ANGELA DAVIS PAGE 7 TALKS AT U CHICAGO WINDY CITY THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 May 8, 2013 vol 28, no. 31 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.comTIMES Equality House ally at Legacy benefit By Ross Forman EVE ENSLER GETS PERSONAL Aaron Jackson has made quite a statement without even saying a WITH WCT word, just with a little paint. Jackson, 31, had been hearing about the Westboro Baptist Church page 20 and its staunch anti-gay ways for some time, so last year he went online to research the group, starting with where it is based. He found it in Topeka, Kan., and then just continued his online research with Google Earth—and saw that the house right across the street from the church was for sale. “My first response was, ‘No way! That’s too good to be true,’” said Jackson, who is straight. He called the realtor and learned the house was no longer for sale, but the house next to that was for sale. Jackson’s charity—Planting Peace, which has concentrated on rainforest conservation, opening orphanages and deworming pro- grams—purchased the home for about $83,000 “with the full intent of painting it the colors of the [gay] pride flag,” he said. The multicolored painting was done in mid-March. Jackson will be in Chicago Friday, May 10, as the keynote speaker for the Legacy Project Gala Luncheon at the Palmer House, starting at noon. Turn to page 14 Equality House. Photo from Aaron Jackson

state sen. william CRIME delgado talks about gay son, marriage bill page 6 OUT pages 8-13

In this week’s issue, Windy City Times begins a multi-week investigative look into the complex history and changing relationship between the LGBTQ community and the criminal legal system.

JILLIAN MICHAELS BECOMES A ‘LIFE’ COACH pagE 22 2 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES

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CONCEPT/DESIGN RICHARD CASSIS SPARCINCCOM WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 3 this week in WINDY CITY TIMES NEWS ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Ohio trans murder; column 4 Scottish Play Scott 17 ALCC marks 25 years 5 Eve Ensler interview 20 State legislators Delgado, Sandack 6 Knight: In the House 21 Angela Davis talks at UChicago 7 Tylan; Jillian Michaels 22 CRIMINAL LEGAL SERIES 8 ‘Dear Mom, Love Cher’ producer 23 Activist behind Equality House 14 MOTHER’S DAY: BOOKS 24 Bi in the Life 15 IGLTA convention coverage 25 Views: Monroe; Dignity letter 16 Billy Masters 29 Everyone has their place. OUTLINES Dish; classifieds 26 Photos on cover (left, from top): Photo of Calendar Q 28 Angela Davis by Hal Baim; photo by Eve Sports: YOU Belong sports camp 30 Ensler by Brigitte Lacombe; image of state Sen. William Delgado by Hal Baim; photo of Jillian Michaels by Dan Flood At alexian brothers health system, we believe that everyone has a

AY, LESBIAN, CE 1985 THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S G SIN PAGE 7 BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY May 8, 2013 no. 31 vol 28, DAVIS WINDY CITY ANGELA KS AT TAL O U CHICAG TIMES place and everyone has the right to be cared for in society. For more than www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Equality House ally at Legacy benefit 20 years, Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry has provided health care and stable g a n sayin an out eve DOWNLOAD THIS! t with By Ross FoRm tatemen s hurch made quite a aptist C n has stboro B ent ron Jackso tle paint. t the We year he w Aa h a lit ng abou ast EVE ENSLER just wit n heari , so l word, , had bee for some time it is based. ne kson, 31 y ways where his onli GETS PERSONAL Jac anti-ga rting with tinued staunch sta con ross the WCT and its ch the group, d then just right ac WITH ear Kan., an use 20 nline to res eka, the ho PAGE o it in Top nd saw that d th—a true,’” said He foun sale. to be h with Google Earwas for oo good researc urch That’s t , rom the ch ‘No way! sale street f se was, nger for respon as no lo “My first ht. e house w o is straig n son, wh r and learned th trated o Jack e realto for sale. concen called th was hich has ming pro- He xt to that eace, w or ouse ne nting P and dew l intent Go to e h a ages ful www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com —Pl han e but th harity “with th Jackson’s c ion, opening orp $83,000 for about e said. forest conservat e home ide flag,” h rain ased th y] pr h. er purch the [ga id-Marc e speak kson grams— colors of e in m keynot aron Jac it the was don as the arting f painting painting ouse, st . Photo from a housing for individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases. o olored ay, May 10, almer H House ltic ago Frid at the P quality The mu be in Chic 14 E kson will Gala Luncheon Jac Project Turn to page Legacy for the

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SEN. to download complete issues of Windy City Times and Nightspots. TATE S WILLIAM TALKS GADO DEL y SON, bOUT GA pages 8-13 A E bILL OUT a MARRIAG 8 imes begins PAGE City T plex Windy he com s issue, nto t e Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance week’ k i n this tigative loo between th We will continue doing so as . I ves tionship em. lti-week in g rela legal syst mu changin iminal ry a nd d the cr histo nity an commu LGBTQ Then click on any ad and be taken directly to the advertiser’s Web site!

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Read about Fred Says, which raises See images from LEGAL EAGLES funds for HIV+ the annual Chicago The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association teens. House brunch/ of Chicago and the Hispanic Law fashion show. Association of Illinois hosted an event Photo of Robert Garofalo about Hispanic LGBTQ issues. and Fred by Timmy Photo of state Rep. Samuel Kelly Cassidy by Matthew C. Clarke khan do beatlemania Pop Making Sense spotlights Chaka Khan, Charli XCX and other musicians.

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Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus held a tribute plus show with Beatles songs (and another performance is on its way). DAILY BREAKING NEWS Photo by Ed Negron TENNIS IN NO TIME 6 SESSIONS $115 STARTS JUNE 1 FABULOUS AIR HOSTESS nightspots nightspots #1092 • May 1, 2013 PAM ANN

LIKE, TOTALLY gAy Oh, that Dougie and his gAy List bus trips. Here we see Dougie’s trip back to the heady days of the ‘80s. It’s Mandonna on wheels. HOP ON DOUGIE’S page 24 ‘gAy List’ BUS 2020 W. Fullerton Ave. 773.235.2300 Show #519 Find Nightspots on www.WindyCityQueercast.com 4 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES Ohio trans murder sparks fear, anger Cultural Q’s over media coverage by FRANCESCA ROYSTER BY KATE SOSIN We are Family. . . aren’t we?: NCAVP spotlights The murder of a transgender woman in Ohio has Searching for shared community sparked national mourning and outrage, after lo- three Black trans cal media described the victim with what LGBT homicides in April Cruisaboo is closing. That is, the Caribou high schooler in the 1980s, I remember activists deemed dehumanizing language. Coffee on Broadway and Aldine in Lakev- picking up a fallen set of beads and hand- The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Pro- iew, aptly nicknamed for its lively reputa- ing them to the shirtless white man danc- Cemia “Ce Ce” Dove, 20, was found dead April grams (NCAVP) released a statement citing its tion as gay cruising spot and social cen- ing beside me. Sister Sledge was playing 17 in Olmsted Township, according to police. concern over three unsolved homicides of trans- ter, will soon be transitioning into Pete’s from a float for Bonaventure House, the Dove was identified by her birth name by police, gender women of color that occurred during Coffee. hospice for people living with HIV/AIDS but a report from TransGriot revealed her pre- April. I wonder what changes will come. Ac- where my mother volunteered, and I felt ferred name, after readers identified Dove. On April 3, Kelly Young, a 29-year-old Black cording to WBEZ blogger and commen- a surge of pride for her. I felt the sense of According to multiple news sources, Dove suf- transgender woman, was found shot to death tator Nico Lang, the shop, extraordinary a shared outrage about the “gay cancer” fered multiple stab wounds and was found in a inside a home in Baltimore, Md. The following as a commercial space that has been re- that was increasingly ravaging poor folks pond in Cleveland, Ohio. day, 30-year-old Black transgender woman Ash- shaped in purpose and atmosphere by its of color in and outside of the gay commu- ley Sinclair was found shot to death in a wooded patrons, has long been a place to cruise, nity. I felt the euphoria of the shared ap- area in the Oak Ridge section of Orange County, yes, but also where you could come by preciation of beat, the high of being part Fla. Lastly, another young Black transgender after a soccer game or gather with friends of a group of bodies taking up space and woman, Cemia Dove (also known as Ci Ci) was to play cards. That is, with your male stopping traffic down Halsted. The man friends. Lang observes that for the most accepted the beads, and then whispered found on April 17 in a retention pond in Olmsted part, women have not been treated very in my ear: “My doctor says I don’t have to Township, Ohio. well there. eat fish on Fridays,” turning away. All three of these homicides were unsolved as Now, I have never been mistreated at It was the shared experience of sexism of May 1. Cruisiboo. It’s more like I’m invisible. And at Pride, along a critique of its corporate Chai Jindasurat, NCAVP coordinator at the New I get that. I am not its intended audi- sponsorship and need for greater connec- York City Anti-Violence Project, said, “It is im- ence. Throughout the LGBTQ Movement, tion with diverse grassroots organizations perative to call attention to these incidents so across Chicago, that that the lives of these individuals are not forgot- spawned the Chicago ten or overlooked and so that we can bring all Dyke March, which will resources to bear to discover what happened to “Our sexuality doesn’t exempt kick off its 17th annual them, when that is possible.” us from the ugly dynamics march June 29, 2013, in Argyle. The Chicago of white privilege and Dyke March Coalition has Rhode Island OKs sought to shift the loca- same-sex marriage other forms of racism, cis- tion of the annual march Rhode Island is now the 10th state that allows genderism, sexism, classism, and rally from Chicago’s same-sex marriage. According to ABC News, the so-called gay ghettos state House approved a marriage-equality bill or ableism.” to other neighborhoods, 56-15, and Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the bill including Uptown, Pilsen into law an hour later. and Bronzeville. Thanks Cemia “Ce Ce” Dove. Photo from TransGriot Supporters framed the issue as one of civil to year-long planning, we’ve flirted, drank, danced, lusted, made the Dyke March has managed to create a rights, arguing in legislative hearings that same- love and community in bars, parks, music remarkably inclusive space, with multiple sex couples deserve the same rights and protec- festivals, cafes and coffeehouses—spaces genders, races, sexualities and genera- tions given to opposite-sex married couples. The that we’ve built as well as wrested from tions. A news release from Olmsted Township po- first marriages will take place Aug. 1, when the lice stated that Dove had been reported miss- others and reclaimed as our own, some- Are we really at a place where we can new law takes effect. times together, sometimes apart. It’s afford to live without each other as a ing March 27. Police positively identified Dove “Today is a great day for freedom and equality through DNA testing. what has kept our spirits alive in an often community? I agree with the late writer/ in Rhode Island,” said Steven Brown, executive hostile world. But the transition of “Cruis- activist June Jordan, who wrote in her Police said that two senior investigators have director of the ACLU of Rhode Island, in a state- been put on Dove’s case. aboo” does bring to mind the dearth of 1992 essay, “A New Politics of Sexuality,” ment. “I am very proud to see our state join the truly integrated spots in Chicago where “I will call you my brother, I will call you “The Olmsted Township Police Department has rest of New England by passing this momentous gay men, lesbians, trans folks, bisexual my sister, on the basis of what you do been working around the clock on this investi- law.” and queer and questioning folk come to- for justice, what you do for equality, what gation, and will continue to diligently pursue all gether across lines of race, sexuality, gen- you do for freedom, and not on the basis leads,” the police statement reads. der, class, ability, religion and age. of who you are.” Police did not identify Dove as transgender. Iowa rules for gays in Perhaps it’s unavoidable that our com- When I start to feel hopeless, I think of Local media reports, however, described Dove birth-certificate case munity spaces reflect the tensions of the my friends Brian and Mark, and the inten- using male pronouns, noting that she was “oddly The Iowa Supreme Court has unanimously larger community, especially in Chicago, tional friendship we’ve been able to keep dressed.” ruled that married same-sex couples have the this city of neighborhoods known for its up for over a decade, despite our differ- LGBT leaders have since confirmed that Dove same rights as married opposite-sex couples to segregation. Folks of color have long re- ences in gender, sexuality and race, and identified as transgender. have both parents listed on the birth certificates ported excessive carding at some Chicago despite physical distance. We’ve argued On May 1, LGBT media advocacy organization of their newborn children, according to USA To- gay and lesbian bars. And tensions con- and discussed and analyzed over ribs and GLAAD announced that it has been in touch with day. tinue in Boystown between some busi- brunch and a good hand of Hearts. We’ve the Cleveland Plain Dealer, after the newspaper Justices ruled 6-0 to require that the Iowa ness owners and homeless youth—often met in each other’s homes and now over youth of color—drawn to its reputation Skype and Facebook. We’ve melded our misgendered Dove in their coverage and stated Department of Public Health begin listing both for openness. families, blood and chosen. that her murder ended her “long fight for accep- married parents on a newborn child’s birth cer- Our sexuality doesn’t exempt us from I think of the activists and artists who tance.” The paper has since altered some of its tificate. The state argued that biological-based the ugly dynamics of white privilege and have educated and inspired me, and who coverage. parenting rights would be cast aside if, say, a GLAAD further noted that it was reaching out other forms of racism, cis-genderism, continue to work to create coalitional Des Moines lesbian were allowed to establish sexism, classism, or ableism. This was spaces across the city, like The Broadway to other media outlets over problematic cover- paternity of her child. age of the murder. brought to light this past April, when the Youth Center, Pow-Wow, the Earth Pearl Human Rights Campaign apologized for Collective, Project NIA, the late FUFA, Several LGBT blogs also fired back at reports censoring undocumented and trans activ- Northeastern University’s Queer Prom, that used male pronouns and described Dove’s Fla. board allows GSAs ists at their marriage equality protests at and Dandelions in the Concrete at DePaul. clothing in detail, stating that such reports Just one day after 14-year-old Bayli Silber- stein filed suit against the Lake County (Fla.) the U.S. Supreme Court. And I keep Sister Sledge on repeat in trivialized her murder. At my very first Pride in Chicago as a the soundtrack in my head. Dove was remembered at a rally in Cleveland School Board to enforce her constitutionally May 1. protected right to establish a gay-straight al- Francesca Royster is a Professor of English at DePaul University, where she Transgender people, especially transgender liance (GSA) at her school, the board will al- teaches courses on Shakespeare, Popular Culture, gender, race, sexuality and women of color, face violence and discrimina- low the club to meet, according to an ACLU performance. Her books include Sounding Like a No-No: Queer Sounds and Ec- tion at alarmingly high rates. Last year, Chicago press release. The ACLU stated that the school centric Acts in the Post-Soul Era (University of Michigan Press, 2013) and Be- saw two transgender homicides. Tiffany Gooden board had, over months, repeatedly delayed and coming Cleopatra: The Shifting Image of an Icon (Palgrave, 2003). and Paige Clay, two friends who lived on Chi- thwarted the establishment of the GSA at Carver cago’s West Side, were murdered within months Middle School. of each other. Both murders remain unsolved. WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 5 to Fisher. The ALCC also provides free training for other AIDS Legal Council marks non-profits and companies, said Fisher. She not- Center on ed that the most accessed brochure on the ALCC Halsted’s GED 25 years of service website is the page about confidentiality that is written in Spanish. program starting Center on Halsted will again partner with tion and employing a bilingual receptionist) and Hayford noted that they also work with a num- By Carrie Maxwell Truman College to offer another session flexibility in handling each client’s concerns. ber of other organizations including HIV/AIDS of the onsite GED program. Pre-testing is According to Fisher, the ALCC has achieved all of providers, mental health providers, drug treat- To commemorate 25 years of service, the AIDS available 1:30-4 p.m. each Tuesday and these goals throughout its 25-year history. Fish- ment providers, and healthcare providers. Legal Council of Chicago (ALCC) will host a ben- Thursday through May 23 at Center on Hal- er noted that by staying a step ahead of client’s “We tell our donors that your dollar will go efit “A Salute to ALCC” at Kirkland and Ellis LLP sted, 3656 N. Halsted St. needs, the ALCC has helped clients understand further here than almost anywhere,” said Fisher. May 9. The onsite GED program offering began the drug cocktail as it has evolved, the rules The event sponsors are Kirkland & Ellis, Sid- ALCC supporters, past and present board mem- in February. Enrollment and assessment is regarding working while receiving social security ley Austin, Winston & Strawn, McDermott Will & bers, staff, interns, and individual and corporate required for the program, which starts May benefits and immigration laws among other is- Emery, Jenner & Block, DLA Piper, Mayer Brown, sponsors are expected to attend the event. 21. sues. With the Patient Protection and Affordable Schiff Hardin, Marshall Gerstein & Borun, Clark “The response from the community surround- For more information about the GED pro- Care Act (otherwise known as Obamacare) go- Hill, Wintersteen & Dunning, Reed Smith, Side- ing our 25th anniversary has been tremendous, gram at Center on Halsted, visit www.cen- ing into full effect next January the ALCC’s goal, track, BestGayChicago.com, ChicagoPride.com, and we look forward to a wonderful evening to teronhalsted.org, or contact Lynnea Karlic Fisher said, is to be ready for any issues that The L Stop, and Windy City Media Group. commemorate the life-saving legal work that the at [email protected] or 773- might arise from the new law. Tickets start at $50 for the May 9 event, and council does each day. The HIV epidemic contin- 472-6469. ues to grow and impact more and more commu- Fisher explained that one of the ways the ALCC they can be purchased at www.alcc25host. nities. Thanks to the wonderful support from our works to make sure that the client’s needs are eventbrite.com. community and corporate partners, ALCC will be met is by lobbying elected officials on issues A summer garden party will also be held at here as long as we are needed,” said ALCC Execu- such as medicaid, confidentiality, HIV testing Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., Aug. 14, 6-9 tive Director Ann Hilton Fisher. and discrimination. Currently, the ALCC’s lob- p.m., to commemorate ALCC’s 25 years of service According to its website, “The ALCC exists to bying efforts are focused on making sure that to the community. preserve, promote and protect the legal rights of Illinois opts into expanding medicaid when the See www.aidslegal.com for more information. men, women and children in the metropolitan new healthcare law goes into effect, according

DowntonA Downton Abbey-themed Prairie evening to benefit Avenue Chicago House Come dressed to impress for a special evening of food and music celebrating the Elegant Edwardian Era at

1900 S. Prairie Avenue in the historic Prairie Avenue Historic District Chicago’s South Loop Friday, June 7 6 p.m. wine and music, 7 p.m. dinner ALCC Executive Director Ann Hilton Fisher. Photo by Stephen Sonneveld

Chicago area impacted by HIV. The council pro- vides direct legal services to people in need, ed- ucates the public about HIV-related legal issues, and advocates for social policies that ensure fair treatment for all people affected by HIV/ AIDS. With a full-time legal staff of just seven dedicated legal professionals, the Council (the only organization of its kind in the Midwest) has helped over 900 clients with 1,600 cases in 2012, and is serving a larger and more diverse client base than ever.” When the ALCC was first formed there was al- ways a crisis, Fisher explained. People were dy- ing so the goal, according to Fisher, was to help clients live as long as they could and then die This is a formal, five- with dignity. “We were constantly flying out of course dinner such as the office to do people’s final paperwork- wills, would be served in a guardianship of their children, or other issues. great house or estate, We used to build dignified deaths and now we c. 1920. Guests may build better lives,” said ALCC Case Manager Jus- tin Hayford. choose to attend in With people living longer the ALCC has had period dress and may to shift its priorities, noted Hayford. Keeping assume a persona clients—from teenagers to senior citizens—sta- appropriate to the time bilized while also helping them navigate byzan- period and atmosphere. Catering in Costume by tine bureaucratic systems such as social security, European Lords and Mrs. Eaton and Mr. Howe medicaid, medicare, private insurance, employ- Ladies, Captains of ment issues, health insurance and managed care Industry and Wealthy is ALCC’s current focus, said Hayford. Matrons, Socialites, $150, capacity is just 20 people The overall goals of the ALCC include staying even Suffragists; all a step ahead of client’s needs, planning and Reserve by calling 773-387-2394 or emailing [email protected] may attend. implementing ideas that help clients in a quick and efficient way, operating on a grassroots lev- SPONSORS: el while also being on the cutting edge regard- ing treatment and policies, accessibility (loca- 6 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES tive district by moving that legislation,” he said. said. “His struggle was with the blatant dehu- Delgado also wants LGBT people turn up pres- manizing, the comments, the looks that he got sure on lawmakers to pass the bill. from society...” “The time is now now now. There is no reason. In this speech, which last several minutes, The closet door is off,” he said. one can hear Delgado’s voice start to shake as “You are us,” he said of LGBT people. “You he remembers his son. What begins as an elo- must recognize that. You’re not a Flintstone. quent and clear statement on the marriage bill, You’re a Jetson,” he said referring to the televi- rises into what seems like a impromptu personal sion cartoons. appeal. When Delgado argued in favor of the equal Delgado, however, insists that his strong sup- marriage bill, he reminded other lawmakers of port for equal marriage rights is not about his his son and the struggles he went through after son, but about human rights. Rubén died. “I have very many [LGBT] family members,” he “I rise in honor of my son Rubén, whose said. “But if I didn’t, it wouldn’t make a differ- struggles were not with his partner or with his ence.” parents, who he loved as he loved us,” Delgado Sandack affirms ‘yes’ on equal marriage at protests

