality, fresh foods. This is not a food continued to be enrolled into coordinated care,” comprehensive and respectful services and the offered not only the basic health needs but acu- bank with canned and non-perishables but ac- said Batia. promotion of permanent solutions leading to a puncture, recreational outings and a community tual grocery centers where people can come and “At the core of what Heartland does is pro- more just global society.” nurse,” said John Dinauer, a case manager with ‘shop’. We offer nutritional counselors to make vide medical care for those who need it most. Heartland was also one of Chicago’s first re- the behavioral health unit for Heartland. “But sure that the nutritional needs of folks are met,” But this is not enough. We must also be able to sponders during the beginning of the AIDS things change. Funding changes. HIV changes. said Batia. provide housing, connectivity, emergency care Crisis. Rev. Sid Mohn, president of Heartland, The money for our approach went away though HIV early intervention, funded by the City of beyond the emergency room and security. Heart- began a program for those diagnosed and liv- we did try as long as we could to keep it going, Chicago, is another way that Heartland is seek- land works with the most vulnerable populations ing with AIDS that seemed revolutionary at the We just ended our art therapy sessions but we ing to ease and end HIV and AIDS in Chicago- and oftentimes, these may seem small but these time. think within time, that program will return.” land. “This program is for folks that we suspect folks have no access to them,” said Batia. “We saw AIDS as not just a public health issue Currently, Heartland operates more than 140 are probably HIV positive and do not know it Heartland’s work does not end at the bor- but also one of social justice,” said Mohn. “We scattered-site housing units for those with HIV yet. We are looking at youth, single adults, men ders of Cook County. Mohn just returned from a wanted to treat this new ‘gay disease’ with both and AIDS. “We understand that providing hous- and women. We target these groups systemati- trip to West Africa. He said, “The work that we non-discrimination and a recognition that we ing, real, viable housing for those most margin- cally based on the data we have available to us,” started in the 1980s and ’90s we are trying to needed organized systems of care not normally alized who are living with AIDS is an important said Batia. Heartland’s early intervention pro- start here. This is more than medical services. available to those with HIV before.” part of their actual treatment,” said Dinauer. gram is multi-disciplinary, offering education, We are also responding to the advancement of Heartland partnered with Cook County Hospi- “My job as a case manager is comprehensive. testing, harm reduction strategies and anything equitable healthcare for those living with HIV tal to provide one of the nation’s first specialty Housing is a part but so is making sure our par- else that will promote the containment of HIV and AIDS and advocate for their full participa- clinics for those with AIDS/HIV. Heartland also ticipants have healthcare and some sort of in- and AIDS. tion in society.” became a fierce advocate of equal protection come. We also operate the Rafael Center to make Dinauer helps manage more than 140 scat- For more information on Heartland Alliance for those who were being treated. “We had to sure our participants have some place to come tered-site housing for those with HIV and Ba- and the work that they do here in Chicago be sure that those people, the most vulnerable, to during the day.” tia makes certain that the housing is there for and abroad, visit the organization’s Website those who need it. “We believe that access to at www.heartlandalliance.org. 24 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

TPAN: Riding against AIDS in 2012 By Ross Forman

Gilberto Diaz was literally within shouting dis- tance of the finish to the 2010 Ride for AIDS Chicago when disaster struck. He was just out- side the rider holding area at Mile 199.5 of the two-day, 200-mile trek when his derailleur broke. Enter Richard Cordova. He gave Diaz his bike, so Diaz could ride across the finish line. “Seeing his face and watching him ride the last 500 yards across the finish line was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Cordova said. “The Ride is about accomplishment, sacrifice, and intense pride.” Building friendships and supporting a cause, too, of course. Cordova, 33, who lives in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, is now the Director of Athletic Events for the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN)—the benefactor of the annual Ride for AIDS Chicago. He has worked at TPAN for almost cial Closing Ceremony is being planned for this if you want to go far, go together,” said Yvette AIDS Ride images courtesy Richard Cordova two years and has participated in four previous year’s event, “to ensure that the riders and crew Pryor, 43, of Chicago, who will ride again in Rides (three as a rider, one as an event execu- members have a fun-filled, joyous and heartfelt 2012. “AIDS can be lonely and isolating; no one tive). The 2012 Ride will be Cordova’s fifth. experience.” should have to fight it alone, and through (the) The 2011 Ride had 225 Riders and raised more Plus, TPAN is offering a more enhanced train- Ride for AIDS Chicago, together, we can make a than $538,000. This summer, TPAN organizers ing program this year. difference.” are shooting for over 350 riders, $600,000 in “Our structured training will cater to athletes Sean Blay, 39, a Chicago resident, is riding individual donations, and $150,000 in corporate of all skill levels,” Cordova said. “Beginners and this summer in his second consecutive RFAC. He sponsorships. advanced riders alike will receive a 13-week is one of many HIV-positive riders, and was one “TPAN is one of the organizations that helps training program that is fully supported with of the seven riders last year who attached or- save and turn lives around for the better. I know snacks, pit stops, and both emotional and me- ange flags to their bicycles to signify their HIV this because that’s exactly what they did for chanical support. status. me,” said TPAN client Evany Turk, 33, of Chicago. “The great thing about our training program is “Words cannot describe the experience I got “The staff is friendly, welcoming, understanding that someone can come to the event with very from doing the Ride for AIDS Chicago last year and intelligent, which helps when you’re in a little training and, (after) 13 weeks, they can and all of the support that I received from dark place. The programs are taught well, and see a real change in their physical fitness. The TPAN,” Blay said. “It was with the great help it gives you great motivation to know that it’s outdoor rides build in mileage and are structured from the volunteers and staff of TPAN that I owe being taught by someone who is going through so that people can push themselves to ride a much of (joy of the 2011 Ride) to. Not only have something similar as you.” little bit faster on some of the rides. We also will they provided me with a support system from Such as, Cordova, who is HIV-positive. do hill training, speed work, and back-to-back the hundreds of riders and crew, but they also “Living with HIV, it’s important for me to par- rides in preparation for the event. In addition, were there for me with emergency financial as- ticipate in these types of endurance events,” we will host various bike clinics to help prepare sistance when my unemployment ran out. Cordova said. “Knowing that I am stronger than the riders and crew members for the Ride, in- “TPAN helped me apply for rental assistance my disease is important to me. In addition, cluding tire-changing and basics repairs.” through the AIDS Foundation of Chicago when I helping to support other (HIV)-positive people Funds raised through the RFAC support TPAN couldn’t pay my rent and, most important, they is important to me, too. I want all people im- and its partner agencies that deliver life-saving were able to help me get back up on my feet in pacted by HIV to feel as strong and empowered HIV services throughout the city. “Grants help finding a job through a job fair this past year. as I do.” support the programs at the agency, but there “TPAN has done so much, not only me, but for The Ride for AIDS Chicago is scheduled for are always costs that the grants do not cover,” thousands of others throughout the Chicagoland July 14-15, traveling from the Evanston to Elk- Cordova said. “Unrestricted money from events area. Last year when I did this ride, I was living horne, Wisc, and back. like the Ride for AIDS Chicago is so crucial be- with 349 T-cells. This year I am riding with over “An eight-person executive committee, over cause it allow us to fill in the gaps.” 780 T-cells, thanks (in part to) TPAN and the 37 captains and co-captains, and the staff at So what if someone wants to ride, but does efforts that they support with the money raised TPAN will make sure that fundraising goals are not own a bicycle? from this ride. This is a truly amazing experience met and that we produce a safe, challenging, The event has partnerships with Upgrade Cycle and I owe my future to what TPAN has given and rewarding experience for all participants,” Works, Kozy’s Cycle shop, and Get a Grip Cycles. thus far.” Cordova said. “We already have such an engaged, Riders are eligible for discounts on bikes, parts, For more information about the Ride for vibrant group of riders and crew members signed and service. AIDS Chicago, to register, or to donate, go to: up this year. It’s really great seeing so many “One of the things I have learned in life is www.rideforaids.org or call Richard Cordova at people who are invested in their community.” that if you want to go fast, then go alone. (But) (773) 989-9400 x230. The Riders annually cross all communities, and even include celebrities. Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon and her husband were riders in 2011, So what goes into the two-day which Cordova said “is so meaningful—she defi- nitely enhances the weight of the event.” Ride For AIDS Chicago? Riders are required to raise $1,000 while crew members are encouraged to raise $500. Regis- Food Misc. tration is $100, which helps offset the cost of 8 cases of bananas 48 tubes of sunscreen producing the event. “We (TPAN) remain com- 2 cases of oranges 20 bottles of bug spray mitted to returning 100 percent of the money 2 cases of apples raised back to the beneficiaries,” Cordova said. “Corporate sponsorships, registration fees, and 8 cases of granola bars Mechanical in-kind donations help offset the many costs of 14 cases of bagels 85 Inner Tubes used producing the event.” 4 cases of peanut butter 3 Derailleur cables James Sumers was the top fundraiser in 2011, 60 pounds of pretzels 2 Road brake cables collecting more than $16,000 for TPAN. 1300 gallons of water 1 Mountain brake cable “Each year the Ride gets bigger and better 60 pounds of pasta at dinner 3 Spokes through increased participation and fundrais- ing,” said Cordova, who noted that a new, spe- WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 25

Dab Garner uses teddy bears to help others cope with HIV/AIDS By Ross Forman the love of a child and being a parent can make still be here to celebrate my 30th year of living you put things into perspective,” Garner said. with HIV. I count every day as a blessing since It was 30 years ago, on Valentine’s Day 1982 Candace was, in fact, the one who gave Garner I consider myself being on borrowed time for so at San Francisco General Hospital, that Richard the name Dab, as he is now known. many years.” “Dab” Garner was diagnosed with PCP, a form of When she tried to say the word ‘dad,’ it came Dab the AIDS Bear Project evolved from Dab pneumonia. Garner then learned he had GRID, out ‘dab’—and it’s stuck. the AIDS Bear, which was started in 2003 be- as it then was known: gay-related immune de- “The 10-year mark, [in 1992] had its ups and cause of the start of ADAP AIDS drug waiting ficiency. downs,” Garner said. “The huge downside was lists, Garner said. “I lost two partners, my god- He was 19 and told he likely would not see his Brad and Candace both lost their battles with daughter and over 10,000 friends before life- 20th birthday, which was six weeks away. AIDS in 1989 which devastated me. Then the saving medications became available,” Garner “I was traumatized,” Garner said of the 1982 1989 San Francisco Earthquake destroyed my said. “I was outraged that American men and diagnosis. “I was one of the first to make it out apartment and I lost everything except my car women were dying [while] on the ADAP wait- of quarantine alive, so I felt all alone and really and the clothes I had on at the time.” ing lists. It will never sit right with me that our did not know what to do. I had already started He also was attending funerals every week for country allows any American to be on waiting giving teddy bears to my first partner and my those who lost their battle with HIV/AIDS. He lists for life-saving medications.” best friend when they were dying from GRID in once had nine funerals in one week. Hence, Dab the AIDS Bear Project is a staunch 1981.” “The upside of the 10-year mark was first of all advocate for increased federal Ryan White Fund- The bears are Garner’s direct, personal tie to living that long with the HIV virus and not hav- ing, including ADAP, and also a resource for the past, present and future. Now 49 and liv- ing to be on any medications. I also was speak- those already infected with HIV. Plus, the proj- ing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Garner is the CEO of ing at HIV events around the U.S., including the ect is involved with awareness, education and Dab the AIDS Bear Project, a grassroots project first AIDS walks and conferences,” he said. prevention at events around the world. of concerned citizens joined together to raise Garner credits his survival for the past 30 Dab the AIDS Bear Project has been sup- HIV awareness, education and prevention. Teddy years to a “fantastic support-group, including ported by such celebrities as Cher, Christopher bears are the building block. family, friends, partners and dogs.” Plus, Garner Meloni, Boy George, Lynda Carter, Jai Rodriguez, Jeanne White Ginder (Ryan White’s mother) “The first year [1982] was very hard because learned years after his 1982 diagnosis that he Sen. Edward Kennedy, Sen. Bill Nelson, and U.S. and Dab Garner at the 2010 Florida AIDS there were so few people diagnosed who made has a gene anomaly called CCR5 Delta 32 that Reps. Illeana Ross-Lithen, Alcee Hastings, Deb- Walk. Photos courtesy of Dab Garner it out of quarantine alive,” Garner said. “There helps him fight HIV. bie Wasserman-Shultz, and others. was really no support group out there for people “The way I have dealt with HIV/AIDS is [by] “The public can become involved with Dab the living with GRID. I never knew, from one day to having a positive attitude, working out, eating AIDS Bear by donating and sponsoring a child

Left to right: Christopher Meloni with a Dab Bear, Dab Bears at a Ride to End AIDS, Boy George with a Dab bear.