BY KATE SOSIN “I voted for him based on that as did many State Sen. William Delgado. Photo by Hal Baim people,” Plys said. “He betrayed that.” Anti-gay protesters in Downers Grove more Plys said she feels her district opposes the than doubled LGBTs and allies at a rally out- bill. side state Rep. Ron Sandack’s office May 4, Another man who grew up in Downers Grove but the Republican told crowds that his vote but declined to give his name, said he op- State Sen. Delgado talks on the state’s equal marriage bill was a firm poses the bill but has seen the district move “yes.” in favor of same-sex marriage over the years. More than 200 rallied against SB10, which Carol and Peg Collins-Schmitt live in Down- gay son, marriage bill would legalize same-sex marriage, in a dem- ers Grove. The two have a civil union and onstration organized by the Illinois Family want to get married. Carol said that Sandack’s BY KATE SOSIN Rubén came with Delgado Feb. 14 when the Institute (IFI), an anti-gay group working support surprised them, too. senator gave an emotionally raw speech in favor against the bill. “We were so excited,” Carol said. “I am life- If Illinois Sen. William Delgado had an evolution of marriage equality before the Senate. Approximately 75 equal-marriage support- long Democrat but I will be supporting him on LGBT rights, it happened decades ago, before “We send messages to our citizens as govern- ers attended a counter protest organized by and voting for him.” he sponsored the equal marriage bill, before he ment,” Delgado told his colleagues. “We help The Civil Rights Agenda and Gay Liberation Event fencing surrounded both rallies, stood up on Valentine’s Day and told his anti- gauge the moral turpitude of our citizens. They Network. which were also divided by police. Neigh- gay colleagues that they sounded like they were look to us, many times in shame. Today, we The demonstration was the third face-off borhood residents watched from across the straight out of an 1865 debate on slavery. hope and pray that they will look at us as coura- between opposing sides in three weeks. IFI street. Some said they supported Sandack For 2nd district rep., the debate on equal mar- geous.” has scheduled demonstrations against wa- while others said they would vote against riage in Illinois is personal. It can be difficult, Delgado concedes. When he vering reps. every week. LGBT groups have him in the future. Delgado’s son, Rubén, came out to him at age argues in favor of equal marriage, he talks about scrambled to assemble opposition to those One man said that he did not live in the 17. Ten years later, in June 2010, Rubén died Rubén. He has mixed feelings about employing demonstrations. district, but that if he did, he would vote unexpectedly after health problems that Del- his son’s memory in support of the marriage bill. Sandack recently came out in favor of SB10, against Sandack. gado prefers not to discuss. He knows Rubén wanted equal rights as a gay a position that he reaffirmed at a brief ap- A young man and woman riding their bikes Delgado has been picking up the pieces ever person, but the issue is as personal as it is po- pearance during the Saturday rallies. past the demonstration said they were new to since, mourning a son who he not only loved but litical for Delgado. “I truly respect that you’re making your the area and unaware of the controversy. felt could have improved his community. Delgado struggled with colleagues who are voice heard,” Sandack told demonstrators. “If “This is ridiculous,” said the man. “It’s Rubén told his father that he was gay while in not supporting the effort to pass equal marriage the bill is called, I’m on it.” 2013.” high school at Von Stuben Metropolitan Science in Illinois. He knows that some colleagues make Sandack told reporters that he thinks Re- The demonstrations attempted to shout Center, Delgado said. anti-gay remarks, usually out of his earshot. But publican colleagues who vote against the bill over each other through portable sound sys- “Of course, I said, ‘I love you and your brother. he also sees change, he said. might regret that vote in five years or less. He tems, creating a racket in the otherwise quiet That doesn’t matter,’” Delgado recalled. “For the most part, Illinois is becoming very said that if he lost on the vote he would do so suburban neighborhood. One the anti-gay But Rubén struggled with name-calling out- sensitive and understanding,” he said. “with a smile.” side, songs like “God Bless America” played side his home. He was called “faggot,” and he Still, there are others who have yet to move “I didn’t go to Springfield just to play de- over the crowd. On the pro-LGBT side, “Chapel often felt uncomfortable, said Delgado. As he on the issue, including his House successor, 3rd fense and take votes that were just safe and of Love” played. got older and eventually went to college, he Dist. Rep. Luis Arroyo. easy,” Sandack said. The rallies ended without incident. settled into his identity, Delgado said. Arroyo voted for the Religious Freedom and Holly Plys, a Downers Grove resident who A House vote on SB10 is expected any day. At the time of his death, Rubén had a long- Marriage Fairness Act in the House Executive opposes the bill, said she was surprised and The bill passed the Senate on Valentine’s Day. term partner and a condo. He worked as a Span- Committee because he did not want to prevent disappointed by Sandack’s stance. She said Gov. Pat Quinn has vowed to sign it into law. ish teacher at Morton East High School, and he it from progressing. But he told sponsors that he she read his previous statements opposing was planning to travel to Spain where he had could not bring himself to vote for the measure same-sex marriage before voting. been accepted into a master’s program. on the House floor. He was so involved in his teaching that he In a interview with Windy City Times, he later didn’t get involved in LGBT organizing, Delgado reaffirmed that stance. said. “My vote is ‘no,’” Arroyo said. “I voted for civil Delgado reads two paragraphs that Rubén unions, and that is as far as I can go.” Arroyo penned the same year he came out as gay. said his constituents do not support the bill and GLN’s Andy “I am very aware that I have a long road have asked him to vote against it. Thayer ahead of me,” the high school student wrote. But Delgado, whose district encompasses Ar- introduces Rep. “I have a lot to look forward to in the field of royo’s, said he feels that his community sup- Ron Sandack education. I’ve had many influences in my life ports equal marriage. He said that the two have to pro-gay that have helped shape my thinking in terms talked about the issue, and Delgado has been demonstrators of importance of learning. I want to be there in frustrated by Arroyo’s lack of support for the outside his order to help future generations play an active bill. office May 4. and, above all, positive role in society long after “Professionally, he’s ultraconservative,” said Photo by I finish my career and my time here on earth. I Delgado. “We would hope that he would eventu- Kate Sosin see it only fitting that I give back to the future ally come around and reflect the voters’ desires generations the way past generations gave to and the overall 2nd District.” us.” Delgado has other hopes for his colleagues. He Ten years later, those words grace the back of questions why the bill has not yet been called Rubén’s funeral card, which Delgado carries in for a vote, something he feels House Speaker his back pocket. Mike Madigan could make happen but has not. “He never leaves,” Delgado said. “I take him “I urge Speaker Madigan to respect the wishes everywhere.” of the communities, including the 2nd legisla- WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 7 many activists refer to as the prison industrial Speaking of the general reach of the PIC— complex (PIC), and its relationship to gender. Davis is a prominent prison abolitionist—she Historically contextualizing the category of pointed to local Chicago statistics about vio- “woman,” Davis pointed out that it has always lence and guns, and drew connections between been a contested one, especially in relation to local activism around schools and the prison race and class. Black and working-class women system. She spoke of how the depletion of re- have been shut of the category, in favor of a sources for public education was creating condi- racialized and bourgeois version of the ideal tions where more felt compelled to turn to crime woman, she added. and consequently became a larger “disposable Davis then focused on transgender women, population surveilled by electronic technology.” particularly those in prison. She called on femi- In the meantime,” she said, corporations profit nists and feminists to understand and acknowl- from creating more surveillance mechanisms edge the ways in which the presence and con- meant to police and control the expanding pris- ditions of trans women in prison contest and on population. expand the category of woman while also ex- Davis also spoke of her faith in younger gen- ploding binary ideas of gender. erations of scholars and activists, saying that Referencing recent activist work and work on they are informed by feminism, and operate trans prison issues, Davis said that trans women from pro-trans and -Islam frameworks. But she are “at the intersection of race, class, sexuality, also cautioned that as important as it was to and gender.” She pointed out that trans women support social movements, “we also have to are often singled out by law enforcement and, struggle against the assimilationist agenda,” once in prison, denied access to hormones and and pointed to the fight for marriage equality as medical treatment and usually placed in men’s one about attaining “bourgeois respectability.” prisons, where they suffer additional sexual and In the question and answer session that fol- gendered violence. David said that that under- lowed, Davis spoke to a range of issues, includ- standing and questioning these conditions al- ing her appraisal of the “Free Angela” film, lows us to “learn a great deal about the reach of which she described as the account of a move- the PIC” and about what is “ideologically consti- ment and not just about her. Asked about gun Angela Davis at the UChicago talk. Photo by Hal Baim tuted as normal.” control and the violence faced by Chicago public Expanding on this, she made the parallel be- school students, she said that the best solution tween looking at trans issues and gender issues was “no more guns, removing all guns from hu- in general: “When we look at women in prison, man beings” but that this also meant “disarming Angela Davis speaks on we learn about the system as a whole, the nature the police.” This, she said, was an abolitionist of punishment, the very apparatus of prison.” struggle. ‘Feminism and Abolition’ by Yasmin Nair Shakur, a former member of the Black Panther WCT wins two Lisagor Country singers Party and Black Liberation Army, was convicted journalism awards back marriage World-renowned scholar, activist and feminist of killing a New Jersey state trooper in 1973. Windy City Times reporters won two Peter Angela Davis was in Chicago May 4 to deliver She escaped prison in 1979, and received po- Lisagor Awards from the Chicago Headline equality in Illinois the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and litical asylum in Cuba. Shakur and her support- Club May 3 at the Union League Club of Chi- A group of renowned country musicians has Culture Annual Public Lecture, in collaboration ers have long maintained her innocence. Like cago. announced its support for extending the free- with the Center for the Study of Gender and Sex- Shakur, Davis faced charges of murder nearly 40 The Chicago Headline Club is the largest dom to marry to same-sex couples in Illinois. uality. Both institutions are at the University of years ago, and was eventually freed after a long Society of Professional Journalists chapter The letter states, in part,“To deny our gay Chicago, and the event was held at Rockefeller trial. (The campaign around her became a global in the country. Lifetime Achievement Awards brothers and sisters the right to legally ritu- Chapel on the university’s campus. one and is the subject of the recent documen- were presented to nationally syndicated col- alize their love—to marry—is to deny that Davis’ speech, “Feminism and Abolition: The- tary Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.) umnist and Chicago Tribune editorial board they too experience the complexity of human ories and Practices for the 21st Century,” was Addressing the audience, Davis began by say- member Clarence Page and WBBM Newsradio emotion that make a song like Dolly Parton’s given to a packed crowd of more than 1,500. ing that she had revised her original introduc- reporter John Cody. ‘I Will Always Love You’ the shared phenom- She was introduced by Cathy Cohen, professor of tion to incorporate material on Shakur, and Chicago Sun-Times reporter Kim Janssen re- enon that it is.” political science at the university. Davis, 69, is bookended the lecture with her words. Speak- ceived the second annual Anne Keegan Award The musicians signing the letter are Em- currently Distinguished Professor Emerita at the ing about the the recent FBI announcement, for Reporting. Janssen wrote a compelling mylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, “Big Kenny” University of California, Santa Cruz where she she said it “reminds me of how much work is and emotional story about the life of 62-year- Alphin (half of the duo Big & Rich) and Mary worked in both the History of Consciousness and left over from the twentieth century” and that old Mexican immigrant Delfino Mora, who was Chapin Carpenter. Feminist Studies Departments. “we live in a world mutilated by the ravages of murdered by alleged Chicago gangbangers. “It’s the artist’s job to remind us that the The lecture had already become historic be- capitalism.” She recalled her own inclusion on Windy City Times’ first award was in the heart is the place where our true holiness re- fore Davis stepped up to the podium because of the FBI list decades ago and noted that that the feature writing category, for the “Generation sides. It’s why the word ‘heart’ is pervasive in the prior day’s news that Assata Shakur is now FBI “is still haunted by the ghost of J. Edgar Halsted: LGBTQ Youth Series”. The series was so many great songs,” the letter concludes. the first woman to be placed on the FBI’s Most Hoover.” written primarily by Kate Sosin, Erica Demar- “Gay or straight, when two people are lucky enough to find each other and want to com- Wanted Terrorists list. The FBI and the state of Davis went on to list some of the many po- est and Bill Healy, and designed by Kirk Wil- mit their lives to one another, it is nothing New Jersey doubled the reward for her capture litical prisoners still in prison, including Mumia liamson. less than a blessing to us all.” to $2 million. Davis had appeared that morn- Abu-Jamal and her co-defendant from the trial, The second WCT award went to Ross For- Information about the marriage-equality ing on the radio program Democracy Now, with Ruchell Magee. She said that while the FBI fo- man for sports writing, for his feature “Esera legislation is available at www.illinoisunites. Shakur’s attorney, Leslie Hinds to speak out cused on them and people like Shakur, they ig- Tuaolo: Coming back from darkness.” org. against the move, and her comments had been nored the mercenaries of Blackhawk. See www.headlineclub.org. going viral all day long. Much of the lecture focused on what she and

“For any little boy who ever Chicago’s Dedicated and wore ruby slippers (or a pointy ALEO Comprehensive LGBT Program black hat) on Halloween…” VAT CHICAGO LAKESHORE HOSPITAL Valeo at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital provides comprehensive psychiatric “A valentine to the city of Chicago, and a gift and addiction-related treatment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender for everyone who loves the Wizard of Oz.” and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. The program offers a safe, affirming therapeutic environment for members of the LGBTQ community. The Valeo Author Tom Mula staff is comprised of well-trained, will be reading and signing copies of experienced gay and gay-sensitive behavioral health professionals from The Hackers of Oz a wide variety of disciplines.

4840 N. MARINE DRIVE Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30 CHICAGO, IL 60640 Women & Children First 1-800-888-0560 5233 N. Clark www.chicagolakeshorehospital.com www.womenandchildrenfirst.com 8 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES CRIME LGBTQs and the Criminal Legal System When we talk about LGBTQ people and the courts today, we’re often refer- historically a model for criminal legal systems throughout the country. ring to the seemingly endless stream of LGBTQ victories coming out of In the next four weeks, Windy City Times will take readers through that judicial systems across the country. structure today as we look at how LGBTQ people get caught in the system But in the criminal courts, LGBTQ people have long faced a different and the challenges they face once there. reality. Perhaps nowhere has that been more visible than in Cook County, OUT A Windy City Times Special Investigative Series

Left to right: 1911 Chicago Vice Commission report. Chicagoan Henry Gerber, who was arrested in the 1920s after starting a homosexual rights group. Clarence Darrow defends the high-profile murderers Leopold and Loeb, a case sensationalized based on the relationship between the two young men. At right: Two men or two women dancing together as well as cross-dressing were banned in gay bars until the 1970s, but some people risked arrest to be themselves. Images this section from the Chicago History Museum, M. Kuda Archives and Windy City Times archives

Victims are often treated with shocking levels of ignorance and transphobia. With Malice Aforethought: — Prison problems. Discriminatory denial of prison rights or privileges, derogation, and LGBTQs and the criminal justice system the debatable issue of segregation, which has sometimes seemed to benefit sexual-minority BY Tracy Baim — Fear of authorities. Because of this fear, prisoners but can lead to more discrimination or including potential arrest, many gays did not harassment by guards. The legal definition of malice aforethought in- report crimes, including shakedowns by men — Criminalization of sex work. Transgender cludes “an intent willfully to act in callous and impersonating police officers, or blackmail from people, who face employment discrimination wanton disregard of the consequences to human other criminals. This in turn allowed criminals to and lack of access to extremely expensive (often life.” flourish. Even today, community organizations life-saving) gender-related medical care, are dis- Throughout much of U.S. legal history, this often document higher anti-LGBT crime numbers proportionately engaged in sex work. But even would be an apt description of the legal sys- than police do, because of this fear of reporting those who are not are frequently arrested as tem’s approach to people beyond the traditional to authorities. sex workers by police simply for “walking while definitions of sexuality and gender identity. — Institutionalized bias. Past exclusion of trans.” The ways the system has harmed the LGBTQ known sexual-minority persons from law licens- These are just a few of the problems related to community are many, but here are a few key his- es, police employment and other jobs meant LGBTs and the criminal justice system. There are torical problems: openly LGBT people did not have a seat at the many more problems related to the civil courts. Tony Midnite was a popular female imperson- — Sodomy and related sex laws. They primar- table in creating policies and enforcing laws. In the civil courts, LGBTs have lost custody of ator, including in Chicago. This image is from ily targeted gay men. Illinois was the first state — Gay panic. This is a common “defense” children, lost their homes after a partner dies, 1953. Cross-dressing was banned in the city to get rid of its sodomy law, in 1961, and the used by those charged with violent gay attacks been refused adoptions and encountered many until the 1970s. U.S. Supreme Court finally banned such laws in and murders, and it has often been successful. other biased decisions based on their sexuality Lawrence v. Texas in 2003. — Ignoring violence. Neighborhoods per- or gender identity. — Targeting “vice.” These commissions and ceived as “gay” have often been targeted by Many of these problems have decreased in re- police squads go after any illegal activity, in- gay-bashers and serial killers. In the past, be- cent decades, solved in part by pressure from cluding prostitution. But many over-eager de- cause police ignored the crimes or often treated activists, help from allies, and the coming out of partments have also targeted gay men having them with little seriousness, LGBTs organized LGBT police officers, lawyers, judges and elected consensual sex (without prostitution), and po- their own street patrols and response, including officials. lice have had handsome decoys pose as gay men a whistle-blowing campaign in 1970s Chicago, But this recent history of harassment and in order to entrap victims in public spaces. Po- and a 1980s Pink Angels group. Ignoring vio- abuse by law enforcement and the courts still lice even placed ads in gay papers’ personals and lence has gone beyond ignoring neighborhood has a residual impact, causing mistrust of the massage sections seeking to entrap men. gay-bashing to ignoring or belittling individual system, and in some cases appearing on peo- — Cross-dressing laws. Many states and cities complaints of crime or to inadequate investiga- ple’s criminal records still today. For example, had laws that barred people from wearing items tions of homicides. Some serial killers likely were an adult man arrested for supposedly public con- traditionally linked to the opposite sex. These able to continue their trade longer because of sensual sex with another adult man may have to laws allowed for police harassment and arrests. a lack of police attention to their attacks, and register as a sex offender. It took Chicago until the 1970s (first through their victims. (John Wayne Gacy, Larry Eyler and In this special Windy City Times series, we legal rulings and later through City Council ac- Jeffrey Dahmer are three such examples.) will look in depth at the criminal legal system tion) to eliminate the cross-dressing law. — Criminalization of HIV and AIDS. Gay men and the LGBTQ community in Cook County. Our — Dancing queens. While it was technically have been targeted for their sexuality based on reporters spent several months researching the not illegal, police often harassed and arrested the consequences of these types of laws, many archives, looking into public records, interview- people for dancing with a partner of the same of them still on the books. And new HIV/AIDS ing authorities, visiting county facilities and sex. Until the early 1970s, most Chicago-area transmission laws are also being passed with re- talking to people who have an up-close view of gay bars banned same-partner dancing to avoid gressive language. the criminal justice system. additional police scrutiny. — Intimate-partner violence. Police and au- In many ways, the problems LGBTs face with — Official harassment. LGBT bars, especially thorities have had a difficult time handling the prison industrial complex are a reflection of prior to 1980, were targets of police shake- domestic-violence cases involving people of the the larger societal problem with incarceration downs, and were often also harassed by the Ma- same gender, or gender non-conforming people. and of a society that would spend $50,000 in- fia. The police harassment created a large level The police ask “who is the man” or “who is the carcerating someone for smoking marijuana or of distrust in seeking help from authorities when woman” because they do not have the training for stealing $100, rather than take a realistic the businesses experienced other problems, and to understand how LGBT relationships work. approach to drugs and survival crimes. But per- owners often turned to the Mob for pseudo-pro- — Mishandling transgender cases. The police haps by investigating further this one area of Chicago Tribune April 26, 1964 report on a tection. Police cooperated with media to provide across the U.S. have had difficulty with trans- the system, we can see alternative solutions for raid of the Fun Lounge, a suburban Chicago names of those arrested—resulting in lost jobs gender survivors of attacks, and with solving a system desperately in need of being fixed. gay club. and even suicides. the large number of transgender murder cases. WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 9

Gay bars were among those pulled into a federal investigation of police harassment, and a judge Mattachine Midwest report on an under- overturned the cross-dressing ban, The Gay Crusader cover cop entrapping gays, September September 1973. 1969. From the M. Kuda Archives The Gay Crusader December 1973 (left) and August 1973, reports on police reforms and a benefit for people injured in a devastating arson fire in New Orleans.

A report in a 1975 edition of The Gay Crusader GayLife Aug. 29, 1975 report on muggings of noted that no arrests had been made in three of gay men in Chicago. six gay-related murders.

A rare case of a murder of a gay person solved, through a confession reported in The Gay Crusader September 1975.

Left: In 1975, The Chicago Gay Crusader alerted readers to attacks on gay men in public parks, as well as police arrests of gays. Right: Activists protested the police response to the murder of Donna Smith by her ex-husband. In GayLife Dec. 24, 1974.

GayLife Dec. 10, 1976 (left) and Nov. 26, 1976 (below) report on yet more violence against gays in Chicago.

Left: GayLife Oct. 1, 1976 reported on a study showing most gay men are killed by heterosexuals, not other gays, and a report on the murder of Bijou’s owner. Above: GayLife Feb. 4, 1976, stories about a double murder of two women, and a blackmail scheme. 10 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES

GayLife April 4, 1977 reported on the mur- der of gay bartender Frank Rodde III, 29; his murder was never solved. His name was used for a Tavern Guild gay fund and a gay community center.

GayLife Jan. 4, 1980 reported on the police raid of the South Loop Rialto Tap. One hundred men were arrested at the bar, which catered mostly to African American gay men. Vandalism at the Rogers Park gay Center, GayLife Oct. 14, 1977 looks at reported in GayLife Aug. 5, 1977. the blackmail threat to gays.

Alyn Toler (left) founded the Pink Angels in 1991 as a response to anti-gay violence. Cur- Above: Nov. 14, 1980 GayLife coverage of the murder tis Sliwa of the Guardian Angles is pictured middle. Photo by Tracy Baim GayLife from Aug. 23, 1984 and Aug. 30, 1984, including coverage of anti-gay violence of popular Chicago personality Stephen “Wanda Lust” nationally, and Larry Eyler’s murder of multiple young men and boys. Jones. Below: Dec. 12, 1980 GayLife on the murder of Beverly “Tom” Woolard, a bartender.

Gaylife May 10, 1984 coverage of a triple murder on Chicago’s West Side. June 14, 1984, coverage of a suspect in bombs planted at 24 gay bars.

GayLife Aug. 11, 1983 coverage of gay murders in Illinois and Indiana.

Baton Show Lounge owner Jim Flint was among gay bar owners forced to testify in a case against mob shakedowns on the North Side. From Gay- Life Oct. 4, 1984.

Windy City Times reported Dec. 18, 1986 on Ron Cayot was shot in 1992 while com- a $15 million lawsuit filed against officers of ing out of a gay bar on Halsted. He lost the Northwestern Metropolitan Enforcement the ability to speak normally from the More coverage of Larry Eyler, and one of his victims, Dan- Group from a Sept. 12, 1985 raid on the gay assault. Photo by Tracy Baim ny Bridges, who was killed after Eyler had been let out bar Carol’s Speakeasy. of jail because evidencewas ruled inadmissable against Eyler. GayLife, Sept. 6, 1984. A Queer Nation anti-violence march in Chicago, August 1991. Photo by Genyphyr Novak WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 11 said he visits occasionally: “It seems to be most- “It seems to be politically motivated—some- ly married men or ‘straight’ men looking to get one in the bird sanctuary complains, usually a When Cruising Goes Bad: their cocks sucked or suck cocks themselves.” birdwatcher—so the police cast a wide net and In 2010, Erickson defended a man who’d been sweep up people who should not be swept up,” The private aspects of public indecency arrested on a public indecency charge in the Erickson said. The police have sent out “more- forest preserves but had the charges dismissed than-good-looking officers to lure gay men—if BY Matt Simonette the harassment. In 1969, a bar called The Trip when a judge agreed that the county Forest Pre- they were straight men, it would be like they had its licenses revoked after authorities claimed serve District’s public indecency law was anti- were sending out Christy Turlington.” (Chicago Every place with a gay presence has had a place the management had “overlooked indecency” on quated. Police Department officials did not return calls where men have gone to trick—the Ramble in the premises. The law read, “No person shall appear in any for comment by press time.) New York City, Dolores Park in San Francisco and “The bar had taken steps to protect itself and forest preserve in a state of nudity, or in a dress He added that the arrests, however infrequent, Union Station in Los Angeles are just a few. its patrons by closing on Sunday nights and or- not properly belonging to his or her sex, or in are “a tool of harassment” against the commu- Chicago is no exception. Numerous locations ganizing a private club,” Kelley said. “You could an indecent or lewd manner, and no person shall nity. “They don’t arrest straights for doing the around the city—the restrooms in the old Mar- get a membership card, come in, and use the make any indecent exposure of his or her per- same thing out in the open at the beach.” shall Field & Co. building and the Palmer House dance floor. Police got hold of a membership son or be guilty of any lewd or indecent act or Paul said he has only actually seen one person ¬hotel on State Street, the Lawson YMCA and card by stopping someone on the sidewalk and behavior in any forest preserve, or while in any getting arrested in the sanctuary. secluded parts of Lincoln Park—were legendary seizing it. Then they came in and made arrests.” vehicle within the Forest Preserve District.” “From what I could see, they were someone among gay men looking for relatively quick and Ultimately, The Trip won its case. But the ar- He argued that the ordinance, which would who seemed ‘off’—they were calling attention easy sex. The Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary and rests were “a police harassment tactic—there also, for example, ban trans people from us- to themselves. I think by keeping your eyes and Cook County forest preserves are current hang- wasn’t anything going on,” Kelley said. “They ing the forest preserves, was unconstitutional. ears open and conducting yourselves quietly, outs. wouldn’t allow people to kiss or even get close Additionally, the word “lewd” was problematic, you can stay out of trouble.” Frequenting these spots has always carried an to each other in an intimate way,” except for the element of risk, be it from police or gay-bashers. Sunday-night dancing. But for some men, the risks are worth it. “Those CPD [Chicago Police Department] busts “Paul”—not his real name—is an Edgewater in bars literally drove gay men looking for sex man in his early 50s. He cruises near the bird into the streets,” added Mogul. sanctuary. While he said he doesn’t consider People who were afraid to be seen going into himself an exhibitionist, he does get a rush from bars, Kelley said, “were not afraid to be seen cruising in public. going into Marshall Field’s.” But he was not con- “There’s an element of ‘hanging out’ that’s ex- vinced that the bar raids were the sole reason citing,” Paul admitted. gays gravitated toward cruising spots. Men who have been caught cruising have “I’ve always thought they did it because of a found themselves up against local or state pub- preference for variety,” Kelley said. lic indecency laws— whether they actually were Numerous public spots sprung up on Chicago’s thought to have had sex in an arguably public lakefront. “There was an area just off Lake Shore place or, as is sometimes the case, were merely Drive … between Lawrence and Foster,” ac- there seeking partners to take home for sex but cording to Mogul. “People would go in and just were victimized by a perjurer who said they were disappear behind these huge bushes—it was a actually having sex there.. The Chicago city ordi- mixture of straight and gay men looking for blow nance says that any person appearing in speci- jobs.” fied public places with the person’s private areas “Oak Street Beach—the retaining wall along “exposed to public view” is subject to a fine of Lake Shore Drive—used to be a lineup of guys between $100 and $500. The Illinois statute de- looking for sex at night,” added Kelley. fines public indecency as an act of penetration Getting gay-bashed was an enormous risk. or sexual conduct in public, as well as a “lewd Thugs would beat and/or rob men, often exposure of the body done with the intent to counting on their victims’ being too embarrassed arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the per- to report the attack. One of Mogul’s first cases son.” The law defines “public” spaces as those stemming from a cruising incident involved where the conduct can reasonably be expected helping a man who had been viciously beaten to be viewed by others. by a group of young men wielding broken-off Attorney Jon Erickson, who has defended a car antennas, for example. But police could be number of individuals against public indecency equally violent. charges, pointed out a conundrum at the heart “The younger officers were especially vicious,” of some cases. Mogul said. “They seemed to be having some is- “There has to be an expectation that you’d be sues. The real police were interested in fighting viewed if you are accused of public indecency,” crime. What police are interested in arresting Erickson said. “But that expectation is not there prostitutes and homosexuals?” if you are hiding in the bushes trying to make In 1969, a 63-year-old man named Delizon In 1982, the Chicago Police Department, under Superintendent Richard J. Brzeczek, issued this sure nobody sees you.” Bush was arrested by CPD Officer John Manley Training Bulletin for officers. Despite this bulletin, undercover arrests continued for many years on a charge of public indecency. Manley con- in parks and bars. Courtesy of the M. Kuda Archives The history of cruising in Chicago tended that Bush had tried to attack him, and Bush was acquitted of the public indecency Attorney Ed Mogul has also represented gay charge but found guilty of resisting arrest. having been out of favor with the courts for de- He has been stopped by a police officer only men arrested for public indecency. He said pub- But Bush was much smaller than Manley and cades. once. Paul was beginning to fool around with lic cruising in Chicago largely grew from some had suffered numerous injuries. “It’s so vague and open to interpretation,” Er- another man in a parked car when the officer gay men’s reluctance to set foot in gay bars, “That got reversed on appeal. The judges obvi- ickson said, adding that the possibility of arrest asked what they were doing. “I answered, ‘Just which for many years were regularly raided by ously didn’t believe Manley, because Manley was depended on the mindset of the arresting of- chatting,’ and he fortunately just said to take it city and county police. so much bigger and younger,” Kelley said. ficer. “‘Lewd’ means one thing to a police officer home, which we did.” “Back when the law against homosexuality Police were going into parks and arresting men who’s a Christian fundamentalist and something It’s easy to spot the guys in the sanctuary [the sodomy law] was eliminated in Illinois (in on the grounds that they were committing sex- else to one who was a former San Francisco hip- for cruising, he added. Most are dressed either 1961), a lot of people thought that Illinois— ual acts. “Many times they were, but they were pie.” in clothes not cut out for an afternoon in the and Chicago in particular—would become a doing it in seclusion, and many times the police The county promised to look into the wording park, such as a suit, or wearing items that can mecca for homosexuals—and they were right,” were interrupting them in ways they would nev- of the law after the 2010 case. be pulled off or opened up easily. In his experi- said Mogul. At the same time, police were ag- er bother doing in an equivalent heterosexual “I checked and they kept their word,” Erickson ence, most of the guys in the sanctuary are usu- gressively watching over gay bars for signs of situation,” Kelley said. said. “It still says ‘lewd’ in the Illinois public ally looking to give or receive oral sex, though lewd behavior. The arrests weren’t just taking place on the indecency law, but its terms are more concretely he’s occasionally engaged in anal sex there. Paul “If you were caught in one of the raids, your lakefront. A number occurred in various parts of defined.” is a top and insists on using a condom; some of name and address were published in the news- the Cook County forest preserves, where county Erickson said that a number of judges have his partners have protested, going so far as to paper; many lives were ruined,” Mogul added. “It officials had established a so-called “lifestyle been concerned with the constitutionality of refuse to engage in sex with him. was safer for guys to go looking for sex in public enforcement unit.” public indecency laws, adding, “It’s unfortunate He has cruised in many places—the gym, adult places than it was to be in the bars.” “It was mostly suburban homosexuals—most because so many men that this happens to are bookstores, the mall. He knows he is not the Attorney and activist William B. Kelley de- of them would leave their car in the preserve embarrassed by it, so they just go in and plead only one who finds it exciting, and he doesn’t scribed numerous ways bars diligently worked to and go looking for sex,” Mogul said. “The for- guilty in order to get it over with.” foresee himself changing. avoid having their patrons arrested and having est preserve would seize the car, too, and they He gets a public indecency case about every “After [U.S. Sen.] Larry Craig was busted, gay their liquor license revoked decades ago. Some would have to pay an impound fee, so it was three months or so. rights people went on television to say that he forbade patrons from buying each other drinks, basically a revenue raiser.” “They’re not as common as they used to be, was doing that because he was closeted, and lest anyone be charged with prostitution. Pa- but they’re still too frequent,” he said, estimat- that this sort of thing would stop if everyone trons were also discouraged from close contact Cruising spots today ing that about 25 percent are from the forest could live openly as gay,” Paul said. “I don’t and same-sex dancing, he said. preserves, while the other 75 percent usually are think so—for a lot of guys this is just human It was difficult for bar owners to get around The preserves are still used for cruising—Paul from the bird sanctuary. nature.” 12 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES $32 million a year. He was also part of the controversial study In 2002, U.S. Justice Department statistics which emerged from Butner, stating that as indicated that recidivism among sex offenders many as 85 percent of convicted Internet of- is much lower than originally projected, about fenders had committed acts of sexual abuse Bars For Life: 5.3 percent, and studies indicate that most child against minors. sexual abuse occurs at the hands of family mem- “I felt like I had to give them what they want- LGBTQs and sex offender registries bers or people known to victims. ed, because I didn’t want to get kicked out of According to HRW, the U.S. has the most puni- the program,” he said. BY Yasmin Nair are LGBTQ, but the sexual acts, such as oral and tive and wide-ranging set of laws for sex offend- In comparison to what many LGBTQ sex of- anal sex, which place them on the registries are ers, and South Korea is the only other country fenders report going through, Brett felt insulat- In 1977, Anita Bryant launched her crusade defined as “crimes against nature” in certain that has community notification laws. ed and somewhat protected because he was in a against a recently passed Dade County, Fla., or- states. For LGBTQ people on the registry, registra- special program. But, “for me, it was still prison, dinance that banned discrimination on the basis The circumstances in which LGBTQs find them- tion can mean a shame and stigma that many and it was difficult being away from my family.” of sexual orientation. As the leader of a coali- selves on sex offender registries both challenge worked to overcome on account of their sexual- Brett had not been very out as a gay man prior tion named “Save Our Children,” Bryant and her the applications of such terms and hark back to ity or that others may have understood only as a to his arrest, and the end of his prison sentence supporters tapped into an old perception of gays older and still-prevalent ideas about sexual mi- historical fact. For those living in already small left him wanting more connection to the gay as sexual predators of children. norities. communities, it can mean a drastic shrinking of community. In a now-famous statement, she declared, The fact both sex offenses and sex offenders their worlds and a heightened sense of danger as “I would probably try to be more active in the “As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot fall into such diverse and disparate categories they fear retaliation based on a combination of gay community but for my conviction. If I didn’t biologically reproduce children; therefore, they also explains why it has been hard to mobilize a their sexuality and their recorded offenses. have that, I’d want to be more of an activist,” must recruit our children.” Bryant’s campaign concerted political movement against the preva- Time spent in prison, where gays and child he said. led to the repeal of the ordinance but paradoxi- lence of SORs. molesters are considered fair targets, can be Brett has found a job as a paralegal, but he cally also became the beginning of the end of especially dangerous for LGBTQ offenders, and her career, alienating her from some conserva- U.S. sex offender registries: A brief history more so in a culture that already naturalizes tives and liberals alike. prison rape as inevitable. In the years since Bryant’s campaign, there In 1989, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was ab- has been a palpable shift in cultural responses ducted from his hometown of St. Joseph, Minn. LGBTQs on the registry to gay and lesbian issues, with several polls in- Wetterling was never found, but his disappear- dicating greater support for issues such as mar- ance prompted concern that there was, at the The presence of LGBTQ people on sex offender riage equality. But the figure of the gay man in time, no verifiable database of sex offenders. registries is hard to detect, since demographic particular as a sexual predator still haunts cul- The Jacob Wetterling Act of 1994 was de- information says nothing about victims except ture and continues to re-emerge. signed to create a registry that could enable their ages. In 1955, Boise, Idaho, erupted in a sex scan- easier tracking of sex offenders. Megan’s Law, The details provided include criminal legal dal where nearly 1,500 men were questioned an amendment to the Wetterling Act, was named categories (such as “sexual predator” or “mur- about allegedly having coerced underage young for Megan Kanka, raped and murdered by a derer”), the legal terms for their crimes (“ag- men into sexual acts. There was no such sex neighbor and convicted pedophile in 1994. The gravated criminal sexual abuse” or “murder with ring, but countless lives were scarred forever. amendment created the Community Notification intent to kill”), and their ages at the times of This April, as the gay marriage debate reached System, which requires all convicted sex offend- the crimes. the U.S. Supreme Court, two married gay men in ers to register whenever they move and on a Jeff Haugh, a gay man, recalled the morning Connecticut, George Harasz and Douglas Wirth, periodic basis. of March 14, 2002, when he was awakened by decided to fight charges that they had sexually The federal Adam Walsh Act, or AWA, was FBI agents who interrogated and arrested him abused children in their care. In a sign of how passed in 1994 and named for a six-year-old on the charge of having received child pornog- These two GayLife stories from July 10, 1981 differently such cases are still treated in the abducted from a Florida mall in 1981 who was raphy the prior year. show that arrests used to be very common mainstream press, the website Gay Star News’ later found decapitated. States are expected to Haugh would later find out that he was swept at gay bars and in public spaces, and these headline stated, “Gay couple accused of child comply fully with the AWA or incur penalties for up in the Candyman sting, set up under U.S. At- arrests may still be on the records of some abuse go to trial to clear their names.” New noncompliance. torney General John Ashcroft in 2002 and named people today. York’s Daily New headline ran, “Gay Connecticut As this goes to print, an Illinois bill, SB 1643, for a Yahoo.com porn e-group. The operation re- couple accused of raping adopted children will which with proposed amendments would bring sulted in the arrests of 40 men across 20 states. face trial.” Illinois into full compliance with the AWA, The controversial image was of a man and a Since 1977, sex offender registries (SORs) is under review and has just been listed as little girl, and he told the FBI, “I’m gay, this feels the daily weight of the restrictions on his have been instituted in every U.S. state, os- “postponed,” but it is widely expected to pass. isn’t even something I’m interested in.” Haugh mobility. Once an avid tennis player, he has tensibly to prevent sexual abuse of minors and With the proposed amendments, the bill would had been sent the website link by someone and, stopped playing, because most courts are in others by tracking everyone convicted of sexual change current laws to make stricter require- he said, he immediately deleted it: “But they parks. abuse. ments that place greater financial and social arrested me on the street five hours after they For these Illinois men, the restrictions, which But according to a growing number of crit- burdens on offenders and make it harder for showed up, for something I’d seen on the Inter- tie them down in terms of both physical and ics across the political spectrum, SORs have also them to reintegrate. Provisions include forcing net a year before.” social mobility, are the hardest aspects of the increased so much in scope, by including even “sexual predators” to register every 90 days for Haugh, who is now 64, owned the house he registry. Brett also added that Illinois especially acts like public urination in the category of sex life, and persons convicted of misdemeanor of- lived in, but when he came out of his five-month overuses the term “predator,” which can make crime, that they’ve become virtually meaning- fenses to register annually for 15 years. sentence and a stint in an Indianapolis halfway people seem more dangerous than they are: less. In addition, SORs place so many residential In 2007, Human Rights Watch, an interna- house, he found the residence had been “vandal- “If you go online, over 50 percent are listed as and vocational restrictions on offenders that tional nongovernmental organization which re- ized and torn to shreds.” predators. Nobody in Illinois wants to get rid larger numbers are unable to return to society searches and advocates on human rights issues, He currently lives on the $800 he gets in So- of [the word] ‘predator’ [as a legal category].” with places to live and stable systems of sup- issued a 146-page critical paper, “No Easy An- cial Security, after a lifetime of travel and work. Brett and others feel that the term is applied port. swers.” Prison was difficult because, he said, “people too loosely, and only increases the stigma for In Illinois, registered sex offenders cannot The HRW paper called for a massive overhaul figured out I was gay. They think you’re a child those who may not fit the stereotype. Echoing live within 500 feet of any school buildings or of the AWA, including terminating public access molester automatically if you’re gay.” the thoughts of many, he also said, “The regis- have trade licenses. Illinois also mandated in to information about sex offenders’ places of Although Haugh was never charged with phys- tries have lost their intended purpose anyway— 2011 that the licenses of medical and health residence, information that has been used by ically harming anyone, and although his crime if you register everyone for everything.” professionals convicted of sex offenses can be people in search of vigilante justice to intimi- is listed as “child pornography/film/photos,” his In 1997, Richard Hunt of Massachusetts was permanently revoked without a hearing. Increas- date and even kill sex offenders. online registry information records a victim of arrested for what he described as an “offense ingly, many offenders across the country simply In June 2012 in Washington state, a man the age of 13, and him as a “sexual predator.” against an 11-year-old boy.” end up homeless. named Patrick Drum shot and killed two con- The term “sexual predator” is defined by a wide “I was 20, I should have known better,” he The term “sex offender” is rarely uttered at victed sex offenders; the first was his roommate. range of actions, including possessing child por- said. But Hunt also said, “It wasn’t a Lifetime gay and lesbian public events, raising as it does When police tracked him down, he admitted that nography and sexual assault. It can also include movie. It was not what people think, the rape of an old and timeworn stereotype that still causes he had planned to kill sex offenders until he was “public indecency” for a third or subsequent a child. It was not brutal but also not innocu- fear because of its automatic association with caught. conviction. Public indecency can also include ous, not what people want to imagine.” terms such as “pedophile” and “sodomite.” To The HRW piece acknowledges the need to pre- urinating in public, and there have been several Hunt likens being on the registry to having a date, none of the major gay and lesbian organi- vent sexual abuse but questions whether the recorded instances of people registered as sex chronic illness. zations has explicitly taken a position on issues AWA’s reach and stringency help or hinder the offenders for that act. “It informs every decision you make in your concerning sex offender registries. quest for justice. The AWA contains sweeping “Brett,” who asked to use a pseudonym, was life and how you go about your daily business But there are in fact gay sex offenders on and detailed provisions, including those target- also, like Haugh, swept up in the Candyman when you think about it,” he said. “People hate the registry, and there have always been widely ing juvenile sex offenders, and places conditions sting. you; they want you to die and go away.” sensationalized cases of alleged and real sexual and restrictions stricter or more costly than what He said he didn’t remember joining that par- He describes getting a job and housing as abuse of children by men who also identify as states might want or can afford to enact—such ticular group, but had “downloaded thousands impossible. He managed to put himself through gay. as expensive GPS monitoring systems. of pictures” from other places. Of these, 33 were four years of state college and then two years Tracing the specific effects of sex offender So far some states are refusing to comply with deemed to be of minors under the age of 18. of graduate work at Brandeis University, before registries on LGBTQ people reveals that both the AWA, usually because of the high costs. Cali- For Brett, the arrest, which sent him to the notification requirements made that difficult. terms, “LGBTQ” and “sex offender,” are fraught fornia, for instance, has decided that the non- Butner Correctional Complex in North Carolina Today, Hunt cobbles together a living working with multiple tensions and definitions. For in- compliance penalty of $5.6 million annually is and into a sex offender treatment program, for an older gay couple whose house and gar- stance, not all people convicted for sex offenses less than the costs of implementing the AWA, meant an immediate end to medical school. dens he looks after. He considers himself fortu- WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 13 nate in having a connection with the older gay open and honest conversations about what con- community, which has been, according to him, Corey Rayburn Yung, a law professor at the University of Kan- sent looks like and where age and power dynam- more supportive than many young people in the ics play into that, how alcohol and drugs play community. sas, pointed out that it was difficult to gauge how many peo- into that.” Frustrated with a lack of online resources and ple who committed sodomy crimes before Lawrence v. Texas Alan Mills, legal director of the Uptown Peo- help in navigating the system, he set up a blog, ple’s Law Center in Chicago, works with clients [http://masexoffenderresource.blogspot.com/] might still be on sex offender registries. “But there certainly on sex offender registries and sees no value in which he hopes to turn into a resource book. those registries. There are fewer women than men on SORs, but are people who engaged in consensual sodomy and are on “I think they should be scratched, but I the effects are as far-ranging. don’t think that’s politically possible,” he said. Rebecca Curtis, of Luray, Va., was 21 when the registry,” Yung said. “Given that so many of our sex laws “[They] should be brought back to where they she, as she put it, fell in love with a 12-year- have overwhelmingly been used to target sexual minorities, started, which is to list pedophiles. The realistic old girl who was also the daughter of the man solution is to work with victim advocate com- drywalling her home in 2004. Today, the two are it’s not surprising that there’s going to be a lot of people left munities to try to work on the ‘smart on crime’ married. rhetoric. Unfortunately, it’s far too easy for poli- Curtis said that the girl’s mother neglected her over from that era and continuing criminal laws that are in ticians to be ‘tough on crime.’ If you talk to and told her she could have her daughter move them off the record, most of the legislators in in with her for $500, claiming she needed the LGBTQ communities.” Springfield will admit that what we’re doing with money for bills and rent. (Curtis also said that sex offenders makes no sense whatsoever.” the woman offered to sign over full guardianship Mills does not think the critical conversation for $5,000 but that she refused.) it will lead to a greater number of homeless fender registries. “But there certainly are people on SORs has made its way into the general pub- Over the next few years, Curtis and the young and non-compliant sex offenders—exacerbating who engaged in consensual sodomy and are on lic. girl developed a sexual relationship while they their tracking, monitoring and supervision—ul- the registry,” Yung said. “Given that so many of “Registries seem to be the in thing now,” he lived together, until the mother filed charges timately placing our children at greater risk for our sex laws have overwhelmingly been used to said. “It’s easy, cheap, and it gets votes.” against her—Curtis claimed this was an at- victimization.” target sexual minorities, it’s not surprising that Erica Meiners, a professor at Northeastern Il- tempt to deflect attention from having left her Scholars and activists have differing opinions there’s going to be a lot of people left over from linois University in Chicago, is also a co-founder 4-1/2-year-old son unattended for two hours. about how SORs became what they are, and what that era and continuing criminal laws that are in of St. Leonard’s Adult High School, an alterna- Curtis was convicted as a nonviolent sex of- needs to change, but they’re united in opposing LGBTQ communities.” tive high school for formerly incarcerated men fender in 2007, but when Virginia laws changed the current state of things. For Yung, moving forward and away from and women. to comply with the AWA, she was recategorized overreaching sex offender registries means us- She’s also the author of several books and as a violent sex offender. ‘They Need to Go’ ing more resources “in terms of imprisonment articles that address the intersection of LGBTQ The relationship continued, and they eventu- and also in terms of police investigation for the politics, the prison industrial complex, and pub- ally married in Washington, D.C.; Curtis’ wife is Corey Rayburn Yung, a law professor at the more heinous of our sex crimes, rape and child lic education. She has, in both her research and currently five months pregnant. University of Kansas, has studied the rise of molestation.” He pointed out that, “right now, activism, encountered people trying to get back Being parents will not be simple for Curtis and SORs. Yung argues that the there is a war on sex rape continues to be one of the most underpros- to normal life after prison and while on the reg- her wife, since Curtis will be banned from gath- offenders as much as there was and still is a war ecuted crimes” and that his own work on SORs istry. erings that include children. on drugs. had come about because of his interest in study- When asked if sex offender laws might deliber- Such cases represent a range of ways in which Speaking to Windy City Times, Yung said, ing how to combat sexual violence in particular. ately or inadvertently target LGBTQs in particu- LGBTQs can find themselves placed on sex of- “Within the next couple of years, we’re going to lar, as in gay chat rooms, Meiners pointed out fender registries. Both Haugh and Brett were have a million sex offenders, people found guilty The issue of sexual violence strikes close to they’re not the only ones affected by the law’s targeted in the kind of chat rooms in which gay or who plead guilty. That’s an enormous popu- home for Jason Lydon, a founder of Black and relationship to sexual identity. men in particular often find themselves. Inter- lation we’re going to isolate from mainstream Pink, an organization of LGBTQ prisoners and al- “The people I interact with may or may not generational sex and the issue of consent be- society.” lies on the outside. identify as non-heterosexual but may engage tween adults and minors are still topics that the Yung expanded on the similarities between Lydon spent six months in federal prison for in non-heterosexual or non-gender-conforming gay community has never fully reconciled sat- the war on drugs and the war on sex offenders: civil disobedience against the U.S. Army School sexual practices, including sex work that then isfactorily, and the conversations are gendered “In some African-American communities in plac- of the Americas (now the Army’s Western Hemi- makes them more vulnerable towards being very differently. For women, who feel more at es like California, under the war on drugs, half of sphere Institute for Security Cooperation). His picked up by police, being under surveillance, threat from sexual violence because of what African-American males between the ages of 18 experience in prison, where he says he was where they can live or move, how their bod- many call “rape culture,” and from a general to 26, are either currently in the prison system sexually assaulted, did not change his politics ies are seen in particular locations in the city,” cultural reluctance to think of women’s sexual or the criminal justice system more broadly, or regarding prison abolition. Like many queer Meiners said. “So that’s in addition to gay men agency in terms of desire, the question of sex were in the past. You have communities where radical prison activists, including Angela Davis, being targeted in chat sites or the idea of gay between minors and adults is a more fraught the men in particular are now tagged as crimi- Lydon believes that the prison system—which male sexuality as predatory being recirculated.” one. Intergenerational sex has a longer cultural nals and have their employment options dimin- activists refer to as the “prison industrial com- For Meiners, it’s important to consider how sex history among gay men, where the issue has ished and are left to fend for themselves. That plex”—serves no purpose other than to make offender laws are set up to target the most vul- been more of a topic of conversation, until rela- same phenomenon occurs with sex offenders.” profits for the state and private companies. nerable among us. tively recently. A lesser-known aspect of sex offender regis- Lydon’s appraisal of sex offender registries Meiners spoke about a need to do two things Neither Hunt nor Curtis is likely to find many tries is that sodomy statutes can still play a role comes from what he calls “a critique of the idea at once. The first is to develop ways for people sympathetic audiences in the younger gay com- in ensnaring people in them. Some states still that the state can protect people and create au- harmed by sexual violence to recover from the munity. As Hunt put it, the work of Wilhelm von have sodomy laws on the books, and those are thentic safety.” trauma. The second is to make sure that those Gloeden, the German photographer famous for all states that had them in 2003 as well. The “My immediate response [to SORs] is as an ab- who inflicted the violence are held accountable his nude studies of young Sicilian farm boys, U.S. Supreme Court case of Lawrence v. Texas in olitionist: This is not going to bring us forward without society’s resorting to harsh and long- graces the walls of many gay homes, but the 2003 addressed sodomy as a private, consensual to transformative justice,” Lydon said. “They lasting measures such as sex offender registries. subject of man-boy sex is still a forbidden one. act between adults, but that means that com- need to go.” “There’s no evidence that registries are suc- Patty Wetterling , mother of the child after mercial acts of sex, such as prostitution, and Lydon said that his experience with sex of- cessful in preventing sexual assault or trans- whom the Wetterling Act was named, has been perhaps anal and oral sex between minors can fender registries comes from his past work as forming our larger culture or that they stop sex- outspoken about the problems she now sees still be prosecuted. a Unitarian Universalist minister, in which he ual violence,” she said “And people who have to with SORs. “We need to keep sight of the goal: Yung said that “crime against nature” stat- spoke openly about the need to have frank con- lodge complaints often find themselves violated no more victims,” she said. “We need to be re- utes include sodomy and bestiality: “In those versations about adult-minor sexual relations, as by the system itself.” alistic. Not all sex offenders are the same. We states in particular, they’ve not removed these well as from knowing several friends on SORs. Meiners called SORs “the ideological scaffold- need to ask tougher questions: What can we do statutes from the books, because, as they argue, Aware of his views, a member of his congre- ing” that has pushed prison expansion in the to help those who have offended so that they bestiality is still a crime. But then it turns out gation approached him to talk about the mem- past decade. will not do it again? What are the social factors they’ve done a lot of targeting of gay and trans ber’s own sexual desire for children. Lydon said “That expansion has happened with such little contributing to sexual violence and how can we communities in some cases, using these laws that, “as a minister and mandated reporter, I critical interrogation from the general public turn things around?” that were thought to be struck down in Law- had to think about what information I could and and also queers as we march towards assimila- Currently, it’s not just parents such as Wetter- rence v. Texas.” couldn’t hear, how I could be supportive of him tion,” she said. “Now is a politically important ling but even organizations in support of SORs In some prostitution cases, undercover police and what that would mean, I was able to gather moment for LGBTQ people to interrogate these that echo similar questions about how far they officers target gay male prostitutes for acts in- that he wasn’t in physical contact with children. claims of protection being made, who benefits have been extended. On its website, the group, volving oral or anal sex, defined as sodomy— So we talked about his support and got him in from them, who doesn’t. Because decades ago, Parents for Megan’s Law, fully supports SORs and and which brings longer prison sentences and to see a counselor.” those claims were being leveled against us.” the need for “arrests for non-compliance and in- sex offender registration. Yung also spoke of a Lydon wants to see more conversations about WCT contacted groups strongly in favor of sex creased accuracy of registry information.” How- Virginia case involving minors, 14 or 15 years the age of consent. offender registries, but they were not able to ever, it has also posted a letter from its direc- old, prosecuted for sodomy, where the courts de- “I do have a value judgment if someone is respond in time for publication. A later piece, on tor, Laura Ahearn, pointing out that residency clared Lawrence v. Texas couldn’t apply because under puberty, I don’t believe there can be con- sex offender registries and HIV-disclosure laws, restrictions may have gone too far: “Enacting ill they weren’t consenting adults. sent with an adult,” he said. “I think that young will return to this topic. conceived politically correct in the moment laws Yung pointed out that it was difficult to gauge people’s sexuality with other young people can may lead to a constitutional challenge, bringing how many people who committed sodomy crimes be mutually fulfilling and doesn’t need to be po- The crime series continues in next week’s invited attention to the lawmaker but seriously before Lawrence v. Texas might still be on sex of- liced by adults. But I do think we need to have Windy City Times. compromising existing laws. More importantly, 14 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES said, claiming their support and stating how sion to give LGBT kids, who endure taunts and much the Equality House means to them. “We’re bullying every day, sometimes [even] by their appreciative and humbled by their support,” own families, a cultural and historic context for Jackson said. people like themselves. Kids need role models. Planting Peace soon will launch a national an- They need to know that people care.” ti-bullying program, one that goes into schools Jackson said it’s “pretty humbling” that The and discusses the topic, Jackson said. Legacy Project reached out to invite him to “When I read about what Aaron Jackson had speak—and he truly admires the mission of The achieved in Topeka, I couldn’t help but break Legacy Project. into a broad smile. The pictures just tickled me,” “I think it’s a phenomenal idea,” he said. said Victor Salvo, founder and executive director “Helping to secure the legacy of gay-rights ac- for The Legacy Project. “The idea to pursue him tivists, and letting people know what they were to be our speaker at this year’s luncheon was a able to accomplish, is extremely important for lark, really. After a couple of false leads I finally the history of the LGBTQ community.” found Planting Peace’s website. I was stunned Jackson was in Chicago in April, speaking in by the success he has achieved in his work on suburban Hinsdale. behalf of the children of the world, particularly “I love Chicago, though unfortunately I don’t in Guatemala and Haiti, and on behalf of the get to spend much time truly enjoying the city, environment by addressing the effects of defor- and I’ve never been to a Cubs game, yet,” he estation. said. “The sheer audacity of taking on the Westboro For Legacy Project tickets, visit http://leg- Baptist [Church,] right in [its] own back yard, acyprojectchicago.org/Luncheon_2013_Tick- was the icing on the cake. Aaron is such a cool ets.html. Sean Lewis of WGN-TV is hosting guy. I am thrilled and so very grateful that he the May 10 luncheon. will be lending his voice to support our mis- Aaron Jackson. Photo courtesy of Jackson