ing with HIV. Joy and hope for children living the next, how long I would be alive, so it was healthy and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. at one of our Teddy Bear Touchdowns. They can with HIV through our Teddy Bear Touchdowns hard to think of planning for the future.” I think staying active even after going on dis- donate and get one of our Dab the AIDS Bears and scholarships to camps for kids with HIV. But still, he quickly became an activist, urging ability has been a huge difference and positive or awareness pins,” Garner said. Plus, “we have “By sharing my personal story, I believe peo- all to talk about what was happening. He also impact on my health,” he said. “I am also fortu- a group called Ambassadors of Hope who attend ple have hope they can live with HIV for a long continued to give away teddy bears to people nate to have health insurance to help cover my HIV/AIDS walks, rides, conferences, LGBT pride time.” as they were put into quarantine—to let them health costs. [events], health fairs and other events with Garner said he is “doing pretty well” health- know someone cared and was thinking about “HIV/AIDS has totally impacted every aspect their Dab the AIDS Bear—to spread the bear’s wish, and he is now partnered to Todd Bennett. them. “Having been in quarantine myself I knew of my life. Being diagnosed at such a young age 31-year message of hope.” “My infectious disease doctor always wishes how scary a place it was,” Garner said. and becoming an activist, my life has revolved Garner said that he distributed more than I would slow down, not do as many events “The upside of the first year was not only did around helping people with HIV/AIDS while do- 10,000 before 1995. and take it easy. But as long as my health al- I make it out of quarantine alive, but, I contin- ing awareness, education and prevention to help Since 1998, the bears have been available for lows, Dab the AIDS Bear and I will be out there ued to stay alive month after month when I was keep those who are still negative to stay that a donation to help fund its Teddy Bear Touch- spreading hope while doing awareness, educa- told there was no hope. It was many years later way. downs and other work—and about 28,000 bears tion and prevention,” Garner said. “Dab the AIDS before I knew why I was able to stay alive when “HIV/AIDS also has impacted my [profes- have been sent out after receiving a donation, Bear Project is a community-based organization so many others did not. sional] life from the start. When I was first di- mostly domestic, though about 20 percent come made up of volunteers. No one receives a pay “At the five-year mark [in 1987], I remember agnosed, I was modeling and after being outed from about 14 countries around the world. check or compensation, so it has to be some- going to funerals almost every week. There was about my status, the bookings dried up quickly “My favorite bear story is each year when we thing people are passionate about doing. We only one medication to treat HIV and, for most, since no one wanted a model with ‘the new dis- do our Teddy Bear Touchdowns [and] each child receive no government funding because I refuse all it did was make them sick and diminish their ease,’ so I ended up going back to college and receives a teddy bear and at least one other gift to be another organization eating up the sparse quality of life. There was still no federal or state getting my MBA. I never thought this would be which the guardians/parents take home for the resources when we have men and women on funding to help people with HIV. People who my life; I had [a] totally different plan for my child to receive on Christmas, or another holiday waiting lists for life-saving HIV medications and died from AIDS donated their money to help future. But because of my work as an activist, they observe,” Garner said. “The smiles of the other services. So, it is by the generous dona- take care of those who were dying.” I have gotten to meet people I probably never kids when they get their bears is the best gift I tions of people around the world that we are Garner met his second partner, Brad, in 1984 would have otherwise [met,] such as celebrities, could ever receive because they know someone able to continue our work and bring hope and and he too was HIV-positive. “He taught me the politicians and so many people sharing their cares about them. joy to children living with HIV and AIDS.” true meaning of love and monogamy,” Garner story about either living with HIV or someone “Dab the AIDS Bear Project means hope to See www.dabtheaidsbearproject.com/ . said. In 1985, they became the godfathers of a they knew that either died or was living with me personally. Hope for people living with HIV. little girl named Candace who was born with HIV HIV. Hope for more funding to provide life-saving and fetal alcohol syndrome. “It is amazing how “I never in my wildest dreams thought I would medications and other services for people liv- 26 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES WINDY CITY VIEWPOINTS TIMES cation. It was overwhelming. I needed to come will also come out of the shadows in DuPage VOL. 27 No. 22, March 7, 2012 JORGE out and speak aloud to know that I would live County, for the first time. Being undocumented The combined forces of Windy City Times, past all this and that being undocumented was in the suburbs can bring its own issues but the founded Sept. 1985, and Outlines newspaper, MENA not something I would have to deal with alone. youth there are realizing that coming out is the founded May 1987. One year later, I am still seeing the after ef- first step to fight hate speech and programs that PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR fects of coming out. While I was doing it for criminalize undocumented immigrants, running Tracy Baim personal reasons at the time, I quickly realized strong in suburban communities. It is not only how it affected the people around me as well in states like Arizona, Georgia and Alabama that ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Terri Klinsky as undocumented youth I would come to know. immigrants are being deported. Here in Illinois, MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Davis BUSINESS MANAGER Meghan Streit Only months after coming out, me and five other deportations have increased as families are DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA Jean Albright The time to undocumented youth, some who came out of ripped apart and undocumented people continue ART DIRECTOR Kirk Williamson the shadows with me on March 10 would get to be blamed. SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS: Terri Klinsky, Amy come out arrested participating in a sit-in blocking traf- Coming out is a process and there are still many Matheny, Kirk Williamson, Dave Ouano, Kirk Smid PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT Cynthia Holmes fic and protesting the immigration-enforcement young people who are scared to speak about NIGHTSPOTS MANAGING EDITOR Kirk Williamson is now their status. Youth continue to fear in silence NATIONAL SALES Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863 as college response letters are quietly opened SENIOR WRITERS Kate Sosin, Bob Roehr, Rex Coming out as gay showed me just how neces- knowing that the resources to pay for school do Wockner, Marie J. Kuda, David Byrne, Tony Per- egrin, Lisa Keen, Yasmin Nair, Erica Demarest sary it was to address my undocumented iden- not exist or that getting a job seems impossible. THEATER EDITOR Scott C. Morgan tity. I dealt with both separately, but every day I want to tell these youth to stop feeling afraid. CINEMA WRITER Richard Knight, Jr. both of these identities influence each decision I want them to know that there is nothing to be BOOKS WRITER Yasmin Nair I make. Being out (has not only been the best ashamed of and that coming out means that you SPORTS WRITER Ross Forman ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WRITERS decision I made but) has allowed me to be more will not let anyone take away your humanity. We Mary Shen Barnidge, Steve Warren, Lawrence Fer- mentally healthy while fighting for my rights as need to create a space where no one can ignore ber, Mel Ferrand, Jerry Nunn, Jonathan Abarbanel an undocumented queer Latino immigrant. us and it begins with us believing that we are COLUMNISTS/WRITERS: Yvonne Zipter, Jorjet As I stood on stage in downtown Chicago— worth it and that we can achieve our goals. Harper, Lee Lynch, Alex Lubischer, Charlsie Dewey, Carrie Maxwell, Billy Masters, Tyler Gillespie, Sarah about to come out as undocumented, unafraid, I claim my undocumented and queer identities Toce, Dana Rudolph, Sally Parsons, Emmanuel unapologetic—my body felt heavy. I had prac- as they are continually developing and redefined Garcia, Jamie Anne Royce, Joe Franco ticed what I would say but the fear that rushed while definitely being out. I invite everyone to SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Kat Fitzgerald, Mel back into me for a second was something I could come to come to National Coming Out of the Ferrand, Hal Baim, Steve Starr, Emmanuel Garcia, Dave Ouano, Tim Carroll not have dealt with beforehand. I suddenly re- Shadows and listen to undocumented people CIRCULATION alized that I was about to come out to an im- share their stories. If you are undocumented, CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jean Albright mense crowd. know that we will survive in this country. But DISTRIBUTION: Ashina, Allan, Dan, John, Renee, That day—March 10, 2011—I was anxious of we will only be ready for what is to come if we Sue and Victor who would actually see me on the news and how are able to define ourselves, and be out about WEB HOSTING: LoveYourWebsite.com (lead pro- grammer: Martie Marro) I would be judged. I remember thinking, “What our status. The time to come out is now. if my manager at work sees this?” I was afraid program Secure Communities. After coming out, Jorge Mena is a queer undocumented or- of losing my measly café job for coming out and I have realized that we are coming out to defend ganizer with the Immigrant Youth Justice Copyright 2012 Lambda Publications Inc./Windy City Media Group; All rights reserved. Reprint by permission only. Back talking about my identity. ourselves. No one else is going to do this for us, League (IYJL). He came out as undocument- issues (if available) for $5 per issue (postage included). I also remember thinking, “I need this. I’m go- and our voices are ready to be heard. If you lis- ed March 10, 2011, and was arrested during Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and ing insane.” I was about to graduate from the ten closely, our stories have potential to change a civil-disobedience protest in Chicago six no responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials. University of Illinois at Chicago, and felt the politics and I believe that they will. months later. He is also a 2010 Windy City All rights to letters, art and photographs sent to Windy City Times will be treated as unconditionally assigned same feelings that came forth when I was gradu- National Coming Out of the Shadows Day is Times 30 under 30 award recipient. for publication purposes and as such, subject to editing ating high school. Feelings of frustration, fear, about defining ourselves and not relying on oth- For more information on Chicago’s and comment. The opinions expressed by the columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are their own loneliness and anger at not knowing where my ers to show us what we need or who we are. It 2012 National Coming Out of the Shad- and do not necessarily reflect the position ofWindy City life was headed due to closed doors and no op- is about undocumented youth taking control of ows event, see www.facebook.com/ Times. Publication of the name, photograph, or likeness of a person or organization in articles or advertising in Windy portunities regardless of my hard work and edu- their future. This year, on March 16, the suburbs events/347153208636270. City Times is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organization. While we encourage readers to support the advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Windy City Times cannot accept responsibility for advertising claims. LETTERS (773) 871-7610 FAX (773) 871-7609 e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Gerber/Hart accessible organization that makes our history one, have accorded her their highest rating to a living breathing part of the community. In- serve as a Judge. The only bar association that www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com stead, it looks like a dilapidated second-hand has rated her unqualified is LAGBAC (the Lesbian radio: WindyCityQueercast.com To Windy City Times: video: QueerTVNetwork.com bookstore. and Gay Bar Association of Chicago); the rat- Barry Aldridge’s letter to the editor in the Feb. ing mystifies me and others, including some gay WINDY CITY MEDIA GROUP, 15 issue shifts blame for Gerber/Hart’s difficul- John D’Emilio judges and community leaders I have spoken 5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, Illinois 60640 with. U.S.A ties to irresponsible reporting that attacks the (MAILING ADDRESS ONLY) organization and to an apathetic community Hopes with Propes Lorna is preeminently one to be concerned that justice will prevail in her courtroom. When that won’t do the work the organization needs. Windy City Times Deadline every Wednesday. someone has proven that the LGBT communi- Nightspots Deadline Wednesday prior to street date. I see it differently. I am a former board mem- Dear Editor: ty can rely upon her support, the community OUT! Resource Guide ONLINE ber, a former volunteer who organized programs should support them. I am urging that there be www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com at the library, a former large donor to the or- I am writing to correct what I see as an injus- www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com a strong showing of LGBT support for her judi- ganization and a person who has devoted his tice. For those who do not know me, I have, www.WindyCityQueercast.com cial candidacy. Please make an extra effort to www.QueerTVNetwork.com life to LGBT history. Under the seven-plus year for more than 40 years, been representing LGBT find her name on the ballot and vote for Lorna leadership of the current president, the number individuals, businesses and community organi- zations. Propes. “Windy City Media Group generated of people who take on significant roles that enormous interest among their readers require initiative and independent action has Many years ago, I asked Lorna Propes to help me defend a 20-year-old gay man on a charge of Edward Mogul in this year’s LGBT Consumer Index shrunk badly. The reduction of the board to only Survey. Out of approximately 100 murder. Due to her prodigious skills as an advo- two local people is the best evidence of that. print and online media partners who cate, she kept the trial focused on the real issues Edward Mogul was the founding attorney for Concerned about this, I offered in September to participated in the survey, Windy at a time when judges, prosecutors and juries the Howard Brown Clinic and is president of put together a full board of directors, with the City was the best performing regional were noticeably prejudiced against gay people, the Unicorn Foundation. range of skills that an organization like Gerber/ media in the U.S. Only survey partners viz., Queer Injustice, Joey Mogul, Andrea Ritchie Hart needs. The president, Karen Sendziak, re- with a nationwide footprint were and Kay Whitlock. The witnesses, many of whom acted with a level of hostility and antagonism able to generate a greater number of were gay, were treated with dignity, thanks to that shocked me. It was as if I was proposing to responses.” ­­—David Marshall, Research Lorna’s strong sense that all people be treated Send letters and steal her most prized possession. And that’s a Director, Community Marketing, Inc. with respect for who they are as individuals. Her viewpoints to problem—when leaders becomes so emotionally performance was especially heroic because we invested that they can’t distinguish between were in a courtroom where the judge had been Andrew@WindyCity their needs and the welfare of the organization. censured by the judicial inquiry board for his Sendziak works herself to the bone for Gerber/ open hostility to female attorneys. MediaGroup.com. Hart. Anyone who knows her knows that she Lorna is already sitting as a judge, having been Items may be edited loves the organization. She has kept its doors appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill a open. But that’s just about all Gerber/Hart is— judicial vacancy. She is running to be elected for length or clarity. an organization whose doors are open. It would in her own right. All the bar associations, save be hard to argue that Gerber/Hart is a vibrant WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 27 GOINGS-ON WINDY CITY TIMES’ ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

Photo from Disney Enterprises, Inc. TAYLOR-MADE Taylor Kitsch portrays the title character in the upcoming film John Carter. See the review on page 32. DISH TELEVISION SPORTS Free to brie. Annie way you like it. Project launch. Page 36. Page 31. Page 42.

Photo by Shira Kollins Annie Potts PR photo Photo of Brendan and Patrick Burke from Patrick Burke

SCOTTISH PLAY SCOTT However, on the controversial side, The Lara- by Judy Shepard, Matthew’s mother. mie Project: Ten Years Later focuses on the “I’m really more excited than nervous to meet revisionist takes on Shepard’s death that take her,” Katz said about Shepard’s Redtwist appear- homophobia out of the equation. It also depicts ance. “I think she appreciates anytime a theater A return to Laramie a disturbing interview with Aaron McKinney, one company does one of the two Laramie produc- BY SCOTT C. MORGAN get their reactions to the widely reported 1998 of Shepard’s convicted murderers. tions because it’s bringing awareness because hate-crime death of gay college student Mat- At the sentencing of McKinney and his accom- that’s one of the best things about theater is Director Greg Kolack is surprised that it has thew Shepard. plice, Russell Henderson, both were specifically how it can bring about social change.” taken more than two years for a Chicago the- Kaufman and his collaborators’ verbatim inter- barred from speaking to the press (it was part The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later contin- ater company to produce an extended run of The views formed the powerful docu-drama text for of the agreement that spared the two from the ues through Sunday, April 7, at Redtwist The- Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. Now directing The Laramie Project. The play prompted great death penalty). Yet ABC News’ 20/20 broke that atre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Performances are a production at the intimate storefront Redtwist community discussions and served as a conduit ban in 2004 with a much-condemned interview at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays with Theatre, Kolack feels The Laramie Project: Ten to promote acceptance and tolerance of LGBT with McKinney where he argued that Shepard’s 3 p.m. matinees Sundays. Tickets are $25 to $30 Years Later should get more exposure on its own, people and issues when The Laramie Project saw murder was not a hate crime, but a drug deal and $20-$25 for students and seniors. Readings but also should be paired with the original Lara- regional productions around the country and the gone wrong. of the first play, The Laramie Project, are at 3 mie Project. world. “These shows have to be presented together,” Yet as the 10th anniversary of Shepard’s death Kolack said, calling The Laramie Project: Ten approached in 2008, Kaufman and members of Years Later more of an “epilogue” or “follow-up” the Tectonic Theatre Project returned to Wyo- than a sequel. ming to see how the community had (or hadn’t) “Even though [The Laramie Project plays] were changed in the ensuing years. These interviews written 10 years apart, I still think of them very formed the basis for The Laramie Project: Ten much as an Angels in America or The Kentucky Years Later, which had its premiere in simultane- Cycle where each play stands on its own, but to ous readings across the world on Oct. 12, 2009, get the full impact you need to see them both,” the 11th anniversary of Shepard’s death. About Kolack said. “That became a bit of a project for Face Theatre teamed up with the Goodman The- me to pitch around to theaters.” atre to present The Laramie Project: Ten Years Although Redtwist Theatre isn’t presenting Later in Chicago. both plays as full-fledged productions, it is at “People are actually still discovering it,” Ko- least producing the first Laramie Project play in lack said, noting that despite the big publicity a staged reading form on Saturday afternoons. for The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later in 2009, That way die-hard theater fans can see both there has been relatively few productions of it The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. Photo by Kimberly Loughlin works in one day the way many have also expe- across America. “It surprises me that there are a rienced the multi-play Kentucky Cycle and both lot of people, even in theater, who know of The “The characters from the first one that you p.m. Saturdays until April 7. Tickets to the read- parts of Angels in America (which, incidentally, Laramie Project, but don’t know the second one think will have a profound change over 10 years, ing are $15. There is no late seating. will be staged at Court Theatre March 30-June exists.” do,” said Eleanor Katz. “It’s the new characters A special benefit performance of The Laramie 3). Chicago actress Eleanor Katz appeared in a that come into the second piece that really I Project: Ten Years Later where proceeds go to Since The Laramie Project debuted in Denver London staging of The Laramie Project in 2007 think shock you when you hear them because benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation is Sat- before moving to New York in 2000, it has gone at the East 15 Acting School, and she’s grateful there are rumors that have manifested and have urday, March 10. There is a reception at 6:30 on to be one of the more influential dramas of to be a part of Redtwist’s Laramie productions. taken the whole murder and what surrounds it p.m., an introduction to the play by Judy Shepa- the past decade. It came about when playwright “I think it’s given us a sense of closure,” said into a different and frustrating direction.” rd (Matthew Shepard’s mother) at 7:30 p.m., and Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Katz about performing both Laramie plays back On Saturday, March 10, Redtwist Theatre pres- a talkback session led by Susan Burk of the Mat- Theatre Project (best known then for the thor- to back. “We’ve started with these characters ents a special benefit performance of The Lara- thew Shepard Foundation after the show. Tickets oughly research drama Gross Indecency: The and now we’ve seen how they’ve changed and mie Project: Ten Years Later that will benefit the $100 for the benefit. For more information on Three Trials of Oscar Wilde) journeyed to Wyo- how their lives have been affected over a de- Matthew Shepard Foundation. It prominently all Redtwist Theatre performances, call 773-728- ming and Colorado to interview townsfolk to cade.” features a pre-show reception and introduction 7529 or visit www.redtwist.org. 28 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES THEATER REVIEW The North Plan Playwright: Jason Wells fml: how At: Theater Wit at Theater Carson Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. McCullers Tickets: 773-975-8150; saved my life. www.theaterwit.org; $18-$36 Photo by Runs through: April 1 Michael Brosilow BY MARY SHEN BARNIDGE