ACTIVIST from cover porting the equality initiative, but I didn’t nec- Stroger Hospital opens essarily know what to do, or how to go about doing that. The gay [debate] is so silly to me The luncheon’s theme—THE LEGACY PROJ- that we haven’t made a lot of progress [going LGBT clinic for city youth ECT: Making a Difference for LGBT Youth—will forward]. I keep thinking, ‘When are we going to celebrate the arrival of the Legacy Walk along catch up with the times, more or less.’” By Sammy Caiola issues and ask approval for hormone treat- Halsted Street in Lakeview last October and the The Westboro Baptist Church has made mul- ment. April launch of the Legacy Project Education Ini- tiple comments, and posted pictures and videos John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County is Deborah, who knew little about transgender tiative (LPEI) for LGBT youth. The luncheon also about Equality House and the evils of gay life. now home to an LGBT clinic. issues before that visit, said the announce- will feature the first reveal of the 2013 candi- The church and Jackson’s charity have even The Same-Gender Loving (SGL) Clinic at ment was a little shock to her. It has been dates for induction to the Legacy Walk. tweeted back and forth, he said, “and for the Stroger opened Feb. 1 and has been providing accompanied by some conflict over whether Jackson said of his rainbow house, “We knew most part, it’s been pretty civil.” weekly care for uninsured and underinsured her child should be wearing female clothing. we would get some publicity for this, but never Jackson has met several church members, in- LGBT youth since. But many conversations with Bell, have realized it would become what it has, with so cluding Shirley Phelps-Roper, church spokesper- SGL is one of three county-funded clinics made her more sensitive to Charlie’s needs, much publicity and so well received worldwide. son, and she was “very pleasant,” he said. “On serving teens ages 13-24, but it’s the first and and she will consider hormone therapy for the It’s really been a humbling experience to receive a one-to-one basis, they actually are very kind, only to cater specifically to the needs of the future. support from so many people.” which is very surprising to some. But when they LGBT community. “The clinic is very informative, very patient, The project, dubbed Equality House, is the get in front of a camera, that’s when their mes- At the clinic, which operates between 1-5 giving you all kind of literature and informa- first in a new campaign Jackson’s Planting Peace sage changes. p.m. on Tuesdays, youth can drop in for gen- tion, opening questions,” said Deborah, who plans against Westboro. The house gets about “Our original goal was, there are LGBTQ youth eral health services like those offered at the still uses male pronouns for Charlie. “My po- 200 visitors daily, just to have their photo taken who commit suicide annually, and others who other two adolescent clinics. They can also sition is loving him unconditionally, letting in front of it, and about 500 on weekends. are thinking about it, and part of the reason meet with a physician or psychiatrist to re- him accept who he is and not letting society “I never thought it’d become that popular,” why is, there’s this message out there that, be- ceive counseling on sexuality, gender iden- dictate to him who he is. And that he lives said Jackson, who lives in the house with two cause they are gay, they are less-than. Our goal tity, hormone therapy, safer sex or a slew of comfortable within himself as well as outside, other staff members. is simple, to counter that message—and we other topics. and be productive in society as he does this Equality House has not endured any vandal- thought no better place to start than [near] the Dr. Margo Bell, a senior attending physi- transformation.” ism, and Jackson isn’t worried if it ever does. Westboro Baptist Church. If we help one person, cian in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Charlie is more at ease in the SGL clinic “We have [extra] paint; we’ll just re-paint it. then I think it will be worth it. And I think we who encountered many uninsured LGBT teens than at a standard clinic, she said. We’re not leaving, and I’m not too worried about have.” while doing outreach work on the South and “It’s important because a lot of people it,” he said. Jackson has received letters, emails and calls West Sides, first conceived of the clinic. don’t have anywhere to go to take hormones, “I’ve been trying to get my charity into sup- from young LGBTQ from all over the world, he With the help of colleague Dr. Lisa Henry- or a lot of people don’t feel comfortable go- Dash for Detection-Poster:Layout 1 2/5/13 9:54 AM Page 7 Reid, Bell got the pediatrics department chair ing anywhere else,” said Charlie. “They treat to quickly approve the new clinic to supple- you how you want to be treated and they Friday, May 10 ment the general clinic and the HIV clinics comfort you and make you feel welcome more that run on Wednesdays and Thursdays. than any other clinic you go to.” at the Swedish Museum The new clinic is funded entirely by Cook The only hurdle in running the clinic so far, Eve Ensler County and is staffed by three rotating phy- said Bell, has been establishing a gender- sicians as well as two psychologists and a neutral bathroom on the floor, which took a In the Body of the health educator. fair amount of paperwork and debate. World “We’re skilled in taking care of this popula- Future plans for the clinic include hiring tion of adolescent young adults,” said Henry- a caseworker for visiting adolescents, which Tuesday, May 14 Reid. “We provide very developmentally ap- would require grant money. Plans also include propriate care, and we can do that in a setting further engagement with the lesbian commu- at the Swedish Museum where you’re not going to be judged. We’re all nity through a weekly lunchtime meeting. Audrey Niffenegger about making sure that you’re healthy and Opening an LGBT clinic on the West Side Raven Girl; Awake in trying to promote that in whatever way we was important, said Henry-Reid. Bigger LGBT can—by the tests that we do, by the educa- centers like Howard Brown Health Center and the Dream World tion we provide.” the Center on Halsted (which does not pro- 5233 N. Clark An average of three youth visit the SGL vide medical services) can be geographically (773) 769-9299 clinic each Tuesday, said Bell. Most, who are inconvenient for underprivileged youth in over 18 or are with a consenting adult, are other parts of the city. Most youth travel to seeking mental health services and hormone the clinic by public transport, she said, and treatment. some money is available to help them with Charlie Person, a 16-year-old transgender travel if needed. female from the North Side, started visiting The clinic is also unique in its level of cul- [email protected] the clinic about six months ago to learn more tural competency and sensitivity toward LGBT about transitioning, which she had only read issues. Henry-Reid and Bell have led train- womenandchildrenfirst.com about on the Internet. A few weeks ago, Per- ings with nursing staff and residents on LGBT Parking Available son brought her mom, Deborah Person, into health issues, especially transgender issues. Wheelchair Accessible the clinic to try to educate her on transgender WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 15 Wendy Bostwick has meshed her personal and pro- fessional lives on the DeKalb campus of Northern Illinois University, while living in suburban St. BI in the Charles. She has been researching the health of bisexual LIFE women, among others, for 15 years. “Given that this is my area of expertise, and I have LGBT all Wendy Bostwick over my resume, I presume that those with whom Text by ROSS FORMAN I professionally interact make some sort of as- sumption about who I am/how I identify,” she said. “However, my work in the field of LGBT health should stand on its own merits, not be- cause of how I identify, but because it is done well, makes a contribution to our knowledge of BTLG health disparities, and hopefully spurs ac- tion toward change.” Bostwick said the best part of her job is the “tremendous amount of freedom” she enjoys, both in terms of how and where she spends her time, and the areas she gets to study, learn about and explore. “I am in many ways my own boss,” she added. L Stop holds ‘Casino Night’ party However, Bostwick said the worst part of her job The L Stop, Chicago’s lesbian community website, celebrated its second year running with a Casino is “the current environment that treats education Night anniversary party May 5. The event, held at Center on Halsted, raised money for Affinity Com- Age as a consumer good, students as customers, and a munity Services, The Crib, Chicago Women’s Health Center and Howard Brown’s Lesbian Community 42 degree as something your tuition guarantees you, Care Project. Pictured are Lisa Martinez and Vivian Gonzalez, The L Stop founders. Photo and text by regardless of ability or effort.” Relationship status Kate Sosin In a committed relationship She said the most challenging aspect of teach- ing is trying to balance all aspects of the job (re- Job title search, teaching, service), and do all well while As part of the International Assistant professor at Northern also having a personal life. “Sometimes I feel like Gay & Lesbian Travel As- Illinois University I can do one or other, but not both,” Bostwick sociation’s (ILGTA) 30th Hobby said. annual global convention, Brewing beer So why bi? which took place last week Then again, as she points out, why not bi? in Chicago, a contingent Favorite local restaurant “I think it’s in large measure about honesty,” from Pernambuco, Brazil, Ras Dashen Bostwick said. “I am someone who is attracted to gives a presentation at Favorite TV show people of various genders and who has relation- Center on Halsted in hopes 30 Rock ships with women and men. To re-label myself as of bringing the a future Little-known fact ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ based on the sex of my partner convention to their city. “When I was 13, I was pretty sure feels not only disingenuous, but revisionist, and See Kate Sosin and Tracy that I was going to marry David Bowie disrespectful to previous partners, who may po- Baim’s write-up on the when I grew up.” tentially become invisible by a shift to a mono- convention, plus more pho- sexual label. It is also about visibility and the tos, on page 25. Photo by desire to disallow easy assumptions about who I Kirk Williamson am.”

Facing History and Ourselves is an interna- tional educational and professional development organization whose mission is to engage stu- dents of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice and anti-Semitism in order to promote the development of a more humane scooterworkschicago.com/windy-city-times and informed citizenry. 5410 N. Damen • Chicago, IL • 773.271.4242 Tickets are now available at $500 per person, with tables starting at $5,000; call 312-345- 3232. Chaka Khan at Center’s ‘Human First’ gala May 18 Center on Halsted will hold its annual “Human First” gala Saturday, May 18, at the Hilton Chi- cago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. The cocktail reception is slated for 5-7 p.m., SCAN FOR with the awards and dinner 7:30 p.m.-12 a.m. MORE INFO Actress Sohn at May 16 Chaka Khan will be the featured performer. Facing History event Regarding honors, Sarah Schmidt and Julie The Chicago office of international educa- Matthei; Jonathan Pizer and Bradley Lippitz; tional nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves and Richard Turner are the Human First award- announced that actress Sonja Sohn (HBO’s The ees. Allstate Insurance Company will receive the Wire, ABC’s Body of Proof) will be the featured Community Spirit Award. speaker at the organization’s 22nd Annual Chi- Billie Jean King is the honorary co-chair of cago Benefit Dinner on Thursday, May 16, at the event. Tickets start at $350 each; visit 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. www.centeronhalsted.org/newevents-details. Wacker Dr. cfm?ID=5410 or call 773-472-6469.

• No incisions For Men AND Women • No scars Embassy Neograft and Aesthetic Center is Chicago’s Leader in • No staples Advanced, Permanent, Natural • No stitches Hair Transplant & Restoration • We repair linear scars YOU’LL NEED A BETTER EXCUSE THAN “THE BUS WAS LATE” For more info or to schedule an appointment, contact us at: FINANCING AVAILABLE AS LOW AS $45 A MONTH 312-642-9800 • [email protected] SAVE ON GAS! UP TO 140 MPG! 747 N. LaSalle St., Suite 200, Chicago www.embassystudio.com 16 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES VIEWPOINTS WINDY CITY TIMES He’ll be active in our league, I hope, and we can the number-one pick in the WNBA draft. She an- VOL. 28, No. 31, May 8, 2013 REV. get by this— get past this. I think it would be nounced she was a lesbian, and it wasn’t consid- The combined forces of Windy City Times, terrific for the league. More than anything, it ered a big news story. founded Sept. 1985, and Outlines newspaper, IRENE would just be terrific for mankind, my gosh.” In 1997, a pregnant Sheryl Swoopes—three- founded May 1987. In terms of when and how you come out per- time Olympic gold medalist and three-time MVP MONROE PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR sonally, timing is everything. So, too, in coming of the Women’s National Basketball Association Tracy Baim out professionally. (WNBA)—was promoted as a heterosexual face The statement, “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. for the WNBA was the cover girl for the premiere ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Terri Klinsky I’m Black. And I’m gay” by Collins in the May issue of Sports Illustrated Women. At the time MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Davis 6 issue of Sports Illustrated is as momentous Swoopes was married to her male high school BUSINESS MANAGER Ripley Caine Jason Collins: DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA Jean Albright as when renown comedienne Ellen DeGeneres’ sweetheart. That was considered a big news ART DIRECTOR Kirk Williamson The great quote “Yep, I’m Gay” appeared on the cover of story. But it was also a big story in 2005, when ASSISTANT EDITOR Kate Sosin the April 14, 1997 issue of “Time Magazine.” Swoopes came out as a lesbian—becoming the SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS: Terri Klinsky, Amy Black hope Although the time span between the two second in the WNBA—and endorsed the lesbian Matheny, Kirk Williamson, Chris Cheuvront PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT Scott Duff statements is 16 years, and many more advances travel company Olivia. She was at the time part- The professional sports world has been waiting NATIONAL SALES Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863 and civil rights have been afforded to us LGBTQ nered with Alisa Scott, an assistant coach for SENIOR WRITERS Bob Roehr, Rex Wockner, Marie for a Jason Collins moment—a gay athlete cur- Americans, we now see we’re still a nation grap- the Houston Comets that Sheryl played for dur- J. Kuda, David Byrne, Tony Peregrin, Lisa Keen, rently playing in a major league to come out Yasmin Nair, Erica Demarest pling with the issue. ing 1997-2007. And in 2011, it was another big publicly. What you may not know is that the THEATER EDITOR Scott C. Morgan While both Collins and DeGeneres give a public new story because she was with a male. subtext is that it was hoped the moment would CINEMA WRITER Richard Knight, Jr. face and personal testimonies of their struggle To incurable homophobes, especially of the BOOKS WRITER Yasmin Nair star an African-American male. of being closeted about their sexual orientation, fundamentalist Christian variety type, who pedal SPORTS WRITER Ross Forman The African-American community, not to men- their messages reaches and resonates within their “nurture vs. nature” rhetoric, they saw ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WRITERS tion the sports world, desperately needed an Mary Shen Barnidge, Steve Warren, Lawrence Fer- only certain pockets of the American population Swoopes as the prodigal daughter who had fi- openly gay current male professional player. ber, Mel Ferrand, Jerry Nunn, Jonathan Abarbanel and not others. And within those pockets of the nally found her way home to Jesus. COLUMNISTS/WRITERS: Yvonne Zipter, Jorjet Collins, who deliberately wore the jersey num- American populace, the reprisal and applause One of my heterosexual African-American Harper, Meghan Streit, Charlsie Dewey, Carrie ber, “98,” to honor slain gay student Matthew Maxwell, Billy Masters, Sarah Toce, Dana Rudolph, they also receive for coming out still fracture brothers, Chris Unclesho, the man Swoopes was Shepard during the 2012-13 NBA season, is a Sally Parsons, Melissa Wasserman, Jamie Anne alone several fault lines, with profession being then engaged to marry, was the MAN! He was seven-foot-tall center for the Washington Wiz- Royce, Matthew C. Clark, Joe Franco one of them. seen as a bona fide “dyke whisperer” who had SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Mel Ferrand, Hal Baim, ards and a former Boston Celtic, and is also Afri- When Ellen so boldly came out in 1997 she re- turned Swoopes out to the sexual joys of what it Emmanuel Garcia, Tim Carroll, Ed Negron, Susan can-American. Closeted for all of his profession- Mattes ceived a torrent of praises from the LGBTQ com- is to be with a man. al playing life, until now, Collins told “Sports munity and our allies. But “her career puttered But long before Swoopes, Griner and Collins, CIRCULATION Illustrated,” why he finally came out. CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jean Albright and stalled out for the three years following her both tennis greats Billie Jean King and Martina “I realized I needed to go public when Joe DISTRIBUTION: Ashina, Allan, Dan, John, Renee, coming out,” and her impact did little for both Navratilova came out in 1981. Sue and Victor Kennedy, my old roommate at Stanford and now the world of sports and for many straight and Martina was publicly taunted for not only be- WEB HOSTING: LoveYourWebsite.com (lead pro- a Massachusetts congressman, told me he had LGBTQs in the African-American community in ing a lesbian but for also not bringing femininity grammer: Martie Marro) just marched in Boston’s 2012 Gay Pride Parade. understanding the deleterious effects of ho- and beauty to her game. Her muscular physique I’m seldom jealous of others, but hearing what mophobia. (It was still being argued, as now, in and supposedly masculine appearance killed not Copyright 2013 Lambda Publications Inc./Windy City Media Joe had done filled me with envy. ... I want to Group; All rights reserved. Reprint by permission only. Back many African-American communities that homo- only sponsor endorsements but also attempted do the right thing and not hide anymore.” issues (if available) for $5 per issue (postage included). sexuality is a “white disease.”) to kill her spirit in playing the game. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, LGBTQ athletes must constantly monitor how In the sports world most women athletes, even With the sports world celebrating Collins news, and photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and they are being perceived by teammates, coach- no responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials. today, are assumed to either be lesbians and/ or Navratilova has joined in voicing her joy in an All rights to letters, art and photographs sent to Windy es, endorsers and the media in order to avoid unfeminine. For example, in many African-Amer- op-ed she wrote for SI.com. City Times will be treated as unconditionally assigned suspicion. They are expected to maintain a pub- for publication purposes and as such, subject to editing ican communities Olympic basketball player Lisa “Collins has led the way to freedom. Yes, free- lic silence and decorum so that their identity and comment. The opinions expressed by the columnists, Leslie was perceived to be a “girly-girly”—not a dom—because that closet is completely and ut- cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are their own does not tarnish the rest of the team. and do not necessarily reflect the position ofWindy City lesbian, but certainly a weak and non-aggressive terly suffocating. It’s only when you come out In what will now hopefully become the last Times. Publication of the name, photograph, or likeness of player. Tennis phenoms the Williams Sisters are that you can breathe properly.” a person or organization in articles or advertising in Windy closet where LGBTQ hide their sexual orienta- City Times is not to be construed as any indication of the aggressive players but too muscular, especially Navratilova is correct in stating that Collins is tion, thanks to Collins, the sports world’s hyper- sexual orientation of such person or organization. While Serena, to be seen as feminine. a “game-changer,” because he stands on all the we encourage readers to support the advertisers who make masculine and testosterone-driven milieu might this newspaper possible, Windy City Times cannot accept LBT women in professional sports have come LGBTQ shoulders in sports before him. actually begin to loosen its homophobic hold, responsibility for advertising claims. out of the closet while playing, at least, two Collins is not the first professional gay or Black especially among Black athletes. (773) 871-7610 FAX (773) 871-7609 decades before the “Jason Collins watershed mo- athlete to come out. He’s not even the first pro- e-mail: [email protected] or Doc Rivers, coach of the Boston Celtics and an ment.” fessional athlete to come out while playing. [email protected] African-American, is revered among Black ath- While race plays a factor in the African-Amer- But in a sports world that has become over- letes. ican community coming to grips with its ho- whelming shaped by African-American male www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Having coached Collins for 32 games before podcast: WindyCityQueercast.com mophobia, especially in the world of sports, so, players and masculinity, Collins coming-out Collins was traded to the Washington Wizard, too, does gender. celebration has everything to do with timing, Doc Rivers remarks help spread a message of ac- WINDY CITY MEDIA GROUP, Case in point: Just last month, Brittney Gri- gender, race and many more straight brothers 5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, Illinois 60640 ceptance. ner, also an African-American like Collins, is a embracing their gay brethren. U.S.A “I’m really proud of Jason. He still can play. (MAILING ADDRESS ONLY) 6-foot-8, three-time All-America center and was Windy City Times Deadline every Wednesday. Nightspots Deadline Wednesday prior to street date. OUT! Resource Guide ONLINE www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com LETTERS www.WindyCityQueercast.com