“This is how it starts!” shouts the mercenary rebel with an automatic pistol in each hand and three fallen bodies scattered throughout the room. We don’t hear this rallying cry until late in the show, however, because Jason Wells wants to make sure we understand every step leading to the shootout, and just maybe the armed over- throw of a nation’s government. As with Wells’ earlier plays, our plot is that of THEATER REVIEW teach Carson McCullers’ novel The Heart is a an action-thriller encumbered by the messy de- Lonely Hunter. tails the movies conveniently skip: a self-styled fml: how Carson Not only does McCullers’ novel speak to Jo and whistleblower named Carlton Berg has been McCullers her alienation; she soon develops a fascination jailed in the two-street town of Lodus, Missouri. for Ms. Delaney once Mickey points out that Occupying the next cell is loud-mouthed single saved my life she’s likely a lesbian. Jo’s budding friendship mom Tanya, and on guard is Shonda, a clerk who Playwright: Sarah Gubbins with Emma is also called into question by her police chief Swenson presses to duty as prison At: Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. possessive jock boyfriend, Tyler, whom we only matron. These humble citizens are uniformly ab- Tickets: 312-335-1650; hear in the form of projected text messages. sorbed in their own petty concerns and scornful www.steppenwolf.org; $20 In fml, Gubbins depicts a story-within-a story of Carlton’s conspiracy-theorist claims—until Runs through: March 18 world that, while more gay-tolerant, still isn’t the arrival of federal investigators displaying safe for out high schools students to be who Gestapo-like tactics gradually inspire them to Kate Buddeke in The North Plan. Photo by Liz BY SCOTT C. MORGAN they are in a safe space. Gubbins also explores question the wisdom of those in authority. Lauren how things are for straight allies, who them- Although it might be cheating for Wells to hint Hickey as the weasely Fed and Brian King as the Sarah Gubbins’ fml: how Carson McCullers saved selves might be negotiating how much accep- at an offstage United States regulated by mar- latter’s jealous second-in-command, reprising my life is very much a play for today’s LGBT tance and support they can show without being tial law, the paranoia arising from these condi- their First Look roles. If newcomers Kevin Stark youth. As this world premiere for Steppenwolf judged too much by their peers. tions recalls that following the 2001 bombing and Lucy Sandy rendered the fugitive Carlton for Young Adults shows, things may be get- I wish I could have seen fml in a crowd of high of the Trade Center, with opportunists taking and bewildered Shonda a trifle nebulous on this ting better, but they’re still a long way off from school students, since the crowd at the open- advantage of that disaster’s aftermath to seize Theatre Wit production’s opening night, that’s where they should be. ing public performance took a while to warm power, only to be foiled at the grassroots level forgivable when your scenario mandates high- Gubbins sets fml (textspeak for “fuck my life”) to the play and its articulate and entertaining by precisely the kind of stubbornly myopic aver- speed sneaks, juggles, overlapping dialogue and in the western Chicago suburb of La Grange, characters. I guess it could be because Robert age-Joe-and-Jane skepticism frustrating vision- the brandishing of lethal weapons. Still, before where out student Jo (Fiona Roberts) goes to a is fairly low-key in depicting Jo, which is in no aries and hucksters alike. Not for nothing has dismissing Wells as a purveyor of cynical slap- Catholic high school that she calls “St. Paul, the way out of place in portraying a teenager who is Wells selected Missouri—whose state motto is stick satires dependent on directors and fight Unbearable.” defensively inward with her expression of feel- “Show Me”—as the setting for his parable. choreographers for their success—in this case, Jo has an accepting family, including college ings (perhaps an added sense of urgency would Kate Buddeke takes on the catalytic role of the Kimberly Senior and Chris Rickett—naysayers dropout brother Reed (Bradley Grant Smith). have helped.) salty-talking Tanya, originated by Jennifer Eng- might recall that the career of Pulitzer-winning And Jo is friends with the only other openly gay Director Joanie Schultz otherwise presents a strom in the 2010 First Look premiere, flanked playwright Tracy Letts was launched on just such student at school, Mickey (Ian Daniel McLaren), solid staging of fml that is greatly enhanced by Will Zahrn as the avuncular sheriff, Tom microcosmic fables as this. who encourages her talents to no end. Yet Jo by the projected graphic design of Mike Tutaj still feels isolated and detached, retreating to above Chelsea Warren’s rotatable sets that shifts her sketchbook and trying to master her free scenes from Jo’s house to her high school. troduced Humphrey Bogart to Hollywood, and throwing basketball skills. What’s great about fml is that it brings a gay THEATER REVIEW political science scholars are quick to note Into Jo’s life enter two different women who youth character to the forefront. Also, it serves that its author left show business to become shake things up. There’s Jo’s chemistry lab part- as good reminder that we must not fail in mak- The Petrified a speechwriter for President Franklin D. Roos- ner, Emma (Zoe Levin), who soon befriends her ing schools a safe place for all students. evelt. largely for study purposes. And then there’s the Forest Playwright: Robert E. Sherwood Unfortunately, this Strawdog production new English teacher, Ms. Delaney (Lily Moje- At: Strawdog Theater, 3829 N. Broadway tries to be all of these things in equal mea- kwu), who changes the curriculum around to Tickets: 866-811-4111; sure. Potentially intriguing psychological www.strawdog.org; $28 glimpses—an African-American gunman’s at- Runs through: March 31 titude toward a wealthy couple’s subservient SPOTLIGHT chauffeur, for example, or a pair of trades- BY MARY SHEN BARNIDGE men’s views on communism—are barely reg- istered, even by the actors uttering them. Our setting is a remote family-operated out- Instead we get ersatz-cinematic effects, such post abutting the tourist-attraction of the as the spotlighting of individual players to title in the Arizona desert. The proprietors simulate close-ups, and a disruptive score of extending hospitality to transient guests are Alfred Newman-esque incidental music piped a proud WWI vet, his pioneering old dad and in at a volume to render already muffled dia- his restless young daughter. On this fatal day, logue wholly inaudible. however, their torpor is invaded by an assort- The kind of marathon stamina demanded by Chicago improv troupe Octavarius ment of strangers including down-on-his-luck American Realism is not easy for young ac- brings back its hit show Stars! Wars! writer Alan Squire and gangster-on-the-lam tors, accustomed to far shorter sprints, to The Musical for a special one-night- Duke Mantee. In matter of hours, everyone’s bring off, but the myth of the romantic des- only performance. See how Octavar- lives are altered permanently. “There’s some- perado is not only an inextricable component ius and a live band retells the 1977 thing here that stimulates the autobiographi- of western literature, but our nation’s history film Star Wars: A New Hope in song cal impulse,” observes the hard-drinking as well—and therein lies the reason for this and dance, plus stay for an improv Squire as, one by one, the confessions of the genre’s enduring popularity. Jamie Vann and comedy set featuring robot R2D2. prisoners align them into three camps: those Paul Fagen grasp the parallels between the Octavarius’ Stars! Wars! The Musical mired down in the past, those who have aban- homicidal Mantee and the suicidal Squire, as plays 8 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the doned their ambitions, and those who still do Caroline Neff, Walter Brody, Janice O’Neil Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport yearn to control their destiny. and Shane Kenyon in their portrayals of fa- Ave. Tickets are $10, or $7 if you This American classic can be viewed as the miliar archetypes given fresh urgency by the come dressed in a Star Wars costume prototype for hostage dramas to this day, as a eerie similarities of their motives to those or bring a light saber. Call 773-325- Depression-era melodrama, or as a microcosm faced by disgruntled citizens today. Wherever 1700 or visit www.octavarius.com. of the social malaise existing in our country you find your dramatic tensions, it makes for Photo of Stars! Wars! The Musical between the two great wars of the 20th cen- gripping storytelling. courtesy of Octavarius tury. Film buffs know it as the vehicle that in- WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 29 THEATER REVIEW The Fisherman CRITICS’ PICKS Playwright: Jayme McGhan At: Stage Left at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Dating Walter Dante, Raven Theatre Stu- Tickets: 773-677-6398; dio, through March 24. The always-contrary www.theaterwit.org; $25 Jon Steinhagen asks how far we can sus- Runs through: April 1 pend our prejudices in his provocative alle- gory of star-crossed lovers fleeing the court BY JONATHAN ABARBANEL of Public Opinion. MSB Orpheus Descending, Shattered Globe The Fisherman succinctly offers a superb ratio- Theatre at Stage 773, through March 11. nale for anti-capitalist violence in this country. Tennessee Williams’ Southern tragedy may The terrorist act at its center seems (to me) have flopped on Broadway in 1957, but perfectly justified, and makes me wonder when Shattered Globe offers up a strong and en- an organized assassination movement may be joyable production of this symbol-laden rar- launched against exploitative and greedy cor- ity. SCM porate and banking honchos and union leaders Show Boat, Lyric Opera, through March who have grown on the backs of labor. 17. I have some nits about this new pro- Such acts would not be in my own best inter- duction, but the bottom line is that it’s a est. It’s taken me 40 years, but I’ve managed brilliantly-sung, colorfully-staged and en- to make myself modestly secure even without gaging version of a justifiably legendary the guarantees of a union contract—a security Broadway show. “Old Man River,” “Can’t dependent on a stable political economy. Still, Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” “You Are Love” Go, to reduce this play’s call-to-action to something hear. JA local, I don’t understand why Chicagoans have Six Characters in Search of an Author, not taken up sledgehammers and smashed ev- The Hypocrites at Chopin Theatre, through ery parking pay box in town. Hey, they can’t ar- March 11. Steve Moulds’ modernized update rest us all. The Tea Party shouldn’t be arguing The Fisherman. Photo by Johnny Knight of Luigi Pirandello’s massively influential against tax hikes, they should be arguing in fa- play-within-a-play drama is full of laughs vor of term limits for political figures and CEOs, and chills as it explores the “realities” of between having a powerful and current political served by Jenny, in part. Since Mutt has nothing which may be the only way to limit entrenched theater and bringing stories to life. SCM power and political oligarchy. drama or a familiar family drama. at all to do with the socio-political side of the For the record, The Fisherman is set in pres- play, he’s the candidate for elimination. However, The Fisherman refuses to be highly —By Abarbanel, Barnidge ent-day Minnesota, where an airline Chapter As staged by Drew Martin, The Fisherman is an polemic in the manner, say, of Clifford Odets’s and Morgan Waiting for Lefty or Mark Blitzstein’s agit-prop 11 reorganization leaves two brothers, Carl and excellent production. McGhan writes his charac- The Cradle Will Rock. I wish it were, but play- Chucky, without jobs and with their union pen- ters with warmth and reality, and so they are wright Jayme McGhan gives equal importance sion gutted after 35 years as airline mechanics. played in greatly appealing performances laced to a domestic drama about three brothers, one One decides to take matters into his own hands. with gruff charm by Michael Pacas (Carl), Sandy of whom is a ghost. While this half of the play Chucky’s adult daughter, Jenny, a cop, also fig- Elias (Chucky), Kate Black-Spence (Jenny) and produces some moving moments and telling ures in when she necessarily must stand for law Ian Maxwell (Mutt). Alan Donohue (scenic) and character notes, it’s not the same play as the and order against her own close family. A third John Kohn III (lighting) provide a lovely deep, sociopolitical story and, frankly, not as galvaniz- brother, Mutt, is seen only by Carl and serves high fishing pier that smacks of the North Woods ing. For the next round, McGhan needs to choose as an emotional depth gauge, a function also boundary waters. I could all but hear the loons. PUCKING HIGHLY

HILARIOUS—CHICAGO THEATER BEAT RECOMMENDED—CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE directed by GARY GRIFFIN NOW PLAYING

INDIVIDUAL MAJOR PRODUCTION Raymond and 2011/12 SEASON SPONSORS SUPPORTERS Judy McCaskey Official Marketing Season Sponsor Lighting Design Upstairs Theater Subscription Series Season Sponsor Shakespeare Trust Airline Partner Sponsor Sponsor Partner 30 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

THEATER REVIEW on a physically disabled Palestinian-American named Fairouz (Fawzia Mirza) who tries to Fawzia Mirza shows In the Heart find out what happened to her missing soldier brother, Remzi (Anthony DiNicola), by asking strength on and off screen of America help from his military friend, Craver (Nick Vi- Playwright: Naomi Wallace By Alex Lubischer dal), who is a traumatized soldier prone to At: Theatre Seven of Chicago acronym-filled military speak about destruc- at Greenhouse Theater, Under the amber lights of the Iguana Café, a tive weapons. 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. glass of red wine in hand, Chicago-based ac- There’s also the ghost Lue Ming (Kaori Tickets: 773-494-7336; tress Fawzia Mirza was in her element as she Aoshima), a victim of the My Lai massacre www.theatreseven.org; $15-$25 discussed details of her latest passion project, during the Vietnam War, who is trying to find Runs through: April 1 The Queen of My Dreams. The three-minute film a missing personal item while pursuing the short, which Mirza described as a “Bollywood aggressive special agent Boxler (George Ze- BY SCOTT C. MORGAN drag-identity piece” is set to premiere March 22- rante) who may or may not be an American 24 at Outfest’s Fusion, “the only LGBT people of soldier spirit that continually emerges each There’s no denying that Naomi Wallace’s 1994 color film festival of its kind anywhere in the time a new war zone pops up. political dream play In the Heart of Ameri- world,” according to its website. Director Brian Golden makes good use of set ca is a damning condemnation of American The film—which Mirza wrote, produced and designer Lizzie Bracken’s suggested bullet- military intervention across the globe. If Wal- acted in—explores her experience growing up and-bomb-pocked village stage space, having lace’s U.S. military characters in her play are as a South Asian woman trying live up to the the actors skulk around amid Claire Chrzan’s meant to be representative of the country, ideals set by Bollywood heroines. When asked gloomy and spectral lighting design. The ac- then the play’s title implies that the “Heart what inspired her to tell this story, Mirza said, tors most definitely throw themselves into of America” is one mostly filled with an ir- “For me, this was a way of embracing everything their roles by showing a nice physicality to rational hatred toward outsiders—be they define each of their characters, be they vic- that I am—which is a Muslim, South Asian, foreigners or sexual minorities. tims or aggressors or both for Wallace’s alter- queer, sexy woman—but also a woman with re- Wallace’s play is so unrelentingly one-sided nating scenes of flashbacks, ghostly confron- ally short hair. And how do I take on all of those in only depicting the U.S. military atrocities tations and modern-day reflections. things at the same time, and can I be all those that it can easy be written off as a leftist Theatre Seven says it is producing Wallace’s things at the same time? And my answer is yeah. anti-war and anti-American harangue. But play now to time with the upcoming presi- It’s just that you may not always see it.” watching Theatre Seven of Chicago’s produc- dential election season. As unashamedly one- With a burgeoning career exploring Muslim, tion of In the Heart of America in light of the sided with its damning depiction of the Amer- Queer and South Asian women’s identity through U.S. war in Iraq this past decade, you do have ican military, In the Heart of America does performance, it may be surprising that Mirza has to give some ground to Wallace in question- stress the human costs of war that often get only been in the acting business seven years. ing American military foreign incursions—es- ignored amid so many wartime rallying cries Seated at the corner table in one of her favorite pecially when the reasons for going to war in for duty and patriotism. So I guess we should haunts (she happily pointed out the live iguana Iraq in 2003 were so bitterly contested and remember that as we head to the ballot boxes scaling the alcove behind us), she was equal exposed to be so dubious. in the coming weeks and months. parts razor wit and measured consideration as In the Heart of America ostensibly focuses she dished on her long journey to the acting scene. “It’s so cliché,” said Mirza, smiling. “I liked performing for people and making people laugh when I was a kid but I grew up in a very strict, conservative Muslim family. When it came time CULTURE CLUB to go to college for it, it was like, Be an English major, get a political science degree.’ And then I went to law school.” It was in law school, ironically, that Mirza was bitten by the acting bug. “I did this thing called trial team,” said Mirza. “You know, you’re in the Fawzia Mirza. Photo courtesy of Mirza courtroom and you’re giving opening statements and closing arguments and cross-examining wit- es, Mirza said, “I think it depends. I think it’s nesses. It was more like acting, and I liked that tough. I think everyone’s family situation is re- so much more than the lawyering part. It was ally different. I think the idea of coming out, like Law and Order. I was like, ‘What is this? This to me, can also mean having a drink in front of is great!’ ” my mom, which I still wouldn’t do it at this age, After working as a litigator for two years at because it’s out of respect for her. So coming a downtown Chicago law firm, Mirza left the le- out has so many other layers to me.” gal profession to act in Catharsis Productions’ As she moves forward, Mirza wants to focus Sex Signals, a program on sexual-assault aware- on making more films while continuing to pur- ness. The show uses improv, humor and audi- sue education initiatives like Sex Signals. This ence interaction to educate audiences on how March, she’s collaborating with tello Films, a to prevent sexual violence. Sex Signals recently company in Chicago that makes online content began touring all branches of the military in ad- for lesbians. Mirza said, “I think that’s fantastic, dition to colleges. Of her work on the project, because you could be in Pakistan and be like, Mirza said, “It feels really wonderful to be do- ‘I want learn about American lesbian stuff. Oh, ing these shows for these [military] men and here’s a place to do it. Cool.’” women. They’ll come up to you afterwards and Currently, in the works is a feature film called say, ‘Thank you for your work’ and I’m like, ‘Are 9/12 that Mirza is acting in and producing. “I you kidding me? Thank you for what you guys get to play a strong Muslim woman,” said Mirza. do.’” “She wears a head scarf, but we get to see her Over the next six years, Mirza would continue when she’s not wearing a head scarf. And that, her work on Sex Signals while taking on a slew I think, is something you don’t get to have that of projects that grappled with queer or Muslim insight into. You don’t see that on television. identity. She was a frequent collaborator with When a Muslim woman takes off her head scarf, Silk Road Theatre, a company focused on telling what happens? Does the world burn?” Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean stories. As she elaborated on the contents of her fu- She can next be seen onstage in Theatre Seven’s ture film, another side of Fawzia Mirza became production of In The Heart of America, an epi- apparent. She sipped her wine, nodded in the cally poetic Gulf War drama in which she plays direction of the iguana, and said with a smaile, a Palestinian woman. In the 2011 independent “I’m just excited—because that’s the kind of feature film, Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together project I can show my mom.” she played Jamie’s lesbian lover, Ronda. In her Mirza is performing through April 1 in The- newly launched web series, Keeping Up With atre Seven’s In The Heart of America (see re- Kam, she plays the eponymous, fictional, out- view, left) at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, cast lesbian Kardashian sister. 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. When asked if she had advice for other emerg- Check out Mirza’s new web series, “Keeping ing queer artists, especially those coming out Up With Kam,” at www.youtube.com/user/ under potentially adverse familial circumstanc- kamkardashian. WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 31 NUNN ON ONE: TELEVISION Annie Potts: From ‘Designing Women’ to ABC’s ‘GCB’ the series in Los Angeles. WCT: How is it working with Kristin Che- noweth? Potts: Well, what do you think? Pretty fan- tastic! She is so darling and talented. What fun that is… WCT: Leslie Bibb, who plays your daughter, is really good in the show. Potts: She’s terrific and not hard on the eyes, huh? WCT: No, she’s a knockout. There’s also a gay character on there. Potts: Yes, but don’t reveal who yet. WCT: This article will be out right after so no spoilers here. Were you raised religious? BY JERRY NUNN Potts: I was. We were raised Presbyterian. My parents said we were real Presbyterians because Actress Annie Potts is known for playing quirky they believe in everything, which meant it was characters in a variety of roles over the years. okay to drink. We went to church every Sunday. She played a gun-toting secretary in two Ghost- I always loved church. busters movies, and Bo Peep in two Toy Story WCT: The line you have—“If you are under movies. She has had numerous television ap- my roof then you are going to church”—rang Annie Potts (left) and Leslie Bibb in GBC. Photo courtesy of ABC pearances, most notably as Mary Jo Shively on very familiar with me. I saw some guest stars Designing Women. are coming up, from Sheryl Crow to Sandra to do more Broadway? She returns again to the small screen in the Bernhard. Potts: I did and I loved it and hope to do WCT: With good reason; it was groundbreak- comedy-drama Good Christian Belles, or GCB Potts: Yes, that is right. more. It is my first love and I will always return ing. for short. She plays grandmother Gigi Stopper, WCT: You have a Hallmark movie coming out to it whenever I can. Potts: GCB is like an hour of Designing Women. whose daughter returns home to Texas with her also. You are playing a music teacher? WCT: I wanted to give a big shout out to We are counting on our core audience, which is two children after a divorce. Small-town drama Potts: Yes. It’s called The Music Teacher, where Designing Women. The AIDS episode was phe- gay. I believe we are going to give you plenty to ensues when former classmates are thrown into I play a drama-music teacher. It is kind of a fe- nomenal. enjoy. the mix. male version of Mr. Holland’s Opus. That is what Potts: It sure was! Our fantastic creator, Linda WCT: It has a good time slot, right after Potts talked with Nunn on One right before the the producer had in mind. It is so lovely. Most Bloodworth, wrote it. Her mother was, at the Desperate Housewives. premiere of the show. of us have had a teacher that changed our lives time, dying of AIDS. She had contracted AIDS Potts: Yes, that is right. So get the word out. Windy City Times: Hi, Annie. I have been and that is what it is. I have had several of those through a blood transfusion before the CDC was WCT: I will. Are they going to make a Ghost- watching you perform since the movie Pretty in my life so I am very happy to play a role and screening blood for that kind of thing. So it was busters 3? in Pink so I’m very excited to talk to you to- live that out myself. Through that, I can honor very personal for her. Around 1988 she managed Potts: If they do I am in, certainly! day. them in acknowledging what they gave me. in a little half hour comedy to make a big cor- Who you gonna call for a little Southern Annie Potts: Well, I am very excited to talk to WCT: Do you sing in the role? rection in the attitude of way that people looked gossip? GCB that’s who! Check abc.go.com for you, too. Potts: A little bit. at AIDS and people that had it. It was really details and tune in every Sunday night. WCT: I read you were born in Nashville. WCT: You did God of Carnage. Do you want extraordinary. We were really proud of that. Potts: I was. WCT: That’s where I grew up. Potts: That is a nice place to grow up, isn’t it? Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events • Center on Halsted • The Legacy Project • Queer Film Society • Reeling Sponsored by: WCT: Yes, it was. It doesn’t seem like a hav- Presents: ing an accent stopped you from landing roles. Potts: I am trained, so I don’t have to have that accent. WCT: I watched the first episode last night and you have the juiciest role. Potts: I think I do, don’t I? WCT: You have the best one-liners. Potts: They are awesome; I know. WCT: What attracted you to this sitcom? I heard you had some other offers. Potts: I thought it was the best one. One of the others—I won’t reveal what it was—is a success on TV right now and the other one didn’t go. This was, far and away, the juiciest Media Sponsors: role. [Writer/producer] Robert Harling is an old WINDY CITY friend of mine. Even if he wasn’t, it was easy to TIMES see that the script is going to be a whole lot of fun. Robert has such a pedigree of writing Southern women such as with Steel Magnolias. So who wouldn’t take door number one? WCT: Your hair looks fabulous on the show, by the way. Wednesday, March 7 Potts: Thank you. That is a wig. But I’m a Cheerleader Screening Sponsors: WCT: Is it? Potts: It is an awesome wig! Yeah, isn’t it II Wednesday, March 14 great? A film series celebrating LGBT movies Blue Citrus Hearts WCT: Do you know people similar to your Wednesday, March 21 character being from the South? Chicago Cultural Center Potts: She is kind of an amalgam of people I I Killed My Mother have known and people I have heard about. She Claudia Cassidy Theater is not unfamiliar to me. 78 E. Washington Wednesday, March 28 Travel arrangements WCT: Do you film the show in Texas, with it Wednesdays at 6:30pm Brother Outsider: courtesy of: being set there? Free Admission The Life of Bayard Rustin Potts: We shot the pilot in Dallas but we film 32 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES The problem is one of familiarity or, more to Film notes: the point, creative cannibalism. A generation of —Cinema Q II—the free, LGBT-themed, week- Cinema Q II Film filmmakers—consciously or not—have helped ly mini film series—returns for the second year KNIGHT themselves, piecemeal, to sections of Edgar Rice on Wednesdays in March at the Chicago Cultural Series in March Burroughs’ series of adventure novels (dating Center, 78 E. Washington St., with screenings at The Chicago Department of Cultural Af- AT all the way back to 1912). John Carter is the 6:30 p.m. in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. fairs and Special Events, in partnership THE story of a former Civil War captain mysteriously This year’s series, focusing on queer youth, with the Chicago Office of Tourism and transported to exotic Mars (called Barsoom in kicks off March 7 with a screening of lesbian Culture, and in association with the Queer MOVIES the film) who lands in the middle of a war and director Jamie Babbit’s hilarious 1999 black Film Society, the Center on Halsted, Chi- finds himself the unwitting secret weapon that comedy But I’m a Cheerleader, about a notori- cago Filmmakers (the presenting organiza- every side of the conflict wants to put to use. ous “ex-gay” camp for teenagers. It stars Na- tion of Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay It’s easy to pick out elements of other movies tasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty, Ru- International Film Festival) and The Legacy residing in that basic plot outline—with the en- Paul, Melanie Lynskey and Michelle Williams. Project present Cinema Q II, the second annual film series celebrating LGBT movies. By tire Star Wars saga to Stargate, Cowboys & Aliens The March 14 installment is 2003’s Blue Citrus Richard and Avatar being the most prominent—and the Hearts, a gritty, coming-of-age/coming-out The free screenings will take place on four Knight, Jr. actual movie offers dozens more, to an almost tale. Windy City Times is one of the series’ media Wednesdays—March 7, 14, 21, and 28—at embarrassing degree. It’s not Stanton’s fault sponsors. www.queerfilmsociety.org 6:30 p.m. in the Claudia Cassidy Theater at that his source material has been picked over so —Chicago Filmmakers’ popular Dyke Deli- the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washing- thoroughly and for so long. (Film versions have cious film series, curated by Sharon Zurek and ton St. All screenings will feature a discus- John Carter; been attempted going back to the 1930s but co-sponsored by the Reeling Film Festival and sion and Q&A following the film. DVDs for this is the first one to make it into theaters.) Black Cat Productions, returns Saturday, March some of the films will be available for sale film notes And this movie déjà vu, as I’ve noted in reviews 10, with Ferron: Girl on a Road. This 2009 docu- in the lobby. of other film blockbusters which have suffered mentary from filmmaker Gerry Rogers (My Left This series contains films with mature In John Carter—Disney’s latest big-budget at- from varying degrees of this creative dilemma, is Breast) focuses on the groundbreaking lesbian subject matter. Viewer discretion is ad- tempt at creating an action franchise—former often a source of comfort for a filmgoer—and to singer/songwriter and her long-awaited return vised. Media sponsors for the Cinema Q film Friday Night Lights television heartthrob Taylor marketers—who bank on familiarity when buy- to music, along with an emotional reunion with series are Windy City Times, Time Out Chi- Kitsch makes the first of two high-profile tries ing tickets (and to sell their expensive products her band. As always with this series, a social cago and the Chicago Reader. —March 7: But I’m a Cheerleader: Les- bian director Jamie Babbit’s hilarious queer centric, comedic satire of a controversial “ex gay” camp for “confused” teenagers. Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, RuPaul, Mi- chelle Williams, Melanie Lynskey, and Cathy Moriarty head the cast. (Directed by Jamie Babbit; 1999, 85 minutes) —March 14: Blue Citrus Hearts: Out writ- er-director Morgan Jon Fox’s gritty, moving coming-out, coming-of-age story of teen- agers Sam and Julien won kudos on the fest circuit, including Best Feature when it screened at Reeling in 2003. This screening generously underwritten by Ariztical En- tertainment. (Directed by Morgan Jon Fox; 2003, 91 minutes) —March 21: I Killed My Mother: Out French Canadian auteur Xavier Dolan stars in this critically hailed dramedy of a gay 16-year-old enfant terrible and the daily battles with his single mother. It has been unseen in Chicago since 2010. (It’s in French, with subtitles.) The Quebec Gov- ernment Office in Chicago is underwriting this screening. (Directed by Xavier Dolan; 2009, 100 minutes) —March 28: Brother Outsider: The Life of Lynn Collins and Taylor Kitsch in John Carter. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Bayard Rustin: Out writer-director-producer Bennett Singer will attend this screening of his acclaimed documentary portrait of the for movie hunkdom as we inch our way into to their fidgety, easily distracted customers). hour (beginning at 7 p.m.) precedes the 8 p.m. openly gay civil-rights activist (in honor blockbuster season. (Batttleship, based on the But it’s not the kind of thing that sets a film screening at Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark, of the 100th anniversary of Rustin’s birth- decades-old board game, follows this summer.) critic’s heart afire and, though the picture is second floor. www.chicagofilmmakers.org date) followed by a complimentary dessert Based on Kitsch’s physical attributes, which are certainly entertaining enough in the moment Check out my archived reviews at www. reception in the G.A.R. Rotunda (courtesy noticeably on display throughout the movie’s (there’s more than enough sweeping adven- windycitymediagroup.com or www.knightat- of Ann Sather). Affinity Community Ser- two-hour-plus running time as he skitters about ture to satisfy action junkies) and will surely themovies.com. Readers can leave feedback vices is co-sponsoring the screening, with shirtless in a man skirt and engraved breast- be adored by 13 year-old boys (and I would at the latter website. travel arrangements courtesy of Orbitz. plate, John Carter is sure to help build the ac- assume, plenty of action-minded 13-year-old For more information on Cinema Q and tor’s gay fan base tenfold. The movie itself? Not girls), John Carter is—for good or bad—one of other film programs at the Chicago Cultural “meh” but not exactly “yeah,” either. those big-screen enterprises that doesn’t leave Center, please visit www.ChicagoCultural- The fault is not with Kitsch’s acting—which much residue (not to mention pleasure) once its Center.org. Further information about the falls under the standard-issue “brooding leading moved on to conquer its next audience. Being in Queer Film Society at www.QueerFilmSoci- man with smoldering good looks” category—nor 3-D adds nothing to the picture’s plus column. ety.org. is it with Andrew Stanton’s direction, making Of related interest: Both Immortals and The his live-action debut after having spectacu- Three Musketeers, two other big-budget action lar results in the animated realm with Finding movies with franchise hopes are arriving this Nemo and Wall-E. Stanton’s script, co-written week on DVD/Blu-ray. The former, a mythical with Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon, is a action fantasy with tenuous links to Greek my- nicely paced adventure story that hits all the thology, relies heavily on CGI effects (almost marks while honoring its source material. And entirely) while the latter, perhaps the tenth the fault certainly isn’t with Kitsch’s co-starring filming of the classic Alexander Dumas novel, cast, which includes Lynn Collins as a fetch- leans on expensive sets, costumes and a flashier ing, fiery princess, Dominic West, Willem Dafoe, cast. As a duo, these expensive films each have Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, etc., etc.— their merits (and their respective releases are all speaking in precisely clipped British accents packed with special features) and are worth tak- (natch). Lastly, Disney has laid out a sumptuous ing in for action enthusiasts. For gay fans, the budget, more than sufficient for Stanton’s as- former might have an edge—it shows a lot more sembled creative team to construct various fief- male flesh, thanks to its skimpy costumes. Both doms on the desert planet of Mars (where most movies include out handsome British actor Luke of the action takes place) as well as on Earth. Evans in their casts. Luke Evans in The Three Musketeers. Brother Outsider. Photo by Betty Baskins WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 33 MOVIES NUNN ON ONE: BOOKS ‘Second Class Citizens’ Kyle Richards’ to examine gay- take on ‘Reality’ BY JERRY NUNN KR: I did. I had dinner with Brad Goreski. It rights movement was really great. Kyle Richards lives the life that some envy WCT: I was reading your book last night on Bravo television’s The Real Housewives of and never knew that you were on Little By Ross Forman Yezak was set in motion on his documentary, Beverly Hills. House on the Prairie. You sister played the driven by discrimination. Born in Hollywood, Kyle was raised on TV part of Olga, and I freaked out when I read Ryan James Yezak has been an Internet and me- “If the gay community isn’t aware of all these as the daughter of Mr. Edwards on the series that. dia sensation after releasing his seven-minute inequalities, these discriminations how will the Little House on the Prairie. She went on to KR: Isn’t that funny? When people bring up trailer for a planned documentary about the gay- general public know?” he said. scream for her life in the movie Halloween. Little House on the Prairie, half of me thinks rights movement. The documentary will encompass all areas Her sister, Kim, also came along for the ride it’s a fond memory and the other half thinks, He released the emotional video on YouTube in which the LGBT community is discriminated on the Prairie, and then went on to star in the “Great, I sound like a dinosaur now!” [Laughs] in January to coincide with Martin Luther King against, including marriage rights, gays getting Witch Mountain movies. WCT: I wished you had even put more in Day after working on it solo for the past eight denied admission to private schools, private or- Kim and Kyle returned to the public eye re- the book. I love all the behind-the-scenes months. ganizations and religious institutions, and more. cently as Bravo Housewives for two seasons [material]. I’m old, so… The trailer has been featured on Ellen, and The documentary also will detail gays getting that followed with an explosive reunion. Kim KR: Be careful! covered by Perez Hilton, MSNBC and other me- bullied, not being able to adopt children, get- recently checked herself into rehab in Janu- WCT: I mean I am a kid of the ‘70s, so all ting denied housing and more. ary. the Watcher in the Woods stuff... Yezak hopes to have the documentary com- Kyle chatted, on the release date of her new KR: It is so funny and feels so long ago. pleted by the end of September, and then show book Life is Not a Reality Show, about her real When people put that together they are al- it next January at the annual Sundance Film Fes- life and more. ways shocked. They will say “Oh my God—you tival, scheduled for Jan. 17-27, 2013, in Park Windy City Times: Heyyy, Kyle. How are are that girl in Halloween!” City, Utah. you? Someone just tweeted to me the other day Yezak’s trailer features the song “The First Day Kyle Richards: I’m wonderful, thank you. after seeing Good Morning America, “I didn’t of Spring” from Noah and the Whale: “When I Well, actually not wonderful, I’ve been bet- know you were Paris Hilton’s aunt.” I thought [first] heard [the song], I envisioned something ter… have they been living under a rock? It is so really grand related to gay rights. As I saw these WCT: You have had a lot going on. funny, the old trivia. [gay rights] clips over the next couple of years, I KR: A lot going on! [Laughs] WCT: I liked the part in the book where knew that song, coupled with the images, would WCT: I wanted to tell you that I spent it says, “Don’t star in a horror film; your have a great, emotional impact on people. New Year’s with [Beverly Hills Housewives] parents won’t let you watch it.” “I wanted to release [the trailer] on MLK Day Taylor [Armstrong]. KR: Oh, my God! I definitely have anxiety since there are obvious similarities between that KR: You did? She’s sweet. disorder and I think that contributed to it no [King-driven] civil rights movement and ours.” WCT: She told me she is very close to you. doubt. [Laughs] The trailer has been viewed more than 2.3 mil- KR: Yes. I get so mad when I look at Twit- WCT: Someone told me that the guy lion times on YouTube. ter and some of the comments people make that played Michael Myers would just walk “I never envisioned that I’d be able to raise around set and creep people out. $150,000,” especially so quickly, Yezak said. KR: I don’t remember that. For me, we were “I’m just shocked and overwhelmed with sup- playing cards on the set and it was normal. port this documentary has received; it’s so unex- I was never scared making that movie. That pected, such a good feeling, truly incredible. It’s was just what I did, and I was used to acting. just been very overwhelming.” I had done a lot of scary movies. But when I None other than out actor George Takei has saw myself in the movie that was what was taken to social media outlets to promote the horrifying. Thanks, mom! project. WCT: You dated C. Thomas Howell. Who To watch the trailer for the documentary, didn’t have a crush on him? visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=u62OtM_ KR: I dated him for years, yeah. Ryan James Yezak. Photo courtesy of Yezak vt5k. WCT: He was adorable and such a cutie. KR: He was a cutie, I have to say… WCT: There are family pictures in the book and a whole hair chapter. dia outlets. In addition, about a week after its Logo announces KR: It is not so much about my hair, but I release, he had secured the needed $150,000 in had to put that in there because it is prob- funding to put the documentary into production, NewNowNext ably my number-one question on Twitter. Es- which will start in March. The documentary will Awards pecially having four daughters I am always on be called Second Class Citizens. Logo has announced the nominees for them about taking care of their hair. It is re- “I first thought of the idea [for the documen- the 2012 NewNowNext Awards, which honor ally about how you take care of it not just the tary] when I came out to Los Angeles [several icons, trendsetters and stars on the rise, shampoo you use. Some people are neurotic years ago] to intern in the entertainment in- according to a press release. about dieting or their skin. I am neurotic dustry. [Same-sex] marriage was passed on my The public can visit www.NewNowNext. sometimes. I think, “If they only knew how about my hair. roadtrip out here; that was very exciting,” said com or m.newnownext.com/awards to view sweet she is and how much those comments WCT: I know the show and you have tons Yezak, 25, originally from Houston. “I also wit- the entire list of nominees and cast their hurt!” of gay fans. I was looking for something nessed [same-sex marriages] when [that right votes across a wide range of outrageous WCT: I noticed on the reunion show how special in the book for us. was] taken away. categories including “Cause You’re Hot,” everyone was upset about what other peo- KR: Maybe for my next book! Well, you can “I really wanted to make a documentary about “Beyond Style,” and “TV You Betta Watch.” ple say, not what is said to each other. It is apply all of the relationship advice for sure marriage equality, but the subject was so large Among the nominees are Emily Van just hard. to everyone. I have a lot of gay fans that are that I didn’t know exactly how to tackle it.” Camp (star of TV’s Revenge, up for “Next KR: Exactly. It is very difficult. Going into telling me that they are using my advice from So he sat on the idea for about 18 months. Mega Star”); Channing Tatum, Naya Rivera the reunion, none of us want to talk about the book in their relationships, anyways. I Then he befriended a high school student and Henry Cavill (among those up for the things that we have already fixed but that is think it applies to everyone. from Florida through Yezak’s work mentoring the “Cause You’re Hot” award); Kelly Osbourne what we are there for to be honest. It is very Life is Not a Reality Show: Keeping It younger generation with an interest in YouTube. (competing in the “Beyond Style Award” hard. People even ask, “Why did we bring that Real With the Housewife That Does It All The student told Yezak that, though gay, he category); and Magic Mike, Prometheus and up?” Are we supposed to say everyone just can be purchased at all book retailers. couldn’t come out—or he’d be expelled from his The Avengers (up for the “Next Must-See looks lovely? No, we are there to be honest. Check out www.kylerichards.net for more. private school. In fact, Yezak learned homosex- Movie” honor). That is what makes it very difficult, especially Go to www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com for ual activity was even mentioned in the school’s Winners will be revealed Monday, April when many of us are very sensitive. the entire interview, and find out what ac- handbook under moral misconduct. 9, on Logo’s “NewNowNext Awards” 2012 WCT: I noticed you came in town for tress Kyle is constantly told she resembles. “I thought that was unbelievable,” Yezak said. show. The 90-minute special will be taped Fashion Week last year. Then Yezak learned first-hand about the blood in front of a live audience at the Avalon in KR: Yes, I love Chicago! I absolutely love it. donor ban against men who have sex with men. Hollywood, Calif., April 5. WCT: I heard you went out to [the restau- “That really made me feel different on a personal rant] Sunda. level,” he said. 34 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES single. Some of the mate- to Lady Gaga at the concert experience Bad Ro- again, as the former couple reunites on a re- rial is worthy of finding its mance. The all-ages show has a 12-person cast mix to “Birthday Cake.” Three years ago, the way onto a proper album, and is taking place at Copernicus Theater, 5216 two were coy about revealing whether they were but the sound does not fit W. Lawrence Ave., on Friday, March 16. Although an item. The eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards, the full-length’s vibe, as is she cannot shake the comparisons to Madonna, Brown assaulted the “S.O.S.” singer and she had the case with the stripped Lady Gaga can dent the charts, as she sent three to seek medical attention. A photo of a severely down “Hit and Miss” from songs to number one on the pop charts and 11 battered Rihanna then surfaced. Sure, we can the Bilingual sessions. The to the top of the dance charts. The New York learn a lesson on forgiveness here, but she could theatrical “Delusions of fashionista also is an outspoken ally of the LGBT be an example by moving on, especially consid- POP Grandeur” shows Neil Ten- community, having just launched the Born This ering Rihanna’s young admirers. In a day when nant’s incomparable witty Way Foundation. For tickets and more informa- an overhyped wedding is followed by a 72-day MAKING way with words. Format is tion, visit www.badromanceshow.com. marriage, this is another case of sensationalism SENSE out now as an import and Chris Brown and Rihanna are making news in lieu of substance. hopefully will be available by David Byrne stateside soon. An album with Tony Peregrin Glessner House Museum is a national his- of new material is in the Joan Osborne to toric landmark and the last surviving work works with Andrew Dawson by H.H. Richardson in Chicago. Completed in (Beyoncé, Kanye West, Ne- drop first blues CD Joan Osborne’s Bring it on Home—a CD of 1887, the museum is recognized nationwide Yo) as producer. vintage blues, R&B and soul songs—will be for its groundbreaking architecture as well as Centaur Entertainment’s released March 27 on Saguaro Road Records. its important collection of original decorative Global Groove: Dance 5 is A collection of some of her favorite classic arts. loaded with diva vocals and irresistible, fierce songs, Bring it on Home is Osborne’s tribute The cost for the event is $15 per person. tracks. DJ Escape opens the non-stop mix with Reservations are required and may be made by Deborah Cox’s 2011 club smash “If It Wasn’t for calling 312-326-1480. The museum is easily Love.” Chicago’s very own Ralphi Rosario’s re- accessible by taking the #3 or #4 bus south mix of Gloria Estefan’s “Hotel Nacional” has the on Michigan Avenue to 18th Street, and then star acting young and carefree. Dance favorite walking two blocks east. Debby Holiday shows off her pipes on “Key to Your Soul,” a collaboration with John LePage. Good luck sitting still during the climax on “We Talking Pictures Fest Are House.” The throwbacks to the ’90s continue with “Listen Bitch.” This cut has plenty of sass to screen Killen film and bass with its nod to “Tyler Moore Mary” by Pink Ribbons, Inc., and Rageous Projecting Franklin Fuentes. “WW4” is Joffrey film also screening an ideal soundtrack for a late night battle on Now in its fourth year, the Talking Pictures the dancefloor. Global Groove: Dance 5 is out Festival (which spotlights independent cin- now through multiple outlets including iTunes ema) will take place March 8-11 at Noyes Cul- and www.theoutclub.com. tural Arts Center, Northwestern University’s Not only has Paul Oakenfold scored hits on Medill School of Journalism and the Evanston his own with “Starry Eyed Surprise” with Shifty Public Library. Shellshock and “Faster Kill Pussycat” with the Shira Piven, of the Evanston theater family late Brittany Murphy, but he has remixed many Joan Osborne. PR photo that includes film/TV actor Jeremy, is said to of music’s greats like Madonna and U2. Oaken- employ a darkly comedic touch in her direc- fold won me over when he worked with Steve Os- torial feature film debut, Fully Loaded. The to the music she has long loved and drew in- borne as Perfecto. The superstar DJ will be spin- film follows two feisty single mothers (played Amy Ray. spiration from. “I knew that, someday, when ning at The Mid, 306 N. Halsted St., on Saturday, by Paula Killen and Lisa Orkin) as they ride the time was right and my voice was ready,” March 17, to promote his latest, We Are Planet through nighttime L.A. Killen—a former Chi- Osborne said in a press release. Perfecto, Volume 01. Yes, this has a remix to the cagoan who was part of the city’s performance Cuts include tracks originally made famous In between projects as half of the beloved folk Perfecto evergreen “Not Over Yet” by Grace. art scene in the 1990s—wrote and produced group Indigo Girls, Amy Ray continues to fulfill by blues masters such as Sonny Boy William- the film. her artistic journey with her latest solo effort, son (“Bring it on Home”) and Muddy Waters The 2012 Talking Pictures Festival includes Lung of Love. “Glow” and “Crying in the Wilder- (“I Want to Be Loved”), as well as record- a strong showing of Chicago productions, ness” have just enough drums and guitar not to ings from R&B singers such as Ray Charles (“I along with a great number of films by women suit an Indigo Girls album, but the latter has Don’t Need No Doctor”), Al Green (“Rhymes”) directors. According to Indiewire.com, women the duo’s trademark melodies. Ray serves as a and Otis Redding (“Champagne and Wine”). accounted for 5 percent of Hollywood direc- storyteller with a social conscience on “From Osborne is best known for her mid-1990s tors in 2011. Haiti.” “The Rock Is My Foundation” tackles the song “One of Us.” The Talking Pictures Festival opens on In- crossroads of being queer and raised Christian. ternational Women’s Day (March 8) with Pink Out singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile guests on Clarke, Gore Ribbons, Inc., the latest documentary by vet- four tracks, including the beautiful “Bird in the eran Canadian filmmaker Léa Pool. Other doc- Hand.” Lung of Love is out now on Ray’s label have CD, ‘Ssss’ umentaries include Chicago-produced movies Daemon Records. Electronic-music pioneers Vince Clarke (Era- such as Xan Aranda’s Andrew Bird: Fever Year Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan sure/ Yaz/ Depeche Mode) and Martin L. Gore and Bob Hercules’ Joffrey: Mavericks of Amer- Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International (Depeche Mode) have joined forces for the ican Dance boasts four discs containing 76 covers of the first time in more than 30 years to craft a Visit www.talkingpicturesfestival.org. Minnesota-born artist’s work. Grammy darling 10-track album, Ssss (Mute). Adele contributes “Make You Feel My Love,” The CD will come out March 13. while Glee star Darren Criss shines on “New WCPA’s Morning.” Bisexual Evan Rachel Wood delivers ‘Broadway and a Cole Porter-inspired take on “I’d Have You Glessner House Anytime.” Lucinda Williams puts her recogniz- to host film narrated Beyond’ March 10 able, aching vocals on “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven.” Windy City Performing Arts will present Surprisingly, Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus do not com- by John Waters Windy City Gay Chorus and Aria in “Broadway pletely ruin the flow with respective attempts Glessner House Museum, 1800 S. Prai- And Beyond: An Evening of Broadway Benefit at “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and “You’re DJ Escape. rie Ave., will host the Chicago premier of a & Concert” Saturday, March 10, at the Mayne Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.” feature-length documentary film entitled Of Stage Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave., at 4 p.m. Outside this impressive collection, my favorite Dolls and Murder on Sunday, March 25, at 7 and 8 p.m. Dylan remakes are Sinead O’Connor’s “I Believe On Thursday, March 15, adored Chicago caba- p.m. The performances will feature hits from in You,” Sophie B. Hawkins’ “I Want You” and ret duo Amy & Freddy will unveil its new mate- Of Dolls and Murder explores a haunting col- Broadway’s past and present, including songs Randy Crawford’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” rial during a release party for the highly antici- lection of dollhouse crime scenes created by from productions such as South Pacific, Hair Proceeds from Chimes of Freedom benefit Am- pated new album, We Get Along, at Mayne Stage, Chicagoan Frances Glessner Lee (1878-1962), and Little Shop of Horrors. In addition, there nesty International. 1328 W. Morse Ave. This is the pair’s first set a respected pioneer in the field of homicide will be a silent auction (on items such as a Format marks the second double-disc compi- in seven years. Amy Armstrong is known for her investigation and the first female state po- guitar Melissa Etheridge once owned), an ap- lation of B-sides for the British duo Pet Shop mighty voice, hearty laugh and hilarious twists lice captain in the country. From criminally petizer and dessert reception with cash bar, Boys. The music is a gold mine, but so is reading on classics. Amy & Freddy were serenading the minded college students and real-life detec- prize drawings and more. the liner notes. Here, the band reflects on the masses on an RSVP cruise before a run in Puerta tives, to CSI and a visit to “The Body Farm,” General-admission tickets are $50 each. 38 songs and admits that B-sides are intended Vallarta last month. John Waters narrates the tiny world of big- Visit www.MayneStage.com or call 773-381- to attract fans who otherwise would not buy a Local artists and dancers unite to pay tribute time murder. See www.ofdollsandmurder.com. 4554. WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 35 BOOKS We were not allowed to use glue for some rea- plary Failure of the Madame Binh Graphics son, but she used toothpaste. Glue was contra- Collective ($13) is available from Half Letter band. Press at www.halfletterpress.com/store. It was really good for us to be jail. For me, Patten is a visual artist, video-maker, writer it was, at least. I don’t want to idealize it or and educator who teaches at the School of the Chicago lesbian romanticize it, but it gave us a little bit of space Art Institute of Chicago. She’s spent the last from the relentless [political movements]. 27 years in Chicago organizing with ACT UP gets ‘Graphic’ Revolution as an Eternal Dream: the Exem- and other groups. ALMA, Vida/SIDA hosts with latest book night of pride, culture By Carrie Maxwell Valles), peruse a gay art exhibit and partici- By Erica Demarest pate in a silent auction. The Association of Latino Men for Action Julio Rodriguez, board president of ALMA, For a brief, intense period in the late 1970s and (ALMA) and Vida/SIDA held a night of pride and Juan Calderon, executive director of early 1980s, a group of female artists known as and culture (“una noche de orgullo y cultura”) Vida/SIDA, welcomed the crowd and thanked the Madame Binh Graphics Collective (MBGC) at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Cul- them for attending. Then master of ceremo- flourished in New York City. Recognized for ture March 3. nies, Paul Lopez introduced each author to its vibrant graphic style, militant politics and The event was attended by about 100 peo- the crowd. propagandist imagery, the collective produced ple who came to hear book readings by three First up was Rice-Gonzalez, who read from hundreds of posters, prints and murals before prominent Latino gay authors (Charles Rice his young adult novel, Chulito. Then Ramirez eventually dissolving amid a flurry of protests, Gonzalez, Alfonso Ramirez and Jesus Ramirez- read his chapter in the anthology From Macho to Mariposa: New Gay Latino Fiction. Ramirez- FBI raids and jail sentences. Valles read from his book, Companeros: Latino Lesbian artist and professor Mary Patten de- Activists in the Face of AIDS. tails the rise and fall of the fringe collective in ALMA’s mission is to empower Latino Gay her new book, Revolution as an Eternal Dream: Bisexual and Questioning men by providing the Exemplary Failure of the Madame Binh support, advocacy, and leadership opportu- Graphics Collective (84 pages, Half Letter Press, nities, through Innovative cultural program- $13). ming. A founding member of the collective, Patten The mission of Vida/SIDA Bartolo Hernandez interweaves personal anecdotes (“I remember de Jesus HIV/AIDS Initiative (a project of the going to bed under rows of 18”x24” posters, Puerto Rican Cultural Center) is to educate, inhaling the fumes from drying mineral spirits/ advocate and empower Chicago’s Puerto Ri- xylene as I dozed off”) with historical context to can/Latino community by promoting cultur- create a holistic picture of a political movement. ally responsive health care/resources that en- Readers who aren’t familiar with the time peri- From left: Charles Rice-Gonzalez and Al- able health affirming behaviors and attitudes. od get primers in chapters on literary influences, in making a collective style or brand or way of fonso Ramirez and Jesus Ramirez-Valles. See www.almachicago.org and prcc-chgo. graphic movements and political predecessors; drawing or dealing with design. There was kind Photo by Carrie Maxwell org/vidasida/ for more information on both while full-page graphics serve as lively examples of a multiplicity of approaches in terms of de- organizations. of the collective’s work. sign that allowed everybody to really push their “In these days when cultural activism seems own particular creative vision. less than powerful,” Lucy Lippard writes in the As time went on, there was less and less free- preface, “we can learn a great deal from those dom. We were part of this larger project that had times, about the endless contradictions we this revolutionary agenda that was ever escalat- could not escape, about art world successes that ing, where really we thought we needed to be- were actually failures, and political failures that come like soldiers. We did weapons training; we were actually successes.” did karate. There’s this level of political urgency Prize Winning Playwright Patten recently sat down with Windy City and emergency that kind of squashed that space Times to discuss her writing style, spending time and freedom that’s necessary for art making. on Rikers Island and more. With art by committee, you can’t produce any- Windy City Times: In the book, you hop thing because everybody has a different opinion between a first-person style where you share or some external voice comes in, maybe from the personal stories, to a more professorial tone larger organization. The creative field becomes where you talk about art in context. Why did more and more hemmed in. you decide to go with both tones? WCT: The group ended up kind of naturally Tuesday, March 27, 2012 Mary Patten: [My publisher] talked about it dissolving after several of you were arrested Hilton Chicago being a memoir of sorts. I’m not really inter- at an anti-apartheid protest in 1982. You 720 S. Michigan Ave. ested in that kind of privileging of a singular spent a year in Rikers Island; what was that experience, but I think [the book] does have to like? cross back and forth because I’m not an outsid- MP: That’s where some really interesting stuff An Angel Among Us er. I was an author of these events. At the same started to happen again. Even though it’s lousy An Evening with Pulitzer Prize time, I’m critical about our history. It’s not like, to be in jail, and we were monitored all the time, Winning Playwright Tony Kushner ‘Everyone needs to know this; we’re so great’. the three of us who were in the graphics collec- In a very short period of time, we produced a tive were constantly making stuff. It was a way Kushner forever changed the discourse of HIV/AIDS with his stunning play, Angels in America, winning the Pulitzer huge number [of pieces]. I mean, we lived this to spend time; it was a way to be friends with Prize for his efforts. Set in 1985, the play features crazy way where we didn’t sleep, and we worked other women in the jail. They’d say, “Oh, you characters struggling with and dying of AIDS amid the these really crappy jobs and were burning the know how to draw? Would you draw a picture of callous social politics of the Reagan administration. Angels’ themes of politics, grassroots community mobilization and midnight oil all the time. We took on so many my daughter for me? I’ll give you cigarettes.” We love endure today, despite changes in the epidemic over projects, and we produced a lot—ranging from were very loved. [Laughs] the past 27 years. very simple, direct black-and-white Xerox kinds WCT: Did you have access to supplies, then? of things to very elaborate multicolored prints MP: We really didn’t, until this older, retired That is but a glimpse of Kushner’s work, which has also garnered an Emmy Award, two Tony Awards, three Obie that were most often used to raise money to art teacher read about us. She contacted the jail Awards and an Oscar nomination. AIDS Foundation of promote different struggles that we were in soli- and said she’d like to set up a little art class Chicago is immensely proud and grateful to welcome Tony Reception darity with. where she’d bring in materials and allow us to Kushner for the 2012 Dinner. 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm draw. It was kind of an amazing thing, but we Dinner Some of what we did I think was quite good. 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Some of what we did was really fraught and had a little difficulty with her because we want- VIP Reception weak graphically. It suffered from art by com- ed to bring other women from the jail to these 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm Fo r T mittee in a way. art classes. She was a little bit like, ‘Well, I don’t ick ets and infor visit us at aidschicago.org/angelsmation WCT: What do you mean by that? know. I know who [you] are. I can recognize or call (312) 334-0935. MP: In the beginning there was a level of au- [you].’ We thought she couldn’t deal with women tonomy in our art. One particular person would who were prostitutes or drug addicts, who were Sponsored by: have an idea for something and develop a all our friends in there. Benefiting sketch. The rest of us would contribute to try to We were allowed colored pencils and paper. make the design the best possible, and we’d all Margot did this amazing collage that I still have assist in the production. We weren’t interested in my apartment. She used cut-up magazines. 36 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