“Windy City Media Group generated Living the truth fering an authentic witness to the truth of our to discern their own opportunities for holding enormous interest among their readers lives, loves and families. Cardinal George accountable as the chief shep- in this year’s LGBT Consumer Index To the Editor: Frank DeBernardo, executive director of New herd of Chicago while also making their voices Survey. Out of approximately 100 Ways Ministry, got it right when he said that heard—not in protest as much as in witness to print and online media partners who While Chuck Colbert’s recent article, ”Tensions this is an opportunity for engagement and dia- the truth and value of our lives and loves, and participated in the survey, Windy emerge as AGLO marks 25 years,” raises some log. What better opportunity is there for LGBT as people of faith. City was the best performing regional good questions about AGLO’s mission and its couples in committed relationships to introduce As for us at Dignity/Chicago, these past 25 media in the U.S. Only survey partners need to be identified within the physical space themselves to the cardinal, introduce their chil- years have been ones of exceptional growth and with a nationwide footprint were able to generate a greater number of of a Catholic church and its authority, we at dren, and speak with him about their spirituality maturity in our faith. Celebrating our 41st an- responses.” ­­—David Marshall, Research Dignity see this whole situation differently than and how God has blessed their lives? Religious niversary May 19, we have strived to be an in- Director, Community Marketing, Inc. what has been reported here. leaders of many kinds tell the world that LGBT clusive Catholic community that welcomes all to Dignity/Chicago respects the right and the people can’t be spiritual because of their “life- the table. We stand strong in our belief that our need for those LGBT Catholic brothers and sisters style.” sexuality is loving, life-giving and life-affirming, to seek out and experience the church’s min- Let’s make sure that our authentic voices are and we have welcomed every opportunity to wit- istry and acceptance. What we find confusing, raised to challenge that lie. The controversy here ness to that belief to Cardinal George and to all though, is the lack of engagement or challeng- is not that the cardinal has been invited to lead our Catholic brothers and sisters. ing by those who seek this ministry and support the Eucharistic celebration. There is controversy from a church hierarchy that continues to treat if those in attendance fail to be their authentic Chris Pett LGBT Catholics with disrespect and intolerance. selves in front of the cardinal, as they undoubt- President This is not a criticism as much as a call to our edly are every other Sunday at AGLO. Dignity/Chicago friends at AGLO to seize an opportunity for of- We invite our fellow LGBT Catholics at AGLO WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 17 GOINGS-ON WINDY CITY TIMES’ ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

Photo by Matthew Murphy

COME HEEL OR HIGH WATER From left: Stark Sands and Billy Porter show off their moves in the Tony-nominated Kinky Boots. See more info below. DISH THEATER EVENTS City life. ‘Fitz’ right. Global relations. Page 26 Page 18 Page 25

Photo of grilled calamari Photo of Toronto contingent at Municipal by Andrew Davis Photo from Tea with Ezra and Fitz at IGLTA event by Andrew Davis by Anthony Robert La Penna

SCOTTISH PLAY SCOTT winner Nathan Lane in a Lincoln Center Theater Ephron and Durang which both have six Tony production at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre. Beane nominations apiece. Though I haven’t seen was fascinated with the effeminate sketch com- Lucky Guy, I think this might be Durang’s year edy male character known as a “nance,” long a with his delightful comedy that borrows plot staple of burlesque and even immortalized, if strands and character types from Chekhov dra- Camping it up slightly altered, in film via Bert Lahr’s Cowardly mas (not to mention Greek tragedy with Shalita Lion in The Wizard of Oz and in Warner Bros. Grant’s hilarious take on the feisty future-vision- cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. ary maid Cassandra). Beane examines not only nance characters in Set in modern-day Bucks County, Pennsylva- on Broadway the context of hoary burlesque sketches, but nia, Vanya… stars David Hyde Pierce and Kris- what it might have been like for gay actors who tine Nielsen respectively as gay brother Vanya BY SCOTT C. MORGAN at making women’s fetish footwear to be worn often had to resort to subterfuge in finding sex and adopted sister Sonia. These two sad-sack by men. And though the Act II confrontation and love in the late 1930s. Lane plays a cel- introverts are confronted by the arrival of their The Tony Award nominations honoring the scene is still problematic between Charlie and ebrated nance called Chauncey Miles, who picks famous and self-absorbed Hollywood actress sis- best of Broadway theater in New York were an- the shoe-designing drag queen Lola (the sing- up a young man named Ned (a strapping Jonny ter, Masha (Sigourney Weaver), and her hunky nounced on Tuesday, April 30. And since the the- ing and acting powerhouse that is Best Actor Orsini) initially as a one night stand. boy toy Spike (Billy Magnussen, who isn’t always ater world has historically been very welcoming Tony nominee Billy Porter), Fierstein has made Lane is perfect in the role of Chauncey, since fully attired in the show). to the LGBTQ community, it should come as no the exchange much more believable and pivotal he can not only hit the burlesque sketches out Although you don’t have to have an apprecia- surprise that a number of the nominated shows before the show’s ultimately splashy and happy of the park, but he’s also dramatically compel- tion of Chekhov to roar with laughter at “Van- feature out creative talents and characters who conclusion (which involves loads of fabulously ling as a right-wing actor who is also filled with ya,” it certainly is a bonus to see how Durang sometimes don a certain amount of drag. attired drag queens and British factory workers self-loathing and doubt about monogamous gay weaves those theatrical hallmarks into his very, I was able to catch up with a few of these who have taken to heart the notion that you can relationships. Though I could overhear several very funny comedy that also has its emotionally shows during recent trips to New York. And Chi- change the world by changing someone’s mind). audience members expressing disappointment heart-tugging moments (particularly Nielsen’s cago theater fans have much to look forward to The other two Best Musical nominees, A over The Nance’s unhappy ending, the odds Act II telephone call for Sonia). when the Tony Award ceremonies are broadcast Christmas Story, The Musical and Bring It On: stacked against Chauncey at the time probably And though there is no gender-bending drag live on CBS-TV from New York’s Radio City Music The Musical, both played Chicago touring en- would have seemed insurmountable. involved in Vayna…, you can’t help but con- Hall on Sunday, June 9, since a number of nomi- gagements before hitting Broadway. Bring It On Out director Jack O’Brien’s production prob- vulse with laughter at the characters’ costume nated shows have already played the Windy City. notably featured a positive portrayal of a trans- ably can’t be bettered in terms of staging, comic party get-ups. Just how Durang worked Snow The film-to-stage musical adaptation Kinky gender teenager. casting (notably Lewis J. Stadlen and Cady Huff- White and Dame Maggie Smith into the mix is a Boots topped the Tony nominations list with 13, More playful gender-bending could be found man) and production values (the amazingly de- sign of his quirky comic genius. including nods for Best Musical, Book for out in the five-time Tony Award-nominated musical tailed rotating set by John Lee Beatty is a wow). Kinky Boots continues in an open run at the playwright Harvey Fierstein, Score for pop star revival The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which fea- So it’s a surprise that The Nance failed to score Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York. Visit www. Cyndi Lauper and Direction and Choreography tured Best Actress in a Musical nominee Stepha- a Best Play Tony nomination. kinkybootsthemusical.com for tickets and more for Jerry Mitchell. Kinky Boots played a world nie J. Block performing as an actress famed for With The Nance out of the running, the Best information. premiere tryout locally at the Bank of America her performances impersonating male romantic Play Tony focus goes to three works by out Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike con- Theatre in 2012, and the show is certainly in leads—a theatrical convention popular through- playwrights: Richard Greenberg’s drama The As- tinues through Sunday, June 30, at the John better shape now on Broadway than it was on out the late 19th century and one still carried on sembled Parties, Colm Toíbín’s one-woman show Golden Theatre in New York. Visit www.vanya- opening night in Chicago. in many operas and British holiday pantomimes The Testament of Mary and Christopher Durang’s soniamashaspike.com for tickets and more infor- Lauper dropped and replaced songs to the of today. Chekhov-inspired comedy Vanya and Sonya and mation. show’s benefit, notably providing a much more A much more serious and historical look back Masha and Spike. The late Nora Ephron’s journal- The Nance continues through Sunday, Aug. 11, appropriate and contemplative song in “Step at effeminate men and drag conventions in ism drama Lucky Guy starring Academy Award- at the Lyceum Theatre in New York. Visit www. One” for reluctant British shoe factory owner burlesque was seen in out playwright Douglas winner Tom Hanks rounds out the Best Play lct.org for tickets and more information. Charlie Price (Best Actor in a Musical Tony nomi- Carter Beane’s drama The Nance, which promi- nominees. For a full list of Tony Award nominations, visit nee Stark Sands) as he takes his first risky step nently stars out actor and two-time Tony Award- Like the race for Best Musical, the Best Play www.tonyawards.com. category largely is between the two works by 18 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES

comes to a halt between stations, prompting THEATER REVIEW a pair of drug-peddling hooligans to stroll in Incident on from the next car and proceed to harass the passengers. The tradesman objects to their Run #1217 behavior and is quickly knifed for his audac- Playwright: Manny Tamayo ity—and this is just the beginning. At: Factory Theatre at Prop Thtr, We are willing to buy this premise, not sim- 3502 N. Elston Ave. ply because its setting is Chicago’s El—not Tickets: 866-811-4111; New York City, as we’d expect—or its char- www.thefactorytheatre.com; $20 acters are the one-dimensional stereotypes Runs through: June 1 of melodrama since its inception (our milieu could be a stagecoach in the Old West, a life- BY MARY SHEN BARNIDGE boat on the Spanish Main or a downed airplane in a rural wasteland). What makes it compel- There is a branch of popular fiction less ling is that the cramped performance space, concerned with insights into social issues, with audience seated only inches away, al- or explorations in human psychology, than lows author Manny Tamayo to orchestrate his with generating suspense sufficient to con- narrative over 65 minutes of swift reversals ceal the huge gaps in plausibility required to to divert the attention of even experienced bring the story to its conclusion. This can be CTA riders from such intrusive queries as “why done smartly—as exemplified in the novels of don’t they band together and overpower the Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler—or thugs/open the emergency exit doors/call or clumsily, but the all-important factor is that text 911 with the phone?” we quickly become so riveted by anticipation What is also required for this plan to suc- of what happens next that we never pause to ceed is a cast physically adept at close-up question the logic reflected in each individual theatrical violence and uniformly intent on disclosure. propelling the dramatic action ever-forward This latest contribution to the genre opens at a velocity permitting no reflection to dilute in a subway car late at night, occupied by a the emotional intensity. Fortunately, director Next Fall. Photo by Jeremiah Barr sleeping homeless man, a Yuppie couple ab- Matt Engle’s ensemble of tightly focused ac- sorbed in Vogue magazine (her) and Smart- tors—in particular, newcomer LaQuin Groves, phone (him), an off-duty bus driver who from whom we will see more—are capable of THEATER REVIEW don a guiltless gay Christian in contrast to Luke complains about the dangers associated with immersing us in their comic-book universe to energize a thematic dialogue ... but that’s a public transportation—notably, young delin- long enough to render this a thrilling live- Next Fall different play. quents on “wilding” sprees—and a tradesman performance alternative to the big-budget Playwright: Geoffrey Nauffts Director Derek Bertelsen and his six-person in coveralls who insists that things are not summer blockbusters. At: AstonRep (sic) Theatre at cast struggle earnestly and fairly successfully as bad as he claims. Minutes later, the train BoHo Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave. with this oddly-shaped work in which the father, Tickets: 1-773-828-9129; appropriately named Butch, is the only character www.astonrep.com; $20 who undergoes a change even though he’s not THEATER REVIEW Runs through: May 25 the play’s hero, or shouldn’t be. As assertively played by Jim Morley, Butch makes the gay char- Tea with Edie BY JONATHAN ABARBANEL acters seem unmanly by contrast, but the fault is and Fitz not Morley’s performance. The lovers are played Playwright: Adam Pasen Next Fall wants to be an important play about by nicely sculpted Mark Jacob Chaitlin (Luke) At: Dead Writers Collective at the being gay and Christian, but author Geoffrey and affable Ryan Hamlin (Adam), who could be Greenhouse, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Nauffts encumbers it with tons of baggage un- a touch more charming and less neurotic. Com- Tickets: 773-404-7336; related to his central premise. Using alternat- pleting the cast are Curtis Jackson (Brandon), www.greenhousetheater.org; $30 ing scenes of present and past, he examines the Lona Livingston (mother) and Aja Wilshire (Hol- Runs through: June 9 five-year relationship of New York City lovers ly). Adam and Luke (yes, carefully chosen Old and BY MARY SHEN BARNIDGE New Testament names) until a critical accident leaves Luke comatose in the hospital. Luke is Before the curtain rose on the opening perfor- Christian while Adam is casually atheist (mean- CRITICS’ PICKS mance of Tea With Edie and Fitz, the audience ing he really hasn’t thought about religion). Cru- was informed that the play they were about to cially, Luke is not out to his parents, of whom see was what earned 30-year-old author Adam his dominating father is a born-again, anti-gay, Pasen his Ph.D. Comrades Mine, City Lit Theater at Edge- anti-Semitic Southern bigot. Viewed in this light, Pasen’s non-linear narra- water Presbyterian Church, through May 19. That’s enough meat right there, but Nauffts tive chronology—one character’s story moving Maureen Gallagher’s bio-drama recounts the layers on additional issues, among them a sig- forward in time and another’s backward—comes little-known story of the Civil War spy whom nificant age difference between Adam and Luke, as no surprise. Neither do the scripted direc- nobody suspected was a woman until she a conflict between Luke’s divorced parents and tions calling for motifs such as silent movies Tea with Edie and Fitz. Photo by Anthony asked to be recognized by the government the presence of two friends, wise-cracking Holly (with title cards) projected onto a stageside Robert la Penna for her service. MSB and solemn Brandon. Problem is, the issues and screen, comical live-action re-enactments of In a Garden, A Red Orchid Theatre, friends do not affect the outcome one wit, so the aforementioned vintage cinema, blinking through May 19. A cemetery is a garden, why bother? The play is overburdened with ex- wall-sconces signaling apparition activity, a live rebels—a meeting of minds that Pasen depicts too, and Rom Barkhorder delivers a poi- position rather than theme as Nauffts throws Pomeranian dog, razzle-dazzle ragtime tunes is- as the confrontation of an imperturbed dowager gnant performance as a lonely Middle East- everyone together at the hospital in the open- suing forth from scratchy gramophones and four by a precocious frat-boy. (The ensuing repartee ern bureaucrat striving to replicate a touch ing scene, and then labors to explain issues and fully-detailed locales ranging from hotel rooms employing the homonymic slang of their respec- of American landscape in his war-ravaged provide backstories. Adam debates explaining in Paris to publishers’ offices in Manhattan. tive eras is the highlight of the evening.) homeland. MSB his presence explicitly to the folks, thereby out- Oh, and let’s not forget dialogue replete with The Dead Writers Theatre Collective manifesto L’imitation of Life, Hell in a Handbag ing Luke. Indeed, coming out becomes the play’s famous names, weighty quotations, tantalizing proclaims its members’ purpose to be, among Productions at Mary’s Attic, through May central focus in both present and past, but it’s gossip of the period and one inexplicably glaring other goals, preservation of “the integrity of 10. A hilariously campy drag send up of the not the central premise, which is (remember) anachronism. the writer’s original vision.” This mission might “serious” 1959 Douglas Sirk film starring about being gay and Christian. The text justifying all this decoration is ironi- make for regrettable clutter in translating Pas- Lana Turner involving an ambitious actress, Legions of men and women are happily both cally lightweight, composed mostly of Holly- en’s exhaustively researched project from aca- her devoted African-American maid and gay and Christian, and many denominations/ wood-biopic speculations on intimate conver- demic hypothesis to physical actualization, but their troubled daughters. SCM congregations welcome them. Luke, however, be- sations between the stars of early American Jim Schneider’s direction renders Patti Roeder Pal Joey, Porchlight Music Theatre at lieves same-sex desire is sinful and says a prayer literature, e.g. a squabble where F. Scott Fitzger- and Michael D. Graham’s Wharton and James as Stage 773, through May 26. It’s a fast- after sex with Adam, we are told. Luke’s similarly ald calls his wife a lesbian, and she calls him witty and engaging a couple as ever shared pas- paced staging of the 1940 Rodgers & Hart devout gay friend, Brandon, believes the sin of a faggot, just like his pal, Ernest Hemingway. sions all the more enduring for being platonic, musical about a sexy cad hoofer who courts sex can be forgiven but same-sex love (that is, Later, we hear Edith Wharton declare unswerv- while Madison Niederhauser and Nora Lise Ul- two gals and gets his comeuppance. Snappy commitment) is unpardonable, an attitude that ing loyalty to her mentor, Henry James, after rey’s Scott and Zelda convey the tragedy lurk- songs, cheesy chorus numbers and hand- perversely twists the concepts of Christian love he confesses his homosexuality (speaking from ing beneath the veneer of jazz-age celebrity. some Adrian Aguilar as Joey will bewitch (if and repentance. beyond the grave), and we witness Fitzgerald However overstuffed this private-lives-of-the- not bother or bewilder) you. JA Nauffts suggests several alternative faith sys- selfishly sabotaging his spouse’s artistic aspira- rich-and-famous fantasy may be rendered by tems but develops none: Luke’s parents once tions, even as he plagiarizes her lyrical southern the circumstances surrounding its inspiration, —By Abarbanel, Barnidge put faith in psychedelics while Holly believes in speech. We conclude with the fatal tea party playgoers without advanced degrees will find it and Morgan yoga and crystals. If only Naufft had made faith bringing together two generations of social readily accessible, nonetheless. itself the focus of the play, and provided in Bran- WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 19 ther came to trust and care so much for a seem- As the estranged grown sibling duo of Priya ing stranger like Bernard. and Viay, Gandhi and Poss seethe convincingly Along with Joseph’s great dialogue (including with anger and hurt over their perceptions of a very poetical visual allusion tying the play’s ti- their father’s rejections and betrayals. Though tle with guiding spirits from the hereafter), The we never learn all the reasons why Vijay became Lake Effect succeeds thanks to strong perfor- so irreparably estranged from his father, one can mances under the assured guidance of director make a guess at the fact that he’s a bachelor and Timothy Douglas. The production is also aided never mentions a girlfriend or wife. by set designer Dan Stratton’s run-down restau- Although The Lake Effect is full of rancor and rant set. bad family blood, there is a glimmer of hope at Smith in particular stands out as Bernard, the end that some healing and forgiveness will showing a range of emotions as a recovering at- take place among the play’s three emotionally tack victim who finds a sort-of replacement fa- hurt characters. And that provides a satisfying ther figure in “Vinnie.” So when Bernard is given coda to Joseph’s entrancing family mystery play some information that shatters his impressions, that skillfully grips the audience’s attention and Smith’s reaction is palpably heartbreaking. curiosity.