the DISH WEEKLY DINING GUIDE IN more into the high-end territory. Think venison pate, basil escargot with goat cheese fonduta Dining news and crisp rabbit salad with fried shallots and COMPILED BY ANDREW DAVIS avocado. I opted for the caramelized lobster. It was served over lemon quinoa and drizzled with —Bistronomic, the French bistro from Ex- a spicy curry sauce. I’ll give it points for creativ- ecutive Chef Martial Noguier, presents the new ity, but I’ll have to deduct some for taking away March late night prix fixe. Beginning at 9 p.m. BY Meghan Streit from a delicious hunk of lobster with culinary Sundays– Thursdays, diners will enjoy authentic experimentation. I’ve had much better prepara- French bistro cuisine and a beverage for only tions of lobster, and they are usually less fussy $15. Available to walk-ins only, the featured The Gage and far better. March late-night dish includes chicken liver That seafood mishap was quickly redeemed mousse (Dijon mustard / Cornichons / Baguette Some days you just want to kick back with a by the fluke (a mild whitefish) I ordered for my croutons) and the red or white wine of the day. Guinness and a basket of fish and chips at a main course. It was cooked perfectly and served It’s at 840 N. Wabash Ave.; see www.bistronom- quaint Irish pub. Other days you want to feast with Swiss chard, bite-sized pieces of butternut ic.net. on elevated cuisine like bison tartare and oys- squash and roasted potatoes, which all con- —Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., has new ters with citrus caviar gelee paired with a cold spired to provide the perfect hearty contrast to menu items. Expanding on its current large for- bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne at a chic the delicate fish. I also tried the braised short mat offerings, Chef Brian Jupiter introduces sev- downtown eatery. Well, at The Gage, a handsome rib ragout. The meat was tender and flavorful, eral large-format meat dishes as well as a series tavern-restaurant hybrid on Michigan Avenue, and served in a sauce with vegetables over egg of specialty, coursed dinners and large format you can do both. noodles—kind of like the pot roast your mom beers. The large format proteins are all sourced The Gage is located in a historic landmark used to make (but much better). from local farms and include bone-in pork loin, building across from Millennium Park, and many I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Brussels bone-in ribeye and Royal cut beef shortrib. Ju- stately architectural elements remain, lending sprouts at The Gage. The chef has figured out piter’s new coursed dinners include “Duck, Duck, visual interest that draws you into the dark and how to make America’s most-hated vegetable Goose” and “After the Bird Hunt.” See www.the- noisy space. You can pick your poison here be- very, very loveable. Just cover them in Brie and frontierchicago.com. cause the bar is fully stocked. You’ll find sea- bacon! No one will ever complain again. —Kikorangi, a triple-cream blue cheese that’s sonal cocktails, beers from breweries near and I’m so glad I didn’t skip dessert because The part of Fonterra’s Kapiti line of hand-crafted far, dozens of wines and even flights of whiskey. Gage was serving one of the most inventive New Zealand cheeses, has been selected as a top Wine lovers, be warned and bring your wallets: desserts I’ve ever had—piping-hot sugar-dust- cheese of 2011 by Food & Wine Magazine. Asso- There isn’t a single glass available for less than ed anise churros with coffee clove crème An- ciate Editor Kristin Donnelly selected Kikorangi $13. I ordered a cocktail made with St. Germain glaise for dipping. It sounds complicated, but as one of her “5 Favorite Cheeses of 2011,” call- and Prosecco (like the kind you can find on most The Gage’s brie fondue. Photo by Meghan it is actually a genius reinterpretation of one of ing it “richly creamy and slightly nutty, with just drink menus these days), and it was utterly for- Streit the simplest and most comforting treats in the enough barnyardy blue-cheese funk.” gettable. I’m Irish so I should have known bet- world: coffee and doughnuts. ter. When you’re at an Irish place, no matter how crackers, you get Brie fondue. In fairness, I’ve I appreciate The Gage’s higher-end offerings, upscale it may be, stick with whiskey or beer. never met a melted cheese I didn’t love, but several of which were quite good. However, what The “snacks” portion of The Gage’s menu could the Brie fondue is pretty fantastic. It’s rich and really shines at this place are the expertly pre- be characterized as comfort foods with some creamy and is served with long toasted bread- pared comfort foods that give just a subtle nod high-end touches. Instead of plain old peanuts, sticks that are kind of like edible fondue forks. to haute cuisine without trying to be anything you get duck fat nuts. Instead of cheese and My favorite starter, however, was the one that they are not. was free. After you settle into your table, the The Gage is located at 24 S. Michigan Ave.; waiter arrives with a warm fresh-baked loaf of call 312-372-4243 or visit www.thegagechi- rye, which is some of the best bread I’ve eaten cago.com/. Fonterra is a New Zealand-based dairy and Perfect Party Room in Chicago. It begs you to butter piece after Do you need some more Sugar & Spice in dairy ingredients company with North American for your Spring Event piece and shove it into your mouth until the your life? Follow me on Twitter: @SugarAnd- operations in Rosemont, Ill. See www.kapiticol- whole thing is gone and you’re wondering who SpiceMS – for inside scoop and commentary lection.co.nz. the heck ordered the Brie fondue. on Chicago’s dining scene. Send items to Andrew@WindyCityMedia- The second- and third-course offerings veer Group.com.

the DINING LISTINGS janesrestaurant.com DISH 1653-55 W. Cortland • 773-862-5263 American located in neighborhoody Bakery Bright and fresh Italian Mexican Beef ‘n Brandy Bucktown. Stunning Special Swedish Bakery small plates with an exciting Mundial Cocina 127 S. State St., Chicago Events Room. Brunch, Lunch 5348 N. Clark St., cocktail menu. Surprisingly Mestiza & Dinner. 312-372-3451 Chicago affordable. 1640 W. 18th St., beefbrandy.net 773-561-8919 Chicago Hamburger Mary’s A Chicago tradition since swedishbakery.com Club Lucky 312-491-9908 5400 N. Clark St., 1967. Serving pizza, burgers, European-style cookies, 1824 W. Wabansia Ave., mundialcocinamestiza. Chicago meat loaf, homemade Foc- pastries, breads, and tortes. Bucktown com cacia bread and more. 773-784-6969 We’ll create a cake for any 773-227-2300 Creative Mexican cuisine in hamburgermarys.com/ celebration. clubluckychicago.com the Pilsen neighborhood. chicago Roscoe’s Sidewalk 1940’s style Italian Supper Hand-shaken margaritas ENTERTAINMENT & Burgers, salads and sass Club & Cocktail Lounge Cafe Fondue and affordable wines. DANCING NIGHTLY 3356 N. Halsted St., served up in a kitschy Geja’s Cafe Award-winning. Holiday Chicago atmosphere with an on-site decorations and private brew pub. 340 W. Armitage Ave., german EXCELLENT 773-281-3355 party room. Accepting Chicago online reservations. Chicago Brauhaus GERMAN-AMERICAN roscoes.com 773-281-9101 CUISINE ASIAN 4732 N. Lincoln Ave., Visit our popular outdoor gejascafe.com Chicago cafe. Salads, burgers, wraps, Miss Asia Mediterranean Romantic fondue dining. 773-784-4444 773.784.4444 sandwiches, drink specials, 434 W. Diversey Pkwy., Live classical and flamenco Socca chicagobrauhaus.com WWW.CHICAGOBRAUHAUS.COM and Sunday Brunch. Chicago guitar. Extensive, moder- 3301 N. Clark St., Serving up traditional Closed Tuesdays • Major Credit Cards Accepted 773-248-3999 ately priced wine list. Chicago Jane’s Restaurant missasiacuisine.com 773-248-1155 German specialties, beer, 1653-55 W. Cortland At Miss Asia we provide ITALIAN soccachicago.com wine, music and dancing 6 Ave. fine traditional Thai cuisine Taverna 750 Featured on Food Network. days a week. 773-862-5263 and an elegant dining Italian/French cuisine. atmosphere. 750 W. Cornelia Ave., janesrestaurant.com Dinner daily and weekend Chicago brunch. Outdoor patio. An everyday, upscale eatery 773-348-5172