The Lake Effect. Photo by Michael Brosilow SPOTLIGHT THEATER REVIEW sider became such a trusted friend to the ailing patriarch. The Lake Effect The conflict in The Lake Effect is ramped up Playwright: Rajiv Joseph right from the start when the African-American At: Silk Road Rising, Chicago bookie Bernard (Mark Smith) barges into an Temple, 77 W. Washington St. Indian restaurant in Cleveland during a mas- Tickets: 312-857-1234 ext. 201 or sive snow storm. An estranged son named Vijay www.silkroadrising.org; $35 (Adam Poss) insists that the place is closed, but Runs through: May 26 Bernard is reluctant to leave. Bernard keeps on revealing personal and surprising family facts BY SCOTT C. MORGAN about Vijay’s parsimonious father (whom Ber- One of Broadway’s longest-running musical revues, Smokey Joe’s Café—The Songs of Leiber nard affectionately calls “Vinnie”), which only and Stoller, shows its strength yet again in Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s acclaimed 2012 pro- There’s nothing like a good mystery to pull in makes Vijay increasingly incensed and baffled duction which recently transferred to the Royal George Cabaret Theatre for an independent run. an audience, and Rajiv Joseph definitely delivers at his exclusion from all of Bernard’s surprising Not only has the production received five non-Equity Jeff Award nominations (Revue, Ensemble, one that exposes loads of family secrets in his revelations. Director for a Musical or Revue, choreography and music direction), but the show’s run has been new one-act drama The Lake Effect. Even more arguments over inheritance and extended through to Sunday, June 30. So now there’s even more time to revel in such early rock Now having its rolling world premiere at Silk family loyalty come to the fore when Vijay’s ‘n’ roll songs like “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion #9,” “Yakety Yak” and more. Smokey Joe’s Café Road Rising (as part of a co-commission with grown sister, Priya (Minita Gandhi), arrives from continues at 1641 N. Halsted St. The upcoming performance schedule is 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick, N.J.), The Florida and admits to rifling through the fam- 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $25- Lake Effect effectively sets up a situation to re- ily safe. As Vijay and Priya confront each other $46.50; call 312-423-6612 or visit www.smokeyjoescafechicago.com. Photo courtesy of Theo veal what caused an Indian-American family to over past family tragedies and resentments, they Ubique Cabaret Theatre and Royal George Cabaret Theatre become so fractured—and how an unlikely out- start piecing the clues to find out why their fa-

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*Discount offer valid on price level 2 only. © Copyright 2012 Bill Young Productions, Inc. * Discount offer valid on price levels 2 & 3 only. Not valid on VIP tickets or on other offers or promotions. © 2013 TourDesign Creative Services. 20 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES that in relation to some of the critiques? EE: In terms of being criticized for the uni- versalizing: I hope that I have portrayed people Eve Ensler in specific. individual ways, but the fact that I see universal themes is absolutely true. And to be honest with you, One Billion Rising was the on cancer, trauma manifestation of that. I do believe that violence against women is a rampant epidemic through- out the planet, for example, and I believe pa- and her projects triarchy is the underpinnings of it. And I think the cultural manifestations of that violence are by Yasmin Nair of audaciously expansive, global ambition, where obviously different in every different culture, the issue of violence is not only located in and but I do think that patriarchy is pretty much the Eve Ensler is most famous for her 1996 play, The on individual bodies but within an international same. Vagina Monologues. Since then, the play has be- set of bodies. She has traveled extensively and It’s fascinating to me, to see how quickly One come a staple on college campuses and in wom- worked with women’s groups across the world, Billion Rising spread and how quickly it was en’s groups and collectives across the world. including RAWA, Revolutionary Association of owned by people everywhere, and how we got a Ensler speaks at the Swedish American Mu- the Women of Afghanistan, and has worked on billion people to rise on the 14th of March, indi- seum, 5211 N. Clark, on Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. the slayings of women in Juarez, in addition to cating to me the universality of violence against Purchase of her book from Women & Children her ongoing work in DRC. women. So I’m more than happy to embrace that First Bookstore guarantees a free ticket to the It’s the same global reach that has also criticism. [Laughs] I think people are a little event. prompted many to criticize her for what they afraid of subsuming their identities or feel their Annual “V-day” readings of The Vagina Mono- point to as a tendency to universalize and to identities will be lost through connection rather logues, with all its sexual details, sometimes up- think of gendered violence in terms that ignore than found. stage the more conventionally romantic celebra- the specifics of history and politics. Yet, Ensler Each culture was so particular in the way they tions of Valentine’s Day. The Vagina Monologues has also taken pointed and sometimes contro- brought about One Billion Rising in that coun- is also the center of a non-profit named V-Day, versial positions on politics: In 2008, she re- try, whether it was women dancing with butter lamps in Bhutan, or belly dancing, or aboriginal which Ensler founded to launch a series of pro- fused to support Hillary Clinton because of her Eve Ensler. Photo by Brigitte Lacombe grams and initiatives that work on the issue of support for the war in Iraq. More recently, she women calling up the sun in Australia. violence against women. wrote, with Monique Wilson, One Billion Rising WCT: How might patriarchy also connect to But The Vagina Monologues is not Ensler’s only Director about the fatal factory collapse in Ban- very specific political conditions and issues? work, and she has since gone on to produce a gladesh, about workers’ rights and the “conse- And I think there are many ways to get through/ EE: I’ve been fighting those different politi- long list of works and projects which have ac- quence of a long line of exploitative systems in to it, and I think dance is a huge way. cal conditions everywhere for years. The perfect quired almost as much fame. These include the place that put profit and money over the value Being aware of how you’re disconnected and example is the piece I put on the V-day blog, 2006 A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A of human lives.” where you’re disconnected and being aware of on Bangladesh and workers and the fact that Prayer, an anthology of writings about violence In 2010, Ensler was diagnosed with uterine your body and honoring your body and respect- it was essentially a corporate murder that hap- against women the 2003 What I Want My Words cancer. Now, after a few years of successful ing the intelligence of one’s own body . The pened. I never really get where these criticisms to Do to You: Voices From Inside a Women’s Max- treatment, she has produced a memoir, In the body’s gotten such a bad rap. We treat it the way come from, I wonder if people really read what imum Security Prison. Body of the World, about the experience. In the we treat the earth, with such disdain. We take I write,sometimes. Because I feel like I’ve been Violence against women has been a central book, she connects what her body went through from it, we rob from it, we abuse it, we exploit fighting political conditions, whether it’s the theme in all of Ensler’s work. She has spoken to what women experience in places like DRC. In it, we don’t cherish it, we don’t listen to it, we Iraq war or or Guantanamo. and written about her father’s sexual abuse of the process, she also returns to her earlier in- don’t heed it. WCT: You’ve initiated a number of differ- her, and her work has explored both the internal cest, her faltering relationship with her mother, WCT: This book is also about health care. ent projects, including Vagina Monologues and political effects of gendered political vio- who died of lung cancer while Ensler was go- You write that you had a terrible experi- and City of Joy. They’re all in many ways con- lence. It’s safe to say that there are few women ing through her own treatment, her beef with ence at Sloan Kettering, before you moved nected to you, and your name. Are you in any monogamy, and her theme of violence against to Beth Israel, despite your celebrity, with way concerned about your projects sustaining women. careless doctors and staff. And you point out themselves without and after your presence? Windy City Times spoke with the New York the inequality of medical resources around EE: V-day is now in its 15th year. This year, City-based author on the phone about the new the world. What else became evident to you there were 5,500 events in 1,800 places, with book and more. about this inequality? plays and pieces, a lot of them were Vagina Windy City Times: You’ve written about your EE: Sloan-Kettering was hell on earth for me. Monologues, some were from A Memory, A Mono- father’s sexual abuse of you before, but this Everybody told me, “You have to go to Sloan- logue, A Rant, and A Prayer, the anthology of time around your retelling of your relation- Kettering.” And I have to tell you, if that’s the writings about violence against women which I ship to him seems grounded in your experi- treatment they gave me, imagine the treatment edited. But I don’t exist in any of those. Those ence with cancer. What was different for you they’re giving everyone else. I’m on a cam- go on because of the play. And each of those in writing about him this time? paign right now, and I’m really going to launch places where the play is performed, it is done to Eve Ensler: I think the difference is the rela- it soon, to get a CAT-scan in every country in raise some consciousness, to create dialogue, to tionship I had with my body in this whole expe- the world. Because it’s so important. In Bukavu, change laws, to raise money for those individual rience. I think when we go through really seri- for instance, there’s literally no CAT-scan there. communities, where that money stays in that ous trauma when we’re younger, that thing that When people get cancer in the Congo, they don’t community. In the last 15 years, we’ve raised Sue [her friend and former therapist, who ap- even use the word because there’s no treatment about $100 million, and most of that has stayed pears in the memoir] talks about that projected for it. And you think how is it possible we’re in individual communities. So it doesn’t rely on badness that kind of goes into you, then begins living in the same world in 2013? In this coun- me at all. The plays and the work and the activ- to contaminate your body. try, let’s get real, how many people [have health ists and the mechanism, the tools are there on As much as I have forgiven my father or re- care]? the website. leased my father, the hurdle I encountered with I have insurance, I was incredibly lucky. How With something like One Billion Rising, I’m this book, with cancer, was where he still re- many people could get the kind of care I got? really proud of it. We made the decision not mained in my cells and DNA, and that projection Very few people. And why, why, why is that? Be- to brand One Billion Rising, to let it be in the of badness that’s within me. In a way, it got to cause we’re spending trillions of dollars making world, to let it be an energy that people just the bones, it got to the cells. Sue [gave] me that bombs, making things to blow people up and took and used the way they wanted. 270 coun- vision of what chemotherapy could be, of purg- not putting money into things [like healthcare]. tries adopted it and made it theirs. This year with quite her success and influence, and Ensler ing that projected badness, and burning down, And why don’t we value nurses? Why don’t we we’re preparing an even bigger action that’s go- has used both to initiate, through V-Day, several melting away, and poisoning the perpetrator. value the people who take care of people? When ing to be announced in June. I actually have to global activist projects aimed at ending violence What’s so interesting about trauma is that it’s they are the people who are literally keeping say that I think I’m slowly disappearing [laughs] against women. so layered: it’s psychological and spiritual, but us alive? That’s such a huge thing that became and becoming air, becoming loving air that will In 2011 she opened City of Joy, a $1 million it’s really cellular. clear to me during my sickness: Who were the circulate. But my job, my mission is to become center for women, with money raised by V-day WCT: I know you’re not saying that every- people who were keeping me alive? irrelevant. And I think it’s happening. The thing and supplemented by UNICEF. City of Joy is lo- one should get radiated, but how do you think WCT: You’ve traveled extensively across the with leadership, I think, is how do you lead, be cated in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo others should work on expunging trauma? We world and have bonds with a great many peo- the wind on people’s backs and get out of the (DRC), which has witnessed some of the most tend to deal with trauma through therapy and ple, including survivors of trauma. So it’s per- way. stark instances of violence against women. The other means. haps not surprising that as you think about You have to connect with yourself enough so center, run and populated entirely by women, is EE: We need to think how, in a deep way, we’re your illness, you also think about about that you can be of service and you’re not spend- aimed at providing both therapy and leadership going to help people on a physical, cellular lev- friends in Congo and other places, people ing all your time finding your way back home training to women battered by the war. el purge trauma. There’s this amazing therapy you’ve met who seem to become part of your rather than being home and allowing yourself Feb. 14, 2013 saw the first of One Billion Ris- that’s very physical. It involves dance, sing- memory and bodily experience. to be of service to the world. And I hope that ing, intended to be the first of an international ing, screaming, releasing. I can only say that, one of the criticisms of your work has been people get that from the book. and that people campaign which asks women to join together for me, that’s been the most successful kind of that it tends to universalize people and expe- who’ve had cancer can see it as a tool of trans- and dance in public in a show of solidarity work. Because the thing about mental therapy is riences. There does, in the book, seem to be a formation and not just this dreaded, fearful, ter- against gendered violence. that it can give you a frame, but until you get to complicated tension between your own expe- rible thing. Ensler’s projects are characterized by this kind that physical level, [trauma] still controls you. rience and that of others. Could you discuss WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 21 script offers a rather inventive variation on the they’re good” pictures to choose from this expected trajectory for both teacher and student weekend. Showgirls—the infamous 1995 raun- in this devilishly entertaining movie. http:// chy ultratrash from director Paul Verhoeven, a landmarktheatres.com/ Vegas stripper variation on All About Eve with KNIGHT lap dancer Elizabeth Berkley doing everything AT I can’t be the only avid filmgoer, albeit a pro- to steal the glitter tassels away from the tinsel THE fessional one, that is a tad shall we say, blasé queen Gina Gershon—is showing Friday, May 10, about yet another by-the-numbers Marvel Comic and Saturday, May 11, at midnight at the Land- MOVIES Studios movie. Robert Downey, Jr., whose career mark Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St. was reignited by his sensational turn in Iron Also on Saturday, May 11, Lew Ojeda, Tyler Man way back in 2007 is still in there doing Pistorius and Demetra Materis aka The Under- his job in Iron Man 3, bringing his megawatt ground Multiplex present a midnight interactive personality (and I do mean that sincerely) to screening of the 2002 gay indie Ben & Arthur a franchise that is giving him less and less of a as part of the long-running late-night Facets By return with each sequel. Night School film series (Facets Cinematheque, Richard Knight, Jr. In the House. Downey is what made the character of zillion- 1517 W. Fullerton Ave.). Camp fans are encour- aire/mad inventor Tony Stark so fast, smart and aged to bring along a cellphone, sugar packets, detail—potentially hurtful stuff for Rapha and likeable in that first go-round—with his droll a stuffed toy cat and newspapers to increase the his parents—Germain nevertheless encourages humor, his keen intelligence and his overwhelm- fun (all presumably used in Rocky Horror fash- In the House; Claude to keep writing. In Claude, the jaded ing confidence (not to mention his cute looks ion throughout the screening). Ojeda will also Germain finally sees a talent worth nurturing and hot bod). But that ring-a-ding playboy men- discuss the history of interactive movies during Iron Man 3; and after proffering private tutoring sessions tality was tamed at the end of the first movie the evening. http://theundergroundmultiplex. and stacks of books from his personal collection when Stark hooked up romantically with his per- wordpress.com/ Germain insists that the most important thing sonal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) The weekend camping movie trip ends Sun- film notes in Claude’s life must be to keep those stories who then took over Stark Industries. And his day, May 12, with the return of Camp Midnight’s coming. inventiveness, too, has been curbed ever since. Mother’s Day with Mommie Dearest at the Music Francoise Ozon, the out French auteur who Claude keeps at it, his own agenda apparently What’s also missing from this middling, sorta Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. Dick O’Day makes one diverting movie after another (8 in mind, and like a teenage Scheherazade, he entertaining new installment of the franchise (my alter ego) hosts the pre-show, which starts Women, Swimming Pool, Under the Sand, Time ends each installment about life inside Rapha’s is one single moment of surprise or real feel- in the lobby at 1:30 p.m. with photos of Da- to Leave, etc.) is back with In the House, a deli- home, in which he has insinuated himself, with ing. Not one special effect feels “special.” Not vid Cerda and Ed Jones (of Hell and a Handbag cious, razor-sharp black—really black—comedy that most tantalizing of phrases: “To be con- one scene really rewards the headache induced Productions notoriety) as Joan Crawford and thriller that is an intricately plotted puzzle box. tinued.” Almost immediately both Germain and by wearing the essential 3-D dark glasses. Iron Christina followed by a costume contest, music The movie—which favorably calls to mind Alex- his wife Jeanne (Kristin Scott-Thomas), who Man 3 is certainly a well-oiled machine, just like box organ sing-a-long,and 2:15 p.m. interactive ander Payne’s Election, and which Ozon adapted runs a failing art gallery, are hooked on Claude’s so many of its compatriots are. But it’s a movie screening of the 1981 camptacular classic. The from a play by Juan Mayorga—opens this Friday, insights about Rapha’s “perfect family.” But in only in the way that Domino’s Pizza is pizza. You first 100 guests in their seats also get a com- May 10, at the Landmark Century Centre Cine- urging Claude to keep writing, the egotistical, order it because it’s fast, convenient and fairly memorative wire hanger. There’s a brunch option mas, 2828 N. Clark St. disdainful Germain unwittingly sets in motion inexpensive. You eat it because you are hungry. as well—starting at 11:30 at the Mystic Celt, Germain Germain (Fabrice Luchini, in an ex- an ever increasing web of intrigue which quickly Not because you want to dine. And certainly not 3443 N. Southport Ave.—involving members pertly droll performance) has been the literature spins out of his control. Germain is so seduced because you want to feed your soul. of the Big Gay Brunch Club. Advance tickets at teacher at a provincial French high school for a by Claude’s writing and his bewitching manner Note: A longer version of this review is avail- www.musicboxtheatre.com long time. He’s bored and contemptuous after that even though he’s not gay Jeanne eventu- able at the Windy City Times website. —Director Baz Luhrmann’s long-awaited adap- years of reading the mundane scribblings of his ally asks him why he is so taken with the hand- tation of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s students. So when he comes across an essay by some young man, intuiting that perhaps he has Film notes: classic 1920s novel starring Leonardo DiCaprio 16-year-old Claude (Ernst Umhauer), who writes realized a late in life preference for men. But —Let’s go camping this weekend: Camp- and Carey Mulligan was not screened in time for about his new friendship with affable fellow stu- it’s only Claude’s writing that Germain cares movie fans will have three days of “so bad deadlines. An online review will appear shortly. dent Rapha (Bastien Ughetto) and what he ob- about—or is it? serves when Ralpha invites him into his home, Like the misguided teacher in the aforemen- he recognizes a budding talent. tioned Election and Judi Dench in Notes on Even though Claude has described what he a Scandal, In the House seems to be heading BEFORE THE TUDORS AND BRING UP THE BODIES, has seen and felt in embarrassingly intimate Germain toward an unavoidable cliff. But Ozon’s SHAKESPEARE EXPOSED THE INSATIABLE DESIRE

UP, the NAMES Quilt, guilt, glamour, World AIDS day and much more. Here is an except: OF ENGLAND’S ROYALRAKE. “It’s only recently that I’ve heard anyone speak of survivor guilt in the AIDS commu- nity. It seems a natural result of having lived within this world for three decades. But es- pecially for gay men of a certain age, AIDS is like a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. They’re spared, but they’re not really certain why. For those who have lost friends to AIDS, the losses are ongoing, relentless. At the height of the epidemic, you might lose a friend/acquaintance a week; maybe more. Now the numbers here in the US have slowed down. Now it might only be one every month or so. But remember: these losses have been piling up for over thirty years. Thirty years.” If you care about others, you have felt such grief and pain. These books can help us re- member, and help us cope. Noe’s books are available as ebooks through Kobo, IndieBound (Women & Chil- dren First) and Amazon. Print versions Chicagoan authors are available through Ama- books on grieving zon and select- Victoria Noe, former development director ed indie book- of Chicago House, is a straight ally who un- stores. Book derstands LGBT and AIDS issues from being in launch Thurs- the trenches. She is now working on a series day, May 16 at about grieving. The first is Friend and Grief 6:30 p.m., Me- DIRECTED BY and AIDS: Thirty Years of Burying Our Friends, tropolis Coffee and the second is Friend and Grief and Anger: House, 1039 W. BARBARA GAINES When Your Friend Dies and No One Gives a Granville Ave. Damn. The AIDS book has chapters on ACT —Tracy Baim PRODUCTION SPONSOR MAJOR 2012/13 SEASON SUPPORTERS 22 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES NUNN ON ONE: MUSIC that come together? Tylan: She is such a good and passionate per- Tylan: That was really cool. I was looking for a son. She really cares about people in the world. low harmony to that song. Because I sing alto I She puts her money where her mouth is and all thought it would be a guy singing that part but of that. She is very inspiring. Michael who produced the record suggested that WCT: Will there be more Girlyman music in Tylan goes solo I call Amy Ray. I thought that you don’t hear the future? that very often, two female voices singing in a Tylan: I would say right now it is in a definite playing at? very low register together. hiatus. If we get back together it will be more Tylan: Yes, I love Evanston Space. Girlyman I asked her and she came and totally nailed of a reunion kind of thing. I don’t see us picking played there a lot. it of course, because she is Amy Ray. I love it. up where we left off, but never say never! WCT: I just went recently and had a great The song has a lot of depth to it and part of it is Look for Tylan with Heather Mahoney Sun- time. definitely her contribution. day, May 11, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Tylan: It is a really nice room and not intimi- WCT: I’ve been fortunate to hang out with Evanston. For more on Tylan, visit www.tylan- dating. The lighting is good and people seem to her a bit and I think the world of her. music.com. really have a good time there. WCT: Describe the process of making an al- bum with a Kickstarter campaign. Tylan: It is almost like having a contract with Jillian Michaels our fans instead of having it with a record label. It is very direct and intimate. When I decided to make a record I put it out to Girlyman fans that becomes a ‘Life’ coach I have songs and would they like it to be made. BY JERRY NUNN The response was stunning. I hit my goal in a By ANDREW DAVIS day and a half! Springing from previous group Girlyman, singer WCT: Wow. If there’s anyone who knows how to motivate, Tylan is stepping out on her own with a debut Tylan: It was crazy. I knew I better make this it’s Jillian Michaels. solo album entitled One True Thing. Friends like record after that. By the time it was over it was Michaels—known as one of the trainers on Jillian Amy Ray from The Indigo Girls are helping on close to $50,000. I really needed the resources The Biggest Loser—will be at the Auditorium Michaels. the project on the track “Already Fine.” While not just to make a record but run publicity and Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Con- Photo by still remaining true to her roots, the album be- have a little touring vehicle. It really kick start- gress Pkwy., Friday, May 10, at 8 p.m. as part Dan Flood of her “Maximize Your Life” tour. Michaels will share her keys to health, success and happi- ness by harnessing one’s potential and kick- starting goals in order to live a better life. However, before that appearance, Michaels agreed to answer a few questions from Windy City Times via email. Windy City Times: How closely would you say physical and mental health are linked? Jillian Michaels: There is no question the two go hand in hand. Your physical health is simply a reflection of what’s going on inter- nally. Stress translates to ulcers, headaches, WCT: There were teens on The Biggest high blood pressure. Sadness, depression, Loser last season. How much do you think loneliness are often cause for emotional eat- bullying contributes to adolescents over- ing and obesity. The list goes on and on. eating and not exercising? WCT: What can people expect from the JM: It absolutely exacerbates the problem. “Maximize Your Life” talk? That’s why reaching out to kids and helping JM: Of course, I will teach them the ins them get empowered is so critical to combat- and outs of diet and exercise so they lose ting childhood obesity. weight quickly and keep it off permanently, WCT: Is it safe to assume that you stood but more importantly they will learn how to behind New York City Mayor Michael Bloom- Tylan. Publicity photo attack their inhibitions and unleash their berg’s recent attempt to ban large contain- true potential. They will walk out with the ers of soda (a ban on 16-ounce containers information, tools, and skill set to help them of sugary drinks that have more than 25 ing released on June 18 has a self-described ed my whole project, no pun intended. accomplish anything in their life that they calories per ounce)? heavier sound. I think it put me in closer touch with the fans so choose. We will be working on everything JM: I think he had the best of intentions, We talked new music and the fate of Girly- in maybe a new way. It really feels like a com- from building will power and support to maxi- but I wouldn’t pass policy that tries to control man shortly before her arrival for her concert at munity now and has been very cool. mizing productivity and managing fear, worry the public; I would pass policy that incentiv- Space in Evanston. WCT: What is the title of the album One and failure. izes them. I would try to shift subsidy dollars Windy City Times: Hi, Tylan. You just go by True Thing in reference to? WCT: What’s the biggest mistake people to vegetables, meat and dairy so healthy food your first name these days, I read. Tylan: There is a song on the album called make regarding workouts? was more affordable. I would require state- Tylan: I go by Ty or Tylan. I don’t know anyone “One True Thing.” I had a really hard year and JM: They lack the proper information to run organizations like hospitals, schools, etc., else who is named Tylan so I figure why use a a half. Pretty much everything changed in my make their workouts effective. The key to [to make] 10 percent of the food they provide last name. It is not really supposed to be a Ma- life radically. I was in a relationship for sixteen training in ways that transform your phy- be sourced locally, and so on. donna or Cher kind of thing. [Both laugh.] years and that ended. Girlyman went off the sique without spending hours in the gym is WCT: You and your partner, Heidi, have WCT: So you are not a diva. Tegan and Sara road indefinitely. That was my job for the last simply a matter of strategy. I’ll teach people two children. How has parenthood changed just use their first names. ten years. Various other relationships came to the simple fitness techniques that will scorch your fitness routine, and what do you plan Tylan: That’s true. a close at the same time, just everything all at calories and elevate metabolism. to advise your children as they grow up? WCT: What is nationality? once. WCT: What is your opinion of some of Ha! It dramatically has impacted my previ- Tylan: I was born in this country. I am Jewish- So that song is really about when the shit the so-called “trendy” workouts, such as ous routine, but I still get it in. Even if it isn’t American. hits the fan and everything is falling apart what Zumba and super-slow, high-intensity regi- as long or as intense. With my kids I do my WCT: You are from Atlanta? keeps me going and doesn’t change. It is about mens? best to be a healthy role model. Limit their Tylan: I live in Atlanta for about five years but the truth that keeps you going. JM: I think ultimately if you find something screen time. And positively incentivize them I was born in Philadelphia and grew up in New WCT: You have a song called “Fool Me Again” you love do more of it. That said, if you are to make the healthier choice so good food Jersey. I spent about 10 years in New York. Now so that must be relationship centered as well. looking to accelerate your results then high- and activity is fun and not a chore. I am out in California. Tylan: That song is about when you have intensity training is the way to go. WCT: Would you ever do another season WCT: So you will be out touring with this reached that point with someone and that is WCT: Some people would say that eating of the show Losing It with Jillian? album and traveling everywhere again soon. it. I am done but still love that person. That is healthful foods 24/7 is unrealistic—espe- JM: Even if NBC would let me I simply Tylan: I did a tour in the Northeast and one often the case with break up songs that some- cially with all the restaurants out there. couldn’t at this stage in my life. I loved doing on the West Coast. I am going to the Midwest as where in there you loved that person. You can What’s your response to that statement? it, but my kids take precedence now. you know. do whatever you want from here on out but you JM: Of course it’s unrealistic. That’s why WCT: On a separate note, your recent ap- WCT: You will be here before the album can’t fool me again even though that person is an 80/20 balance is ideal. Choose the better pearance on The Wendy Williams Show in- comes out in June. still significant to you. There is a line in the food 80 percent of the time, and 20 percent volved a talk about your daughter’s hair. Tylan: That is right, but I will have it with me song “though you rise like magic above the of the time have a slice of pizza. I just don’t Did Wendy give you some helpful tips? at the show. fruited plain you won’t ever fool me again.” want anyone eating chemicals or processed JM: No!! She even conceded that I was right WCT: People can then purchase it and may- It is saying you are incredible but I’m done. crap that makes them sick as well as obese. about blowing it out while on the road!!! This be have it autographed after the show. That wasn’t about my romantic relationship but That’s why I choose brands like Unreal Candy white girl knows Black hair. Tylan: Definitely. that was about someone else, for the record. or Newman’s Own Cookies, etc. WCT: Are you familiar with the place you are WCT: You worked with Amy Ray. How did WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 23 TELEVISION Producer talks about ‘Dear Mom, Love Cher’

By Sarah Toce WCT: How did Cher approach you for this project and did you have any trepidation ac- Picture this: Cher—randomly sitting in her cepting? Oceanside living room, watching a documentary P. David Ebersole: Our agent said, “This is (Hit So Hard) about Patty Schemel, the drummer probably the gayest call I’m ever going to make of Hole. A phone rings in an office somewhere to you, but Cher wants to talk to you guys about nearby—we’ll say L.A. to keep it colorful—and a project.” Through her manager, Cher was look- it’s Cher. She has an idea: she wants to make ing for documentary filmmakers to do her moth- a documentary for her mother that chronicles er’s story and had seen our last movie Hit So her life in the entertainment industry. No, not Hard about Patty Schemel, the drummer of Hole. Cher’s life—her mother’s life. Therein is the We were literally pinching ourselves. Could it background of Lifetime’s Dear Mom, Love Cher. really be true that Cher sat in her Malibu man- This (sort of) really happened. sion and watched our movie? But you know Producer Todd Hughes and writer/director P. what? She did. We had a two-hour call with her, David Ebersole were on the other end of their where we pitched our take on the story and she agent’s call when they discovered Cher’s ideas told us so many great stories about her growing for the documentary that would soon take up with her mother. In just that call, we already shape; a retelling that would alter the course of knew we had a movie. We tried to end the call her mother’s life forever and bring a Hollywood professionally by saying she probably wanted to family back together in a Malibu mansion over talk about us with her reps and call us back with sunshine and old tales. an answer, but she just said right then and there According to the film’s official website, the that she wanted to work with us. documentary begins with Holt’s humble begin- Any fear you might have about who Cher nings in rural Arkansas where she first dreamt of might be—the fame, the legend—all of that stardom as a little girl. [It] continues through gets immediately erased by her realness and her her six tumultuous marriages while pursuing a graciousness. We have had nothing but an excel- career among Hollywood’s elite as a singer and lent experience working with her, from that first actress. Holt endures a series of dramatic per- phone call. Cher and her mother, Georgina Holt. Photo courtesy of Lifetime sonal and professional triumphs and setbacks WCT: The documentary features a host of but survived and overcame the odds—no mat- notable icons—Cher and Chaz among them. can do things her own way, against all odds. As P. David Ebersole: Todd [Hughes, Dear Mom, ter the challenge—to successfully raise two lov- How did the crew manage to juggle their glamorous as she is, everyday women see them- Love Cher producer] and I are both very close ing daughters. One of the daughters would live schedules to make this work? Was it an easy selves in her. She is a hero for them. But she’s with our mothers so this film is a nice oppor- out the dream Holt could never fulfill for herself feat or a difficult one? also a hero for men who love to see women ex- tunity to express gratitude for what a mother’s and go on to become one of the world’s biggest P. David Ebersole: It was a miracle. The shoot press themselves at their fullest potential. guidance and support can offer you in life. And stars. all came together on one weekend. And with So then you have to ask, “How did she get Cher just said something hilarious in an inter- “This project started as a gift for my mom’s what we know now about how complicated that way?” We always felt this movie gave us view with Jay Leno for Dear Mom, Love Cher— 86th birthday. Like most things in my family, it Cher’s schedule can be, it’s hard to believe it ac- the opportunity to say that behind every great she said, “True bravery is going on national TV was initiated by my sister Georganne, who asked tually happened. But you know, this was a labor woman is another great woman—can’t get more with your mother!” They know all our secrets, so me if I could update mom’s album. So I went BIG of love for Cher, a gift to her mother. And when Lifetime than that! hopefully we never become famous enough so (I’m known in the family for doing that),” said Cher calls in her favors, people say yes. Want to WCT: Was there anything that stood out in that someone wants to talk to our mothers on Cher. “My sister and I are proud of our mom and know a true thrill? Having Jose Eber on your call particular during filming and production that TV! we want to share her with the world. My mom is sheet. This is the man that invented the Farrah you could share with us? WCT: If you could sum up Cher’s relation- EXACTLY like Rocky. She NEVER gives up! Well… Fawcett hair style. We shot with four cameras to P. David Ebersole: Knowing that Georgia had ship with her mother in one word, what would if we must nitpick, they aren’t totally alike. get a natural flow of conversation and just went dreamed of being a star herself, we thought she it be? Rocky is a fictitious boxer and mom’s a singer. for it. I did 100 years of research on her family might harbor some hidden envy of her daugh- P. David Ebersole: Real. He’s younger and a man. Other than that they before I got there so I could pretty much ask any ter’s success. But it just wasn’t there. WCT: If you could sum up Chaz’s relation- are the same person! FIGHTERS.” question I needed to. WCT: What might viewers be surprised to ship with his grandmother in one word, what “When we found out Cher, one of the world’s WCT: How long did filming take for this learn in this film? would it be? most iconic stars, wanted to make a film about project? P. David Ebersole: Cher’s blonde mother is the P. David Ebersole: Trusting. her mother, we jumped at the chance to part- P. David Ebersole: Principal photography was one who is part Cherokee. Georgia hung out with Cher executive-produced Dear Mom, Love ner with her,” said Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice all done in a long weekend. But the real work the likes of Lenny Bruce and Robert Mitchum. Cher. The Ebersole Hughes Company (Hit So President, Programming, of Lifetime Networks. of this movie was the research and post-produc- Cher’s sweet sister Georganne originated mean Hard, Room 237) and APIS Productions were “The film offers an extraordinary glimpse into tion. We went through thousands of family pho- girl Heather Weber on General Hospital. Elijah joined by P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes, this private family and we discover that Georgia tos and searched down Georgia’s appearances on has a kind of spiritual side. And the first person Risa Shapiro, and Lifetime’s Tanya Lopez. Holt, like her daughter, is a very talented and things like I Love Lucy and Ozzie and Harriet. Chaz came out to in the family was his grand- The original air date was May 6; additional fascinating woman.” Also, it was a pretty intense schedule for a docu- mother. air dates and times can be found on Life- We sat down with Ebersole to chat about mentary. We shot in September and now it is on WCT: Do you have any words of your own for time’s official website. Cher’s unique gift to Holt and what it was re- air in May. your mothers? ally like during production of a film chronicling WCT: What locations were used for filming? a lifetime (Get it? “Lifetime”) of dancing in the P. David Ebersole: We shot everything at Cher’s spotlight. house, in Malibu. The first time we went there, The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers Dear Mom, Love Cher provides a rare peek into they buzzed us in, the gates opened and we Lambda Literary in America). Cher’s fascinating family history and features in walked down the long drive to the front door. finalist readings Each author will read from their nominated depth interviews with Holt, her daughters Cher We called it Cheradise. No one really knows what book and have books for sale and signing. and Georganne LaPiere Bartylak, and grandchil- it means to let a film crew into their house until May 22 See www.lambdaliterary.org. dren Chaz Bono and Elijah Blue Allman. they show up and take over, so it was amaz- Chicago will host a reading of nine finalists Windy City Times: Dear Mom, Love Cher is ingly generous of Cher to let us film there. The for the 2013 Lambda Literary Awards Wed., Phyllis Hyman such an endearing concept. Why did it seem truth is that it was just the easiest thing to do May 22, at 7 p.m. The event will be at the like the appropriate time to release this proj- for Georgia. Cher and her sister Georganne were new Gerber/Hart Library, 6500 N. Clark Street. tribute May 11-12 ect now? rightly protective of their mom and didn’t want If the library is not open by that date, the P. David Ebersole: Cher and her family discov- the weekend to be too hard on her, so shooting alternate location is the Center on Halsted. at DuSable ered the master tapes of an album that Georgia in Cheradise made the most sense. The readers will be Anne Laughlin (Run- The Company Band will present “A Tribute recorded in 1980. It wasn’t ever released and the WCT: Why was Lifetime a great fit for this away), Marty McConnell (wine for a shotgun), to Phyllis Hyman: A Mother’s Day Extravagan- tapes were decaying in Georgia’s garage. Cher project? Lania Knight (Three Cubic Feet), E.M. Kokie za featuring Julia Huff” Saturday, May 11, at had them remastered as a birthday present for P. David Ebersole: For us, Georgia’s story il- (Personal Effects), Ramon H. Rivera-Servera 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, at 4 p.m. at the her mother, plus made a short film for her—kind lustrates the changing roles of women from the (Performing Queer Latinidad: Dance, Sexual- DuSable Museum of African American History, of a superstar’s version of home movie for her 1900s to today. And it lets us see the family life ity, Politics), Chris Paynter (Survived by Her 740 E. 56th Pl. mom. Cher’s manager, Risa Shapiro, saw it and that shaped one of our culture’s greatest female Longtime Companion), C.P. Rowlands (Jacob’s Tickets are $45-$75; call 773-885-8778, thought it could be something more. That start- icons. I think Cher is partly an icon for this gen- War), Lewis Wallace, and Windy City Times visit www.JuliaHuff.com or stop by M Lounge, ed a snowball effect that led to Dear Mom, Love eration because she represents the idea that a Publisher Tracy Baim (Gay Press, Gay Power: 1520 S. Wabash Ave. Cher. woman can be herself and be powerful, that she 24 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES Happy Mother’s Day! Pictured on this page are images from a photo essay book from Windy City Times, Mom: A Tribute to Mothers of LGBTs. Kat Fitzgerald was the primary photographer for the book, which was edited by Tracy Baim. Mom: A Tribute to Mothers of LGBTs is available on Amazon.com and at Women & Children First Bookstore in Chicago. See tinyurl.com/MomLGBTBK . While the book’s primary focus is on Chicago-area families, there are also a few well-known moms interviewed for the book, including: — Judy Shepard, mother of murdered gay activist Matthew Shepard. — Dorothy Hajdys-Holman, whose son Allen Schindler was brutally killed by military colleagues in 1992. — Go-Gos singer Belinda Carlisle and her son James Duke Mason. — Charlene Sonenberg and her son, actor/model Ronnie Kroell. Windy City Times sought a diversity of families to include in the book. “Both Kat and I have lost our own amazing mothers,” said Windy City Times Publisher Tracy Baim. “We wanted to have a book as tribute to our own moms, but also to all of the loving and accepting moms out there. We hear a lot of stories of families who do not accept their LGBT children, and this book tells the other side of the story, with moms who are wonderfully sup- portive.” The book ends with a heartwarming and anonymous essay by Huffington Post blogger “Amelia,” to her son, who came out to her as gay at a very young age. She is only anonymous to protect her child, and her love is un- conditional for all her children.

Photos by Kat Fitzgerald, www.MysticImagesPhotography.com, unless otherwise indicated.

Maureen Mandolini, Aimee Mandolini & Alexi Mandolini

Barbara Smith & Chris Smith

Marilyn Keller & children Irwin and Lynn Keller Photo courtesy of the Keller family.

Elida Bernal Rivera & Miguel Ayala Photo copyright 2012 by Sandra Jimenez

Jamie Owen Daniel & Owen Daniel-McCarter WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 25 International LGBT travel confab in Chicago BY KATE SOSIN and TRACY BAIM LGBT section on Peru’s official website: Travel- FabulousPeru.com. Celebrating its 30th year, the International Gay — Emerging Destination: Jermain Tjin-A-Ko- & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) convention eng is from the Republic of Suriname. His or- was held in Chicago May 1-4. ganization, LGBT PLATFORM Suriname, works to Hundreds of delegates from more than 20 raise the profile of the LGBT community in his countries attended workshops, celebratory country—he sees the connections made through events and expos at the Hyatt and Center on travel as particularly beneficial to their goals. Halsted. IGLTA opened this year’s convention with At a May 1 opening press event at Willis Tower, a commitment to ending child trafficking and speakers connected the growth of LGBT travel to prostitution. The group is signing on to the advances for LGBT rights. The press conference Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, a set was hosted by IGLTA conference sponsor United of guidelines intended to prevent child exploita- Airlines. tion. According to IGLTA, the organization is the “LGBT travel goes hand-in-hand with LGBT third association to adopt the code. Pictured, from left: Travis Ferland, IGLTA Foundation executive director; Charlie Rounds, IGLTA Founda- rights around the world,” said Tanya Churchmuch, At the Field Museum, David Scowsill, presi- tion board chair and managing director for Brand g Vacations; Jermain Tjin-A-Koeng from the Republic of board chair of IGLTA. dent/CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council, Suriname; Teddy Frank from Liberia; Kleber de Oliveira da Silva from Brazil; Kathy Eow from Florida; Aaron Among those at the event were the IGLTA gave a keynote speech. Sessions included those Paiva Leyton who runs Peru Magia y Mysterio; and IGLTA President John Tanzella. Photo by Hal Baim. Many Foundation’s five Building Bridges Scholarship ones led by Google’s Brandon Feldman, TripAdvi- more photos available online at www.windycitymediagroup.com recipients. They hailed from Suriname, Peru, sor, Professional Association of Innkeepers In- Brazil, the U.S. and Liberia. Charlie Rounds, ternational and the U.S. Department of State. IGLTA Foundation leader, and Jack Markey, Af- (See upcoming issues of Windy City Times for rican Division Chief, American Citizen Services, more detailed coverage of several workshops.) Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of IGLTA volunteers spent part of their last day State also addressed the press conference. volunteering for community projects at Nettel- The 2013 IGLTA Building Bridges Scholarship horst School, Greater Chicago Food Depository recipients were: and the Chicago Park District. — Student: Kathy Eow is studying hospitality This year’s conference honored Center on Hal- and tourism management at Florida Internation- sted with the IGLTA Community Award. Center al University. Executive Director Modesto “Tico” Valle accept- — Student: Teddy Frank made his first visit to ed on behalf of the Center. Other honorees in- the U.S. from his home in Liberia, where he is cluded Manuela Kay, co-owner of several German enrolled in airline studies and supports the Stop LGBT media, including Siegessaule and L.Mag. AIDS in Liberia organization. See www.iglta.org. See many more photos — Student: Kleber de Oliveira da Silva is pur- from IGLTA’s conference and the gay expo online. suing a master’s degree in tourism and hospital- There were a few picketers outside of the Hy- ity at Brazil’s University of Vale do Itajai. This att during parts of the conference. They handed was his first U.S. visit. out orange flyers protesting the Hyatt’s treat- — Small Business: Aaron Paiva Leyton runs ment of workers and called on IGLTA members Peru Magia y Mysterio, offering tours that ex- and LGBTQAs in general to stand with the global plore what it means to be Peruvian, the coun- boycott of the company. try’s history, and its culinary arts. He started an 26 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES theDISH WEEKLY DINING GUIDE IN while I dined.) As for the food, overall, it’s more than im- pressive. (FYI: The dishes are not all Chicago- related.) Sous chef Donald Penza should really be proud of the pork-belly tacos (which have a slight kick), grilled calamari (with three differ- ent sauces), half-chicken, scallops and the duck sliders. Among the many other options on the Municipal Bar menu are tuna tartare, beet-and-goat-cheese salad, lobster rolls, BBQ chicken flatbreads and + Dining Co. risotto. By ANDREW DAVIS By the way, if you possibly have room after dining on appetizers and entrees, there are des- No restaurant embraces Chicago quite like Mu- Pork belly tacos at Municipal Bar + Dining Co. Photo by Andrew Davis serts such as the beyond-decadent chocolate nicipal Bar + Dining Co. (216 W. Ohio St.; www. chip cookie with caramel, chocolate sauce and municipalbar.com). divided into sections—and some are easier to If you’re in the mood to see sports, there’s vanilla ice cream; and the Ferris Wheel, a dish From the furniture (including tables with I- figure out than others. For example, hot appe- no shortage of screens everywhere—and I do with ricotta doughnuts, funnel cake, seasonal beam supports) to the subway-themed facades, tizers are in the “Department of Fire” category mean everywhere. (On the day I went, I think berries, chocolate sauce and caramel. the place—which co-owner Sam Fakhouri de- and salads are ensconced in the “Department of I saw every thing except badminton—nirvana Fakhouri added that this summer, the place scribed to me as an “upscale sports bar”— Environment” section. However, Fakhouri had to for this sports fan.) In addition, sports celebri- plans to have a patio that seats up to 100 peo- screams Chicago. explain to me why flatbreads are in the “Depart- ties frequent the venue. (The day after I was ple—and it will be complete with LED lights. This, of course, includes the menu, which ment of Cultural Affairs” categories (and it basi- there, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was Here’s hoping there’s a rainbow night for Pride has drinks such as the very tasty River North cally has to do with the diversity of toppings on among those slated to be at Municipal for the Month and Gold Coast cocktails. As for eats, they are the items). NFL draft—and a Chicago Blackhawk was there CLASSIFIEDS ANTIQUES CLEANING SERVICES DECK CARE and 100% attuned to your needs. Satisfaction assured. CHESTNUT CLEANING SERVICES: We’re a house cleaning EXTERIOR PAINTING AND DECK STAINING. LATEX Please call Dennis at 773-248-9407 (7/3/13–26) ZURKO PROMOTIONS service for homes, small businesses and small buildings. AND OILS. 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(6/12/13-13) We can organize your chaos, straighten out your chaos, BUFFET DECORATOR/CAPTAIN High level catering Plus! GARDEN ACCENT help you make sense of your chaos and finally clean company is looking for a buffet decorator/ banquet SERVICES AVAILABLE what is no longer chaos. Can we help you? Bonded and captain. This job entails picking out props/risers etc.. STOP YOUR FORCLOSURE NOW! WILLIAM H. RANSOM, Early Buyers: Sat. 8am - 10am / $25 insured. Chestnut Cleaning Service: 312-332-5575. setting up buffet stations at events and or running the Attorney at Law, CALL NOW (312) 953-9120 or whrlaw@ www.ChestnutCleaning.com (11/20/13-52) Lake County Fairgrounds service staff. Please fax all resumes to 847-982-1178 aol.com - 19 years Litigation Experience - Credit Cards Accepted - Payment Plans Available (9/25/13-26) Gray’s Lake (1060 E. Peterson) CLOSETS (5/15/2) SPIRITUALITY NEW VENDORS WELCOME! Design Consultant HOME IMPROVEMENT Basement get flooded? 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to produce and star in her own adult va- lution and a surprise takeaway item. 8pm, riety show. 9pm-11pm, Hydrate, 3458 N. 312-341-2310, Auditorium Theatre of Halsted St., www.hydratechicago.com Roosevelt University, 50 E Congress Pkwy, http://auditoriumtheatre.org Friday, May 10 Ben Bailey of “Cash Cab” at Up Comedy Eve Ensler: In the Body of the World Shat- Club Two-time Emmy award winning host tered by the horrific rape and violence for Discovery’s Channel’s popular trivia inflicted on women of the Congo and by show “Cash Cab”; 8pm-10pm, 312-662- harrowing treatment for uterine cancer, 4562, Up Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave., Brought to you by the combined efforts of Ensler calls on all to embody connec- http://upcomedyclub.com tion to and responsibility for the world. 4 Play Fridays All New Lesbian Hot Spot Bestselling author, playwright (The Vagina All new lesbian hot spot every Friday WINDY CITY Monologues and I Am an Emotional Crea- night. 8pm, 7733506592, EM Lounge 4247 TIMES ture). Benefits V-Day, global movement W. Armitage Ave., www.em-lounge.com to end violence against women and girls. Just Another Love Story: The Most Excel- GAMES PEOPLE PLAY of community icon and Diva, Honey West. Seating limited, tickets required. Purchase lent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo Wed., May 8 book from Women & Children First for A modern take on an age old love story. CALOR confidential HIV and STI testing 10pm, Roscoe’s, 3356 N Halsted St., www. Friday, May 10 ticket. Companion tickets, $10. 7pm, The In this adaptation, Realize Theatre Group Every Wednesday without charge, regard- roscoes.com Swedish Museum, 5211 N. Clark St., /www. portrays the passionate relationship and less of age, ability to pay or residency. womenandchildrenfirst.com suicide of two teenage women. Runs Dating for Queer Nerds The process, from completing the consent Thursday, May 9 Weekly lunch and discussion West Subur- through May 25 on Fridays, Saturdays. will take place at Will’s paperwork to getting the results, takes Annual AIDS Legal Council 25th Anniver- ban Senior Services LGBT Seniors Program 8pm-10pm, 847.769.4961, Prop Thtr, 45 minutes. Counselors are available to sary Celebration Join AIDS Legal Council Northwoods Inn, 3030 N. also offers free case management and 3502 N. Elston Ave., https://www.face- review the results and provide referrals, for a special evening to commemorate 25 Racine Ave. mental health counseling to LGBTs 55 and book.com/events/370799769701931/; as necessary. 12pm-4pm, CALOR, 3220 W years of the Council’s work assisting low- up in the Western Suburbs. 11am-2pm, Tickets: http://justanotherlovestory.bpt. Armitage Ave,www.calor.org income people and their families impacted 8300 Roosevelt Road, Forest Park, http:// me Photo by Andrew Davis Triangle Neighbors Bi-Monthly Meeting by HIV. 6pm-9pm, 312-427-8990, Kirkland www.wsseniors.org Learn more about the Wrigley Field pro- & Ellis LLP , 300 N. LaSalle St., www.aid- Legacy Project Gala Luncheon First look Saturday, May 11 posal, the OUT Hotel proposal, June’s slegal.com; Tickets: http://alcc25host. at 2013 candidates for induction. Key- Girlyman’s Tylan Previously in acclaimed pride events and nominate officers for eventbrite.com/# note speaker: Aaron Jackson, straight folk-pop group Girlyman, Tylan has set out the annual elections; 7pm-8:30pm, 19th Mary Hutchings Reed, author Warming Up ally who purchased the house across from on her own, maintaining her folksy roots Artist’s reception 5pm-8pm, 312-434- District Police Station Community Room - Former musical actress now can’t bring Fred Phelps’ klan and painted it rainbow while creating a heavier vibe. $12-$22; 7544, Bert Green Fine Art, 8 S. Michigan 850 W Addison, Chicago, IL, https://www. herself to audition for parts, even though colors. The Legacy Project celebrates 7pm, 847-492-8860, Space, 1245 Chicago Ave. #1220, http://bgfa.us/press.html facebook.com/groups/triangleneighbors she once won leading roles. Not therapy contributions GLBT people have made to Ave., Evanston, http://www.evanstons- Tig Notaro Professor Blastoff Live comedy Carol Horton Discussing her books Yoga but a runaway teenager conning her out world history and culture. $125/$225 VIP; pace.com/ tour with hosts Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan Ph.D. and 21st Century Yoga: Culture, Pol- of sixty bucks changes her life. 7:30pm, 12pm, Hilton Palmer House, 17 E. Monroe ‘The Men of Fred’ Casting Party and Fun- and David Huntsberger. Doors: 6:30pm. 21 itics & Practice. 7:30pm, Women & Chil- Women & Children First Books, 5233 N. St., www.legacyprojectchicago.org draiser ‘The Men of Fred’ Casting Party and over. $20; 7:30pm, Abbey Pub, 3420 dren First Books, 5233 N. Clark St., http:// Clark St., www.womenandchildrenfirst.com Dating for Queer Nerds, adventure theme and Fundraiser is an event aimed at cel- W Grace St., Tickets: http://gopride.com/ www.womenandchildrenfirst.com Out at Wrigley Singing Contest Arrive by Smart LGBT singles in an adventure- ebrating the work that has been done so z86d May Shorts, Dyke Delicious Series May is 8 to sign up. Free to enter. First round themed Dating for Queer Nerds. Sail the far by Fred Says, raise awareness around Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus-”All You Need the month for our popular shorts program is song of choice; second round will be high seas of love over rounds of board the lives of HIV+ teens and of course Is Love: The Music of The Beatles” Music with films and videos by and about les- National Anthem. There will be a karaoke games and trivia. 7pm-10pm, 855-637- cast some men for their 1st Annual Cal- of the Fab Four, some of the most famous bians, a collection of thought-provoking machine to pick your first-round song. 3568, Will’s Northwoods Inn, 3030 N. Ra- endar. 12pm-3pm, Sidetrack, 3349 N. pop songs of all time re-examined through and rib tickling stories. Keep a lookout Multiple people can advance straight to cine Ave., http://queerpiday.eventbrite. Halsted St, https://www.facebook.com/ a gay lens, while adding splashes of color for the full line-up. 7:30pm, Hokin Hall semifinals at Sidetrack. 8pm-10pm, DS Te- com/#; Tickets: http://nerdsatheart.com events/506477229411874/# @ Columbia College Chicago, 623 S. Wa- quila Company, 3352 N. Halsted St., www. Jillian Michaels and The Tenors Maximize Chicago-based LGBT artist Robb Stone Turn to page 29 bash Ave., http://chicagofilmmakers.org/ dstequilacompany.com Your Life” tour. Tickets are $36 - $150. The cf/genre/17 Inside Amy Armstrong’s Mind Again! Diva $150 VIP package includes prime seating, You’re A Star Karaoke with Honey West Amy Armstrong is back in an all new once an exclusive Q&A with Jillian Michaels, a Get This is your big chance! Entertain Boys- a month show! Boystown’s favorite caba- WindyCityMediaGroup.com 30 day free trial to Jillian Michael’s Online town and receive the love and adoration ret performer broadens her horizons, as- : sembling a cast of her favorite comedians training program and total weight-loss so- online ChicagoPride.com