To get your business listed in The Dish, contact [email protected] WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 37

Game On! TPAN’s Chicago Takes Off

Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) showed they were “good sports” with Game On!, this year’s Chicago Takes Off charity event, Sat., March 3 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave. The two shows—one at 7:30 and another round at 10:30—were both sold out in advance of the event. The audience was treated to elaborate and risque sports-themed dance numbers, comedy, and even a trained dog act. Brooklyn’s own Murray Hill hosted for the third year in a row. The event raised much-needed funds in support of TPAN’s HIV/AIDS programs and services which benefit more than 25,000 individuals through prevention, outreach, and direct care services and programs. Photos by Kat Fitzgerald, www.mysticimagesphotography.com. See many more photos online at WindyCityTimes.com 38 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

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Kat Fitzgerald Photographer

www.mysticimagesphotography.com WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 39 and Exclusively Wright Dinners on Saturday; and Rosie O’Donnell is “re-evaluating her real estate a behind-the-scenes tour of Wright’s Frederick C. holdings” and, by the looks of it, open to selling Robie House on Sunday. her 6,000-square-foot Lakeview home, accord- The Ultimate Plus Weekend Package is high- ing to a Chicago Tribune item. The five-bedroom lighted by a three-night stay in a deluxe room house, purchased from OWN: Oprah Winfrey Net- (double occupancy) at the historic Carleton of work President Erik Logan, has been listed for Oak Park, the official hotel of Wright Plus 2012, $2.5 million. The home has, among other things, monthly REAl EStAtE SEction as well as transportation from the hotel to all a sports bar, three-car heated garage and 11- of a house can go [to the partner], children or events. For more information about the Preser- foot ceilings. someone else. vation Trust and Wright Plus events, visit www. —Arrest: Prominent local real-estate execu- Covering “Same-sex couples who have children outside GoWright.org. tive Michael Sato was charged last Nov. 26 with the relationship should also have trusts, espe- trying to steal three Burberry neckties (valued cially if there are [substantial assets] involved.” Real estate news: at $145 each) from Bloomingdale’s at 900 N. your assets However, say there’s a situation where a cou- Michigan Ave. on Black Friday, according to the BY ANDREW DAVIS ple has a home in one state that recognizes civil Chicago Tribune. Sato, 44, is president of Jame- unions or marriage, and another in a state that son-Sotheby’s real estate. Attorney Jon Erickson When it comes to same-sex couples and mort- doesn’t. What do you do, then? “[They should said, “The evidence will show that it was a mis- gages, Steve DiMarco—president of Baird & War- get] a tenancy by the entirety in the best of understanding.” The case has been continued ner Financial Services and a member of the firm’s senses. However, a trust is best in that kind until March 7. executive committee—told Windy City Times of complicated situation. You’re getting really there are two areas of concern. hairy there. “The first issue is federal taxation, specifically, “Also, if someone wanted to address owner- Wright how tax returns are filed,” he said. “That’s rel- ship issues and include the assets into the re- evant because when you have mortgage-related lationship, they could file a quitclaim deed and Preservation interest, that’s deductible, and something needs record that with the county that the property is Trust needs to capture that.” in. That would change the ownership so there’s “However, the [main] issue is how a same-sex some structure around it. volunteers The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust is couple protects its ownership interest. “What the readers need to understand is that seeking volunteers to assist at the Frank Lloyd “When you have two individuals—specifically, there are some special considerations. The mini- Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park; Wright’s mum standard is a tenancy by the entirety. Ulti- Robie House, in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighbor- mately, these other factors like wealth, offspring hood; and The Rookery Building in Chicago’s and relationships with blood relatives may cre- Joan Rivers. Photo by Charles William Bush Loop. ate the need for a trust.” Volunteer orientation sessions occur monthly Regarding the aforementioned issue of taxa- at all three national historic landmarks. Vol- tion, DiMarco advised, “When a [civil-union] —Can we talk?: You can have Joan Rivers’ New unteers enjoy benefits such as invitations to couple files federal taxes, they’re not filing as York City penthouse—for a cool $29.5 million, exclusive excursions to art and architectural married couples would do, so there needs to be according to Curbed NY. The listing for the unit attractions; educational opportunities like ar- a decision about who may claim the interest de- describes how “the original architectural detail chitectural-based lectures; access to extensive duction—and that can be split, by the way. ... was painstakingly restored by museum-trained online learning resources and knowledge bases; Generally, thought, the couple generally needs artisans.” Rivers actually first tried selling the and discounts in the museum shops. to decide who needs the deduction the most.” penthouse in 2009, then asking $25 million for Interested parties are encouraged to contact DiMarco added that he learned some things it. The unit—which has a $7,500 monthly tax the Preservation Trust at volunteer@gowright. after talking with same-sex couples to see how charge—is 5,190 square feet, and features a ter- org for more details. they handle taxes. “One of the guys said he put race, library and expansive view of Central Park. a cover letter on his tax return explaining his —Rosie weighing options: Talk-show host household circumstances,” he said. “Another in- dividual said that it was virtually impossible to file federal taxes because of the Defense of Mar- riage Act [which only recognizes opposite-sex marriages]. The tax stuff is just crazy.” Steve can be reached at steve.dimarco@ Steve DiMarco. Photo courtesy of DiMarco keymortgageservices.com.

married individuals—there’s a number of ways Tickets available they can own property. One is joint tenancy, for Wright Trust’s which I think is one of the biggest pitfalls for same-sex couples. In a joint tenancy, a married Housewalk man and a woman married each owns 100 per- Tickets are now available for the internation- cent of the household. ally acclaimed Wright Plus 2012 housewalk, “Let’s say my wife plows into an affluent doc- showcasing rare interior tours of private homes tor and maims the guy to the point where he designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contem- cannot work. He sues my wife. In a joint tenan- poraries in historic Oak Park, Ill. cy, I’m included—but you can see where a judg- Wright Plus 2012, which will take place 9 a.m.- ment causes a forced liquidation of the assets. 5 p.m. Saturday, June 2, features magnificent Ultimately, we want people to own property by private residences from Oak Park—the commu- tenants by the entirety, in which the assets are nity with the most Wright-designed structures. split 50-50 in the case of two people owning a Guests will enjoy interpretations based on property. Same-sex couples should consider this; in-depth research of the homes’ history and ar- what it does is establish that while the couple is chitecture, including discussions of the original alive, no more than 50 percent of the assets can occupants’ lifestyles. This housewalk, which at- be split.” tracts visitors from around the world, offers in- Illinois, however, does allow civil unions, a timate looks at a collection of beautiful homes Screen shot of DiscoverDesign.org. situation DiMarco said “affords some protections lining the historic streets of Oak Park. Tickets [to same-sex couples] in the probate and estate are available at http://www.GoWright.org. Tick- process. There is now a legal structure to help ets are $85 for Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Architecture foundation couples dispose of property. Trust members and $100 for non-members. “Ultimately, however, I would recommend that Along with the housewalk tour, the Preserva- launches Net-based tool Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) launched DiscoverDesign.org, a web-based learning a same-sex couple would purchase a home and tion Trust also offers the Ultimate Plus Weekend, tool that gives high school students the opportunity to solve real-world design problems, ac- utilize a living trust document that specifically an exclusive four-day weekend of events Thurs- cording to a press release. dictates how their portions of the assets will be day, May 31-Sunday, June 3. As part of the Ulti- Using project-based learning and social networking, students can learn about architecture and disposed of. This is important for anybody who mate Plus Weekend, guests will enjoy a reception develop important life and work skills. might have a dicey relationship with blood rela- at the 1905 Wright-designed lobby of The Rook- Any school can participate in DiscoverDesign.org as part of a classroom curriculum, and any tives, because once this goes into estate, the ery Building in downtown Chicago on Thursday student can explore it on their own to supplement his or her after school enrichment. Dis- probate officer might follow the bloodline. So a and a Friday excursion to Wright-designed build- coverDesign.org is available free 24/7 to anyone with Internet access. trust can dictate that a partner can continue to ings in Chicago’s North Shore. Guests will enjoy live in a house or that proceeds from the sale the housewalk; a private luncheon and lecture 40 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES

This Will Have Been: Art, Love, & Politics in the 1980s The years shaped by two phenomena that frame the 1980s: femi- nism and the AIDS crisis. Within these larger outlines, the exhibition finds desire - rather than cynicism or irony - to be the real tenor of the decade. Through June 3. Brought to you by the combined efforts of 12pm, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., www.mcachicago.org WINDY CITY Windy City Gay Chorus & Aria: Broadway BLOOM WITH A And Beyond Broadway And Beyond: An VIEW TIMES Evening of Broadway Benefit & Concert featuring Windy City Gay Chorus and Aria March 10-18 will take place 4 and 8 p.m. General ad- The Chicago Flower & Wed., March 7 mission tickets are $50 and include: 4pm- 10:30pm, 773-381-4554, Mayne Stage, Garden Show will take Palm Springs Cocktail Challenge Palm FORD TOUGH 1328 W. Morse Ave., www.maynestage.com Springs is once again seeking the best place at Navy Pier, 600 E. Candidates’s Forum BUNGALO (Berwyn bartenders at 15 gay clubs nationwide, in- Thursday, March 8 Grand Ave. United Neighborhood Gay And Lesbian cluding Sidetrack in Chicago. Palm Springs Lesbian singer Kristen Ford Organization) and Berwyn CARES (Berwyn is challenging bartenders to stir, mix and Promotional photo will perform at Ace Bar, 1505 Citizens Aligned to Renew Education for shake up desert paradise-infused cocktails Children) will be jointly hosting a candi- for its 3rd annual “Palm Springs Summer W. Fullerton Ave. dates’s forum. 1pm, Berwyn Public Library, Splash Cocktail Challenge,”; 5:30pm- 2701 S. Harlem, Berwyn, www.bungalo.org 11:30pm, Sidetrack, 3349 N Halsted St, Benefit performance, The Laramie Proj- St., www.roscoes.com Chicago, www.palmspringscocktails.com PR photo ect: Ten Years Later Benefits The Mat- Drag Race with Frida Lay Chicago’s only Benefit for Ida B. Wells monument To ben- thew Shepard Foundation. Tickets $100. amateur drag contest, hosted by Frida efit the development of a monument to Reception 6:30pm, introduction to the Lay! A hit at Roscoe’s since its premier in honor the life and accomplishments of the play 7:30pm by Judy Shepard, mother of 2000. 10pm, Roscoe’s, 3356 N Halsted St., historic Ida B. Wells – journalist, teacher, Matthew Shepard, a performance of The www.roscoes.com anti-lynching crusader, women’s rights Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, and a activist and civil-rights pioneer. World- 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., www.gayliberation. Theatre, Noyes Cultural Center, Evanston, talkback led by Susan Burk, representa- Tuesday, March 13 renowned artist Richard Hunt, who is net www.talkingpicturesfestival.org tive of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Altgeld, Haymarket Riots subject of Clar- Chicago based and commissioned to cre- In the Heart of America Stage play speaks 6:30pm, 773-728-7529, Redtwist Theater, ence Darrow Event Clarence Darrow afi- ate the monument will give an overview Thursday, March 8 directly to the diverse Chicago community 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., www.redtwist.org cionados will gather at the Darrow Bridge of his vision for the historic monument Gay and Lesbian Candidate Meet and with imagination and clarity. Thru April Ferron: Girl on the Road RSVP to dykedeli- in Jackson Park for the the ritual outdoor which will be located in the Bronzeville Greet The Coalition for Justice and Re- 1, 2012. Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sun- [email protected]. Nearing 60 wreath-tossing ceremony commemorating neighborhood where Ida B. Wells lived. spect (CJR) a civil rights organization days at 2:30 pm. 7:30pm, 773-404-7336, and feeling the urge to reconnect with her Darrow’s death and guests will move in- 5:30pm, 773-382-6115, Cliff Dwellers of African-American Same Gender Lov- Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lin- audience, Ferron reunites with her band side for a lecture and discussion on the Club, 200 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, www. ing Black Gays and Lesbians will feature coln Ave., www.theatreseven.org to perform a concert after nearly a de- Haymarket case, “Absolving Anarchy: John idabwellsmonument.org candidates for county-wide races and Kristen Ford Everything from reggae to cade away. Internationally award-winning P. Altgeld and the Pardon that Shook Gild- But I’m a Cheerleader The Legacy Project, local district races for State Legislature country to folk to pop on guitar, ukulele, director Gerry Rogers (My Left Breast) is ed Age America,” to be given by Heath W. Queer Film Society, the Center on Halsted, and Statewide races. 5pm-8pm, Brando’s piano and beatbox. 8pm, Ace Bar, 1505 W. there to capture the moment. 7pm, Chi- Carter. 10am, Darrow Bridge and Museum the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Speakeasy 343 S. Dearborn St Fullerton Ave., www.kristenfordmusic.com cago Filmmakers, 5243 N Clark St., www. of Science and Industry’s New Columbia and Special Events,and Reeling present, Man Boobs One-act dark comedy about love, Frat House Thursday Join Scarlet as they blackcatfilm.net Room, Jackson Park, www.darrowbridge. free, CINEMA Q ~ II, a special film series body image and acceptance; 7:30pm, 773- host all frat guys and their fans. Scarlet Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus: Big Hair Ball org celebrating LGBT Movies every Wednesday 250-3117. Through March 10. Mary’s Attic, ramps up the frat factor with a night of And you can dance … for inspiration. Gay-Themed German Films of the Silent in March. Info at victorsalvo@legacypro- 5400 N Clark St., www.pridefilmsandplays. 40-ounce beer specials, HOT bartenders, Get into the groove when CGMC busts out Era Screenings at Gerber/Hart Library and jectchicago.org; 6:30pm, Chicago Cultural com cranked-up music and hottie hijinks! 21+ the decade that brought us Madonna, big Archives, 7pm-9:30pm, 773-271-2148, Center, 78 E Washington St. Pink Ribbons Veteran documentarian Léa with ID; 9:30pm, Scarlet Bar, 3320 N Hal- bangs, and jelly shoes! Do you remember Gerber/Hart Library and Archives 1127 W. Gay Liberation Network organizing meet- Pool’s doc traces the evolution of the sted St. how high your bangs were? Well, bust out Granville Ave., www.orchadash.org/ ing Join with Chicago’s LGBT direct action breast-cancer movement from something your biggest can of hairspray because we group at their monthly organizing meet- that encouraged meaningful civic partici- Friday, March 9 pation to something that drives people to LGBT event supporting Rodney “Rod” are giving away a night at the Park Hyatt Wed., March 14 ing -- new members welcome! 7pm-9pm, Sara Paretsky, 30th anniversary of V.I. purchase products. Who really benefits, Stewart Stewart for Circuit Court judge. Hotel with dinner to the biggest and best 773-209-1187, Berger Park Cultural Center Warshawski series Paretsky discusses the cause or the company? 7:30pm, Next Dancing, raffle, food. 6pm-10pm, The Call 80s hair! 8pm, Hydrate, 3458 N. Halsted her work and its significance to Chicago, (Chicago), 1547 W Bryn Mawr Ave., www. St., www.cgmc.org including her new book Breakdown, with cattlecallchicago.com the Chicago Tribune’s Rick Kogan. Also Spin Shower Contest Join super cute Vic- Sunday, March 11 joining us are special guest actors from tor at Midnight for Spin’s outrageous and Urban Village Church: Andersonville ser- Steppenwolf Theatre Company who will infamous contest! Get there by 11:30pm vice Andersonville is a neighborhood full give a brief reading of Paretsky’s work. to enter, and you could win First Prize of of passion, art, diversity, and eclectic Cindy Pritzker Auditorium; 6pm, Harold $150 or Second Prize of $50. 9pm, Spin energy, all which makes Urban Village Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Nightclub, 800 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago, Church thrilled to be joining the commu- St., www.chicagopubliclibrary.org spin-nightclub.com nity! 10:30am-11:45am, 1602 W. Ainslie (at Ashland), www.newchicagochurch.com The Orion Ensemble, Celebrating Women Saturday, March 10 Urban Village Church Spiritual worship Composers In honor of Women’s History Month in March, The Orion Ensemble will The Chicago Flower and Garden Show This is about coming together as community be “Celebrating Women Composers” of isn’t your grandmother’s flower show. to make space for God to move in us. three centuries, four countries and four While it’s still all about the plants, there’s 10:15am-11:30am, Urban Village Church, distinct styles. 7:30pm, 630-628-9591, much more to do, see, learn and experi- Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Ave., Roosevelt University’s Ganz Memorial ence than ever before. With the theme, www.urbanvillagechurch.org Hall, 430 S. Michigan Ave., www.orionen- “Hort Couture,” more than 25 featured Worship - Where Everyone is Welcome! All semble.org display gardens take their cues on style of us at St. Mark’s share a commitment and beauty from the incredible designs, to our faith and to our community, and colors, textures and fabrics found in high- we welcome visitors regardless of reli- Thursday, March 15 Defending Women’s Rights: In the Court- fashion couture garments. Through March gious background, race or sexual orienta- room, the Capitol and Beyond Honoring 18. 10am-8pm, 312-595-5400, Navy Pier, tion. Sunday worship at 8am and 10:30am 2012 Impact Awards honorees, including 600 E Grand Ave., www.chicagoflower. Christian Formation for ALL ages from a posthumous award honoring Christina com/ 9:30 - 10:15am Nursery Care available Santiago, Puerto Rican, lesbian and femi- Judy Shepard keynotes H.E.R. Day 2012 from 8am until 11:45am. 847-864-4806, nist activist. Tickets on sale now. 6 pm LGBT activist and mother of Matthew St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, reception, 7 pm awards ceremony; 6pm, Shepard will be keynote speaker at this www.stmarksevanston.org Spertus Institute, Venue SIX10, 610 S. year’s Health Education & Recreation Day, Prime Timers Prime Timers are older gay or Michigan Ave., www.cfw.org/impact Center on Halsted’s marquee women’s bisexual men (and younger men who ad- event empowering female-identified in- mire mature men). Second Sunday of each dividuals to live healthier, happier lives month. 6pm, Ann Sather - Belmont, 909 through a full of day of events, workshops W Belmont Ave., www.primetimersww.org/ and special programs. In 1998, the Shepa- chicago/ rds lost their son, Matthew, to a murder TRAGEDY REVISITED motivated by anti-gay hate. Judy and Monday, March 12 Dennis established the Matthew Shepard Live Band Karaoke with Amy Armstrong Saturday, March 10 Foundation. 11am, Center on Halsted, Every Monday night at 10PM in the Front 3656 N Halsted St., www.centeronhalsted. Bar, hosted by the one and only Amy Arm- org strong; 10pm, Roscoe’s, 3356 N Halsted A benefit performance of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later will take place at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., with special guest Judy Shepard. Get : WindyCityMediaGroup.com Photo by Kimberly Loughlin online ChicagoPride.com WINDY CITY TIMES Mar. 7, 2012 41

BILLY MASTERS Saturday March 17 “Can I confide in you? I’m wearing shape-wear Octavia Spencer. When asked what she’ll do after Open at 1pm! as well. They have it for men. If it makes you her Oscar win, she said, “I’m going to get my look slimmer and neater, why not?”—Tim Gunn boobs lifted.” There’s an answer you don’t hear One of Chicago’s Just shares a secret with Maya Rudolph on the Acade- every day—and one that would have livened the favorite days done good my Awards red carpet. If it weren’t being broad- awards if she’d shared it from the stage. Spencer Sidetrack style cast live internationally, it might have been went on to say, “I figured going into my 40s, I with our green more of a secret. want my boobs where they were when I was 17.” By now, you’ve all watched the Oscars—as- We have to go back in time for our next story gay fun suming you stayed awake. My Lord, just when ... back to the Jurassic Era. That’s when Zsa Zsa men & give-aways you thought the show couldn’t get more boring, Gabor was born. I’m not sure where—Babylon, from 5-10pm someone came up with the bright idea of not Mesopotamia or some other forgotten empire. giving out an award anyone cared about for the On Feb. 6, the legendary beauty celebrated her first hour! These things never happened when 95th birthday with hubby Prince Fredric throw- Gil was alive. ing a sumptuous soiree in her Bel Air mansion. It almost made me squeal with delight to see Needless to say, Zsa wasn’t down mingling with Angelina come strutting out in that ridiculous the guests. She was upstairs in her hospital bed, dress. I knew we were in trouble when her coral probably hooked up to numerous machines. In ® lipstick seemed to have been applied by Ste- fact, I would have bet my last ruble that she O’’ vie Wonder. Then she straightened her dress, wasn’t even conscious. But that wily Prince has O planted her hand on her hip and stuck out her thwarted me by releasing pics of Zsa Zsa blow- right leg—she looked like she was auditioning ing out her candles. There’s even one of her and for the sequel to Showgirls. On anyone else, it Larry King—who looks positive youthful in the might not have been such a pathetic moment. glow emanating from Zsa Zsa’s life-support sys- However, this is Angelina Jolie, arguably one of tem. the most sought-after actresses in the world and Speaking of ancient ruins, Cher’s heading back out on the road. Of course, if you read this col- umn with any regularity, this is old news. I told you eons ago that she’d be touring in support of her upcoming new CD. So much for “Living Proof: The Farewell Tour.” I believe the only thing she’s said farewell to is her dignity. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s sloppy + BAGPIPERS! reporting—or, at least, misleading reporting. I Members of the band was shocked to read the following headline in Chicago Stockyard Kilty the UK newspaper The Daily Mail: “Days of our will be in around 8 pm!!! S i d e t r a c k . P ? s D y 2 0 1 p h o b A Lives Makes US Daytime Soap Opera History By Featuring Gay Kiss.” Uh, really? Where have I SIDETRACK THE VIDEO BAR • 3349 N. HALSTED • SIDETRACKCHICAGO.COM heard that before? Oh, yeah, six years ago on August 17, 2007—Big Mama Master’s birthday. Back then, it was Noah and Luke on As The World Turns. Of course, you read the article and it clar- ifies: “Days made TV history yesterday by airing the show’s first same-sex kiss.” Once again, the truth is in the details. This kiss was between Chandler Massey and Jesse Kristofferson. And if you think he could be related to Kris, you’d be right—he’s the singer’s son. I’ll run photos and Angelina (or, rather, her leg) stole the show the video on my website. at the Oscars. Our “Ask Billy” question comes from Denny in Buffalo: “Ever since you wrote about Femme Fa- the spousal-equivalent of one of the most beau- tales, I’ve gotten hooked—it’s really sexy and tiful men in the world. If I didn’t know better, I funny. I went back to watch earlier episodes and would have sworn it wasn’t Angelina but, rather, in the second show from season one, the guy her close namesake, Angelyne. Yes, that’s how sleeping with the nurse looks familiar. Plus he’s tragic it was. hot and nude. Do you know who he is?” In a related story, failed actress Sean Young That would be Scott Bailey, who is now mar- (she’s just a statuette away from being Sally ried to Adrienne Frantz—who appears to be the Kirkland) was placed under citizen’s arrest after Renee Zelwegger of soap operas. You may re- trying to crash the Governors Ball and allegedly member Scott from Prayers for Bobby or, if you assaulting a security guard! But that wasn’t the were a soap devotee, as Sandy on Guiding Light. best part. Earlier, she accosted a number of ce- He is most certainly gorgeous—and I can say lebrities and tried to take photos with them— that having seen him up close. Kinda like Matt as if she were some pathetic fan...like me, for Bomer—in fact, very much like Matt Bomer. I’d instance. Her “gets” were Glenn Close (clench- say more but, you know ... lawsuits and all. He ing...and I know that pose), Sandra Bullock does indeed show quite a bit of skin on this (looking almost sympathetic), and a bewildered episode—more than ever. I’ll post it so the rest Nick Nolte (who possibly expired when the cam- of you can see it on BillyMasters.com. era flashed). When Octavia Spencer’s next job might be However, it was the photo of Sean between reviving those old “Support Can Be Beautiful” Brad Pitt and Angelina that is really priceless. commercials, it’s definitely time to end yet an- Apparently, she saw the couple at the bar. She other column. I’m sticking around Florida for stormed over to say hi and reportedly told An- a while. I just spent a charming evening with gie, “Darling, we have the same hairdresser— Kathleen Turner. But I’ll save that for next week, and girls like us need help with our hair.” While along with other stories from my travels. All will Jolie was trying to figure out if that was an in- be revealed on www.BillyMasters.com, the site sult or a compliment, Sean snapped the photo that, like its owner, never sleeps. If you need my and dashed! I can relate. I, too, have inadver- immediate attention, just drop a note to Billy@ tently insulted my share of celebs. Remind me BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to to tell you about ruining Billy Crystal’s night the you before Sean Young gets a job with TMZ! Un- first time he hosted the Oscars. til next time, remember, one man’s filth is an- When people win a big game or award, they other man’s bible. often like to say, “I’m going to Disney”—but not 42 Mar. 7, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES Project tackles locker-room culture By Ross Forman Brian has been a strong, vocal supporter of the LGBT community since Brendan’s coming-out, The message was simple: if you can play, you and both Brian and Patrick appear in the inau- can play. gural video. The messengers were most impressive. “The hockey community united behind Bren- On Sunday, March 4, during the first inter- dan because he loved the game, and that’s mission of a Boston Bruins-New York Rangers what matters. The NHL players stepping forward hockey game broadcast live on NBC, a PSA was to support You Can Play know that creating a aired, featuring eight NHL stars, including Dun- homophobia-free environment will make their can Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks. teams—and the sport—better,” Patrick said. Keith and the other NHL superstars voiced “It’s important for straight athletes at all levels their support for the new “You Can Play” project, to step up and let gay athletes know they will aimed at ending homophobia and discrimination be accepted, and to let other straight athletes in sports locker rooms, that athletes should be know that homophobic language and attitudes judged on athletic skill and ability, not sexual are never appropriate. This project is a combined orientation or other discriminatory factors. effort of gay and straight athletes and fans, but Brendan (left) and Patrick Burke. Photo courtesy of Patrick Burke That video and other future videos will be the message is largely for straight audiences.” posted at www.YouCanPlayProject.org, which Brian Burke added in a statement, “The Burke these videos makes a big statement,” Sobotka professional leagues,” Burke told the Post. “As also will offer resources for straight and gay family is very proud to carry on Brendan’s legacy said. “It’s nice to see the NHL get behind a proj- accepting as our [NHL] players are and our man- players, coaches and fans. The You Can Play by working to ensure that LGBT athletes, coach- ect that can do such much for so many strug- agement is, we need the gay athletes who are project is backed by numerous National Hockey es and fans around the world are treated with re- gling LGBT athletes who may not feel comfort- currently in the NHL—because I believe there League players and others, including several All- spect by the sports world. The You Can Play proj- able being themselves in the locker room. The are some—to know just how accepting our Stars. ect will serve as a tremendous resource for the Burke family and all those involved in You Can league is. It’s scary when you think you’re alone, “The goals for You Can Play are clear,” co- sports community by providing them with the Play are doing top notch work in an area that when you think you’re the only one. Everyone founder Patrick Burke said in a statement. “We tools needed to create safe arenas. I continue sorely needs it. If homophobia can be elimi- thinks about the worst-case scenario: I’m gonna want to make locker rooms safe for all athletes, to be incredibly grateful to the NHL community nated from the sporting community then that come out, and my teammates are gonna turn on rather than places of fear, slurs and bullying. for rallying around our cause and standing up will help people from many walks of life to find me, and I’ll get cut. We need to show them that The casual homophobia in sports has to change, for equality, and I look forward to seeing other acceptance with their teammates, friends and that’s not the case.” so all athletes know that what counts is whether leagues do the same. It has become abundantly family.” The other co-founders of the You Can Play you can play the game.” clear to me that NHL players, coaches and man- Andy Miele was the 2011 Hobey Baker Memo- project are Brian Kitts, who spent more than 10 Accoridng to the statement, Burke, a scout for agement agree completely with our ideals: tal- rial Award-winner, presented to the best colle- years working in the front-office of professional the Philadelphia Flyers, has been a straight ally ent matters, sexual orientation does not. If you giate hockey player of the year. He now plays hockey, basketball, lacrosse and soccer teams; since his younger brother, Brendan, came out as can play, You Can Play.” for the Phoenix Coyotes, and was a friend of and Glenn Witman, a former hockey player at gay while a manager of the Miami University ice- Andrew Sobotka, president of the Chicago Gay Brendan Burke’s while at Miami University. “The Hobart College and founder of GForce Sports, an hockey team. A car accident took Brendan’s life Hockey Association (CGHA), said he is “very reason why I wanted to be a part of You Can Play elite gay hockey team and advocacy program. in 2010. pleased” with the You Can Play Project. “The is pretty obvious,” Miele said in a statement. “I “When Brendan died, the Burke [family] made Brian Burke, the father of Patrick and Bren- project itself is to combat homophobia in sports had a relationship with Brendan and, if he was a commitment to changing the atmosphere in dan, is the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager. and having 30 NHL players make appearances in still here, he would want to promote this more sports for gay athletes,” said Cyd Zeigler, co- than anyone else. I felt privileged when Patrick founder of the gay sports website Outsports. ADVERTISEMENT came to me and asked me to be a part of it, and com. “What they found is what we’ve seen for I look forward to investing this into players all several years: Sports has already changed, but When experience counts... over the world to make the sports world safe for still few people realize that or want to talk In service to the community for over 30 years. gay athletes.” about it. The power of Patrick’s new project is The group’s advisory board includes Miele, the removal of the mask of sports. The Law Offices of San Jose Sharks forward Tommy Wingels, Golden “This is now an issue athletes are willing to Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss & Associates State Warriors president Rick Welts, two-time talk about, and they’re on the side of inclusion. U.S. women’s soccer Olympic gold-medal winner It’s powerful not just for closeted athletes, but Angela Hucles and the elder Burke. also for straight athletes who have long felt the ESTATE PLANNING TO PROTECT YOUR PETS Patrick Burke, 28, told the Washington Post need to act homophobic to be more of a ‘man’ that the NHL is already “the most accepting of to [their] teammates. The You Can Play project Q. I am getting up in years and I don’t have a partner to leave my property to. My family and the major men’s sports leagues.” is instrumental in showing the change in that relatives are doing fine financially. I have two dogs that I want to make sure are taken care of if “But the fact is, we’ve never had an openly dynamic, and also giving license to people to something happens to me. What can I do to protect my pets? gay active male player in any of the four big just be themselves and play the sport they love.”

A. Unfortunately, pets cannot be beneficiaries of a Will. The law still considers pets to be property. That is why making a plan for your pets is very important. First, plan for your incapacity. Carry with you a wallet card with contact information for emergency caretakers. A pet card provides, at a minimum, information that there is a pet in your house that needs emergency care and who should be contacted in case you are injured while away from home. A more detailed pet care document should also be prepared and left in an obvious location in your house with copies given to any emergency caretakers. A pet care document might include instructions for the care of the animals, medical information, and veterinarian information. Second, plan for your death. One option is to make an outright gift of your pet to another person along with a reasonable amount of money for the pet’s care, with the request that the person use the funds to care for the pet. Or make an outright gift to another person of the pet and a reasonable amount of money for the pet’s care, conditioned on the caretaker providing proper care for your pet. You could direct in your will that your executor arrange for the adoption of your pet. Some organizations will take the pet and arrange for its adoption free of charge or in exchange for a contribution. When selecting a shelter to place the animal in, determine whether the shelter requires or recommends a gift of a certain amount and their placement rate. In Illinois the Illinois Trusts and Trustees Act provides that a trust for the care of one or more designated domestic or pet animals is valid. You can create a Domestic Animal Trust for the pets you designate (“all dogs I own at my death”). You can provide in the trust, that no portion of the trust may be used by the trustee for a use other than the trust’s purposes or for the benefit of a covered pet.

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