REAL ESTATE 1 LEGAL SERVICES TWO BEDROOMS FOR RENT REAL ESTATE ISSUES? Buying – Selling – Leasing – Land- EDGEWATER COMMUTER ADVANTAGE you’d be happy to lord/Tenant – Building/Remodeling. Contact The Law come home to. Walk to beach and park, bus and red 2 Office of David G. Frueh, 3843 North Broadway Street. line or go shopping. Spacious bedrooms with walk in (312) 492-4261. [email protected]. www. closets. Formal dining room. Big kitchen. $1300 with FruehLaw.com (4/16/14-52) heat. $80 for parking. Plus laundry, storage, video in- tercom, patio and yard. IT’S YOUR MOVE…773-706- CONDO FOR SALE 6065. (5/8/13-3) HELLO GORGEOUS!!!! This stunning spectacular 2 bed- room 2 bath on the beach is a must see, must have! THREE BEDROOMS FOR RENT THE CALL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMaOkxh9e9A HUGE APT. $1225 (ROGERS PARK) THREE BEDROOMS $389,000. Call Camilla Hawk, Coldwell Banker, 312 plus office, two baths. Central heat, fireplace, hardwood Thu., May 2 593 5605 (5/22/14-4) floors. Easy walk to Red Line and Metra. $25 credit 1) Finalist Julio Perez proves to be an opera check. [email protected]. Parking extra. shocker. (5/1/13-1) 2) Finalist Kate Hamilton charms. 3) Seriously? 4) (L-R) Judge Meghan “Big Red” Murphy; finalists Julio Perez and Kate Hamilton; judges Kirk Williamson and Lili-Anne Brown; hostess WE Sofia Saffire. Photos by Kirk. More photos at facebook.com/windycitygayidol

Look for photos from Windy City Gay Idol at Jackhammer in the next issue of Windy City Times. PETS 3

Single and loving it! My name is Dottie and I’m searching for a home with an experienced owner PARKVIEW PET where I can be the only pet. I am a very sweet and petite girl who loves people. I’m playful and SUPPLIES very inquisitive and I’m very well-mannered in EST. 1921 the house. I already know the command sit, and I’m ready to learn more. Snuggles and movie 5358 N. Broadway night are the BEST and I guarantee you won’t Chicago, IL 60640 find a better cuddler! My owner should have hu- man friends and family who would shower me 773-561-0001 with attention. An 8-5 work schedule would be fine, as I can keep myself entertained with toys Sensible Food for hours. 4 Sensible Prices For more information and videos of Dottie, please visit www.aliverescue.org. WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 29 BILLY MASTERS

“Django wasn’t the lead, so it was like, I need to it’s come up yet again, I see no harm in sharing be the lead. The other character was the lead!”— with you again—at BillyMasters.com. Will Smith explains why he passed on Django We have a theater-related “Ask Billy” question. Unchained—his part wasn’t big enough! Appar- Roger in Connecticut writes: “I was looking at ently Jamie Foxx has no concerns about the size your photos on Facebook and was wondering if of his part—and he showed off every inch of it anyone has ever said that you look like Tony Gold- in the film (and on our website). wyn? My partner claims he saw Goldwyn naked One morning last week, I woke up to the fol- in a play, but I’ve never heard about that. Is it lowing headline: “Collins Invited To Lead Gay true?” Pride Parade.” My first thought once again il- You are not the first person to note my re- lustrates how out of touch I am: “Joan Collins is semblance to Tony Goldwyn. It started after he going to be in a gay pride parade?” I knew that did Ghost—back then, we also had similar hair. wouldn’t happen—La Collins hasn’t seen direct Needless to say, I take the comparison as a huge sunlight since 1902. Maybe they meant Jackie compliment. As to your second question, your Collins—you know, the one with all of that hair. partner is correct—Goldwyn did indeed appear Or maybe I was thinking of her because I just nude in the 2006 off-Broadway production of watched the Kentucky Derby. The Water’s Edge (written by Theresa Rebeck). I was wrong on both counts. They were talk- As he undresses to take a bath, he not only ing about Jason Collins—the first male athlete to come out while still participating in a pro- fessional sport. (The basketball star was with the Washington Wizards, but is currently a free agent.) His historic coming-out was via an es- say in Sports Illustrated. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” Jason reveals one of the things that inspired his revelation: “I realized I needed to go public when Joe Ken- nedy, my old roommate at Stanford and now a Massachusetts congressman, told me he had just marched in Boston’s 2012 Gay Pride Parade. I was proud of him for participating but angry that as a closeted gay man I couldn’t even cheer my straight friend on as a spectator.” This led to the invitation to be grand marshal of the 2013 Boston Gay Pride Parade. So far, Jason hasn’t responded, but I believe both of the Collins girls are available. Last week, the Tony nominations came out and I must congratulate a few special friends. Not surprisingly, Kinky Boots got the most nomina- tions (13), including my dear Jerry Mitchell as Best Director of a Musical. The brilliant Holland CALENDAR from page 28 Taylor got a Best Actress nod for her work in Ann (which just extended through the summer). And, and movement as only CGMC can do. 8pm-10pm, 1pm-3pm, TPAN, 5537 N. Broadway, www.tpan.com of course, Andrea Martin will walk away with her Alan Cumming may not have gotten a Tony 773-296-0541, North Shore Center for the Perform- GLBT Loop People Funnest GLBT group in the Loop, sitting near the bar, and looking forward to drinks Best Featured Tony for Pippin. Congrats!!! nod, but he’s already winning with another ing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, http://www. The nominations also delivered a few surpris- cgmc.org/event/2013/all-you-need-love-music- and/or dinner. An organizer will be there until at juicy Broadway part, Billy says. beatles least 7:30 so if you’re there by 7:30, you’re on time. ing snubs. OK, I’m sure nobody really expected Chicago Kidney Action Day Kidney Action Day is 6pm-8:30pm, Berghoff Bar, 17 W Adams St, www. Scarlett Johansson to get a nomination (the coming to Chicago on Saturday, May 11th! The meetup.com/glbtloop/events/116702672/ first “Maggie” on Broadway to not get one). And exhibited an impressive physique (better than American Kidney Fund is providing free kidney Spring Gathering to Focus on Health Concerns In- despite some champions, no one really expected mine ever was) but also a substantial penis— health screenings, healthy food samples, interac- terfaith Action of Evanston’s Spring Gathering. In- Jessica Chastain or Katie Holmes to even be in- which dangled and everything! We’ve unearthed tive fitness demos, local entertainment and chil- formation about health resources for the uninsured dren’s activities. Free. 10pm, 2402927055, Millen- and under-insured and the unique health issues vited as seat-fillers. Then there’s Bette Midler, some very explicit footage of this scene, which nium Park Chase Promenade North 201 E. Randolph facing the homeless. Park at St. Mary’s Roman Cath- who got love letters from the critics for her you can watch on BillyMasters.com. St., http://www.kidneyfund.org olic Church located at 1012 Lake St. 7pm-8:30pm, portrayal of Sue Mengers in I’ll Eat You Last. I When I’m attracted to my own doppelganger, Nettelhorst French Market Enjoy the freshest flow- 847-475-1150, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1509 don’t know how to explain it, except that maybe it’s definitely time to end yet another column. ers, vegetables, fruits, breads, meats, and crafts Ridge Ave., www.interfaithactionofevanston.org some people on the nominating committee still There’s one last story to mention. Way back in from local farmers, at this weekly farmers market in the heart of Boystown. 8am-2pm, Chicago Net- Tuesday, May 14 see her as a replacement “Tzeitel!” Even more 2000, when Miss Ross mounted her kinda “Su- telhorst French Market, 3252 N Broadway, http:// Chicago Academy for the Arts’ A Taste for the Arts shocking was the omission of Alan Cumming premes” reunion without Mary and Cindy, biogra- www.bensidounusa.com Student art and performance alongside the culinary for his solo take on Macbeth. But Alan’s having pher J. Randy Taraborrelli said to me, “The only creations of acclaimed chefs who have been fea- the last laugh and has already lined up his next person who could ever keep those two in line Sunday, May 12 tured on WTTW’s “Check, Please!”. Guests will be Broadway project—a revival of his Tony-winning was Berry Gordy. If he wanted to, he could sit Urban Village Church Spiritual worship is about treated to a performance at the Harris Theater at coming together as community to make space for 6pm and proceed to the Millennium Park Terrace turn as the Emcee in Cabaret. Someone who will them down in a room and resolve everything.” God to move in us. It’s a place to receive God’s at 7:30pm to enjoy eight different food stations. not be starring alongside him is Anne Hatha- But that never happened ... until recently. grace and love and to give of ourselves, as well. Show $30. Gala $350. Reserved tables starting at way, who many outlets said was being pursued The new Broadway show Motown: The Musi- LGBT welcoming worship services at Urban Vil- $5,000. 6pm-10:30pm, 312-421-0202, Harris The- to play Sally Bowles. In fact, Emma Stone is the cal depicts Gordy’s rise to fame—including his lage Church are eclectic and experiential, practical ater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph Dr, Chi- frontrunner for the part. romance with Diana. On opening night, both for- and intelligent, relevant and, hopefully, inspiring. cago, http://www.atasteforthearts.org 10:15am-11:30am, Spertus Institute 610 S. Michi- Moving on to television, this week also mer Supremes were in attendance. As the press gan Ave., www.urbanvillagechurch.org Wed., May 15 brought the Daytime Emmy nominations. Yes, descended on Berry after the show, they found Susan G. Komen Chicagoland Race for the Cure To Leading Chicago: Women Making the Case For they still hold the Daytime Emmys—except now him positioned between Diane and Mary—talk honor those who have battled breast cancer and Equality Women leading social justice work in they’re on HLN (airing live June 16). Since the about a Kodak moment! The photos and footage further the mission of the Chicagoland Area Affili- Chicago, keynote address by attorney Fay Clayton, daytime field has really thinned out, it was a are priceless—but, then again, so is everything ate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 6:30am regis- founding partner, Robinson Curly & Clayton, perfor- tration, 7 pre-race entertainment . 1:15pm, Grant mances by artist and educator Rebecca Kling and pretty predictable bunch. But we were happy to at www.BillyMasters.com, the site that’s worth Park, Chicago, http://www.komenchicago.org musician KOKUMO, beer, wine, catering by Chicago see Katherine Kelly Lang get her first nod after its weight in gold. While you don’t need to send The Tenors “Lead With Your Heart” Tour Selections Gourmet to You. $35. advance, $40 a door. 5:30pm- playing Brooke Logan for 26 years on The Bold me gold, I do encourage you to continue to ask from their new album, #1 on the Billboard crossover 8:30pm, Douglas Dawson Gallery, 400 N Morgan St.; and the Beautiful. Of course, my fondness for your questions (for the column, or just between charts, with cover features such as Bob Dylan’s “For- www.lambdalegal.org KKL might be encouraged by my fondness for her us). So send an e-mail to Billy@BillyMasters. ever Young” and Elton John’s “Sorry Seems To Be Festival of Disability Arts and Culture Opening The Hardest Word”; 7pm-10pm, 800.982.ARTS2787- Celebration Bodies of Work is an 11-day, multi- 23-year-old son, Jeremy Skott Snider. Although com and I promise to get back to you before , Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E venue Chicago event featuring visual and perform- he previously worked with his mom on the soap, Mary Wilson auditions to play Miss Ross in the Congress Pkwy, www.auditoriumtheatre.org ing arts that highlight the work of artists with dis- Jeremy has moved on to greener pastures—gay national tour of Motown: The Musical! So, until abilities. Opening is hosted by the City of Chicago porn. OK, he only did it once. Well, twice. While next time, remember, one man’s filth is another Monday, May 13 Department of Cultural Affairs; 5pm-9pm, Chicago his solo work is pleasant enough, his (alleged) man’s bible. TPAN Complimentary Therapy Programs Reiki is of- Cultural Center, 78 E Randolph St., Preston Bradley fered the second and fourth Mondays of the month Hall., www.bodiesofworkchicago.org “first time” bottoming scene has attracted from 1pm to 3pm on a first come first serve basis. scores of fans from the first time I ran it. Since 30 May 8, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES lege at Weber State. sports, and in all parts of society. “Something like this, which high school-aged The YOU Belong Sports & Leadership Initiative Youth sports and youth can be involved in … to me, it’s some- opened a fundraising campaign to help make thing I never even dreamed of, so I can’t even the camps free for participants. The fundraising imagine the impact [a camp like this] can have. page www.indiegogo.com/projects/you-belong- A lot of young kids who identify as queer, and I lgbtqa-youth-sports-and-leadership-initiative leadership camps use that as an umbrella term, this camp is going For more information, visit http://yoube- coming to Chicago to make them believe that, yes, they belong in longinitiative.com.

By Ross Forman being involved, and to make youth feel safe in sports. I think a lot of LGBT youth feel they are Wade Davis and Darnell Moore, co-workers in not welcome in sports, but we want to change New York City, conceived an idea last year over that.” the countless lunches that they ate together. The Chicago camp will feature 50 to 60 stu- They decided to combine both of their pas- dents, mostly from the Chicago area, plus in- sions: sports and youth work for Davis, youth volvement from select NBA and WNBA players advocacy and leadership for Moore, an LGBT and coaches, Davis said. Plus, Dr. Bechara Chou- rights activist. cair, the commissioner for Chicago’s Department Concept becomes reality this summer at the of Public Health will attend, he said. inaugural sports camp aimed at empowering “I think the big surprise will be that many LGBT and straight-ally youth. YOU Belong Sports more youth will want to be involved with the & Leadership Initiative will host quarterly camps camp than the camp can support the first time. for high school and college students, ages 14- I really think there will be hundreds of youth 21, each camp focusing on a different sport. wanting to be a part of it,” Davis said. The first YOU Belong camp, basketball fo- A press conference took place May 5 in Chi- cused, will be held July 25-28 in Chicago. The cago to formally announce the camp, which will second YOU Belong camp (soccer) will be held in include extensive team-building, plus workshops November, in either California or Arizona. on such topics as leadership development and “We want LGBT and straight youth [to attend], anti-bullying. Plus, there will be basketball ‘YOU Belong’ sports camp hosts kickoff so they can see each other as equals, not differ- drills, led by NBA and WNBA coaches and play- Center on Halsted hosted the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital Of Chicago Safe Space ent [from each other,]” said Davis, who played ers, plus college coaches. There also will be a Day May 5. As part of the event, former openly gay NFL football player Wade Davis and writer/ in preseason NFL games for three teams and free-throw shooting contest at the camp. educator Darnell Moore spoke about their YOU Belong sports and leadership camp for LGBTQ and then in NFL Europe for two teams. He came out “I think this [type of camp] would have al- allied youth. in 2012. lowed me to meet LGBT kids who are out, proud, YOU Belong will present a series of athletic and leadership development camps across the “We need to create safe spaces for LGBT youth, doing things in their community. It would have country. The first such camp will be in Chicago July 25-28, for youth ages 14-24. and also have straight students there too, so the made it a lot easier to own who I was at a Davis and Moore are collaborating with The Center for Gender, Sexuality, and HIV Prevention LGBT [youth] know that they are no different, younger age, and empowered me to love myself at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and the Center on Halsted as well as with national are as acceptable and as worthy of love, affec- a lot quicker—that’s the gay part of me, not just LGBTQ sports movements such as You Can Play Project and Outsports. The Chicago Department tion, attention and respect as anyone else. the sports person,” said Davis, who admits he of Public Health is also working with the men. The camp will also feature professional basketball “We want these camps to leave a footprint didn’t even have a conversation with anyone players from the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and the NBA. and get youth around the country excited about who was openly gay until a sophomore in col- Davis and Wade said they are filling a void in the community. They say there are no athletic clinics designed specifically as safe spaces for LGBTQA youth in the United States. ADVERTISEMENT For more info see www.youbelonginitiative.com. To see a video of the press conference, visit When experience counts... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDPFbK38gH0&feature=youtu.be. Photo of Moore (left) and Davis by Tracy Baim In service to the community for over 30 years. The Law Offices of Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss & Associates New hall of fame ESTATE PLANNING TO PROTECT YOUR PETS Q. I am getting up in years and I don’t have a partner to leave my property to. My family and launches in Chicago relatives are doing fine financially. I have two dogs that I want to make sure are taken care of if By Ross Forman I’m a diehard Cubs fan and also gay,” Gubrud something happens to me. What can I do to protect my pets? said. A. Unfortunately, pets cannot be beneficiaries of a Will. The law still considers pets to be property. The National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Ultimately, the Cubs became one of the first That is why making a plan for your pets is very important. Fame will announce some of the inaugural in- major professional sports teams to place an First, plan for your incapacity. Carry with you a wallet card with contact information for emergency ductees for the Class of 2013 next week. The ad in a gay newspaper in the country. And caretakers. A pet card provides, at a minimum, information that there is a pet in your house that needs entire class will be announced in July and the Gubrud originated Out At Wrigley in 2001. “I always had it in the back of my mind emergency care and who should be contacted in case you are injured while away from home. ceremony for honorees is set for Aug. 2, at the Center on Halsted, in conjunction with to do something like this [Hall of Fame], but A more detailed pet care document should also be prepared and left in an obvious location in your Out At Wrigley the following day. I didn’t know when the time was right,” he house with copies given to any emergency caretakers. A pet care document might include instructions The National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall said. for the care of the animals, medical information, and veterinarian information. of Fame, the first of its kind in the United Last November, Gubrud started filling out Second, plan for your death. One option is to make an outright gift of your pet to another person States, is a 501(c)(3) organization based in paperwork for the IRS and the State of Illi- along with a reasonable amount of money for the pet’s care, with the request that the person use the Chicago—and the brainchild of Chicago resi- nois. He also then brought on others who are funds to care for the pet. Or make an outright gift to another person of the pet and a reasonable amount dent Bill Gubrud, the group’s executive direc- very sports-savvy to be part of the Board of of money for the pet’s care, conditioned on the caretaker providing proper care for your pet. tor. Directors for the Hall. You could direct in your will that your executor arrange for the adoption of your pet. Some This Hall “will recognize those who stood “I want to promote history as far as sports in the gay and lesbian community,” Gubrud organizations will take the pet and arrange for its adoption free of charge or in exchange for a up to stereotypes and worked to break down the walls of differences to bring people to- said. “I think it’s very big, and not a lot of contribution. When selecting a shelter to place the animal in, determine whether the shelter requires or gether for the good of the games,” Gubrud people, straight or gay, know a lot about the recommends a gift of a certain amount and their placement rate. said. history of gay sports, or the history of people In Illinois, the Illinois Trusts and Trustees Act provides that a trust for the care of one or more Gubrud, 40, lives in Lakeview, and owns and in sports who happen to be gay, or people designated domestic or pet animals is valid. You can create a Domestic Animal Trust for the pets you operates MTM Chicago, an online resource for in sports who have helped gay people along designate (“all dogs I own at my death”). You can provide in the trust that no portion of the trust may the LGBT community. He was born and raised the way. be used by the trustee for a use other than the trust’s purposes or for the benefit of a covered pet. on Chicago’s Northwest side and has been “Who knows if [NBA player] Jason Collins partnered with Jon Larson for more than six would have come out if he didn’t see all of years. Gubrud plays softball in the predomi- the support around him.” • Bankruptcy • Wills, Trusts & Probate nantly gay Chicago Metropolitan Sports Asso- For more information on the National ciation (CMSA). Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame, go to • Real Estate Closings • Civil Unions “When I started working [in the] gay press www.gayandlesbiansports.com. 19 S. LaSalle, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60603 in the early 2000s, the first sales call that I Read the full article online at www. made was to the Chicago Cubs, hoping [the WindyCityMediaGroup.com. 312-263-8800 [email protected] We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code. team] would place an ad, particularly because WINDY CITY TIMES May 8, 2013 31 CONNE IONS MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS X Transgender Lawyer Ray J. Koenig III and Clark Hill PLC Ray is a legal authority on all of his Joanie Rae Wimmer practice areas, which include probate, trusts, guardianship, estate planning, EmploymEnt law • and elder law, including the litigation of those areas. He is a longtime policE misconduct • advocate for and member of the LGBT community, and is involved in divorcE • several charitable groups, community associations, and professional namE changE • organizations. 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