‘LESBIAN NUNS’ Co-editOR DIES WINDY CITY THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 MAY 30, 2012 PAGE 4 VOL 27, NO. 32 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.comTIMES ACLU, Lambda file for marriage in Illinois ADAM LAMBERT INTERVIEW page 26 The plaintiffs in the marriage-equality lawsuits include Angelica Lopez and Claudia Mercado (with their two kids) as well as Carlos Briones, Richard Rykhus and their son Ty (right photo). Right photo by Jennifer Schuman; left photo courtesy of Lambda Legal. IML 2012 BY KATE SOSIN September 2005 and are raising a son together. But in Il- The case hinges on the assertion that everyone has a page 29 linois, their marriage translates to a civil union, a status right to marry the person that they love and that denying Representing 25 couples throughout the state, Lambda they struggle to explain to their seven year-old, Ty. same-sex couples marriage rights deprives them of equal Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of “It’s important for him to know that this family is as treatment under the law. Illinois have filed two separate but coordinated lawsuits important as any other,” Briones said. “Civil unions brand these couples as worth less than against Cook County aimed at winning marriage equality Briones and Rykhus are one of nine couples represented other families, and children feel that,” said Taylor. in Illinois. in the ACLU suit, which opens with plaintiff stories. Taylor added that for many families, the symbolic sig- “We cannot justify waiting any longer,” said Camilla John Knight, ACLU LGBT project director, argued that nificance of having a civil union is not on par with mar- Taylor, national marriage project director of Lambda Le- civil unions have had a year to work but have failed to riage. gal. grant the same benefits and protections promised to The couples say that civil unions also fall short in prac- The May 30 lawsuits, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook LGBT families as marriage. Many civil-union couples have tical ways. County names Cook County Clerk David Orr (Orr has per- had to prove their status to hospitals and other agencies Humboldt Park couple Angelica Lopez and Claudia Mer- sonally been supportive of LGBT rights for years). with paperwork, a burden not placed on married couples, cado keep documentation of their family in their car at In both lawsuits plaintiffs argue that civil unions, Knight said. all times, in the event that they cross state lines into which began in Illinois almost a year ago to the day, “There’s just no other way to meet the constitutional Indiana to barbecue with friends. Their glove compart- have failed to deliver on the promise of equality both requirements,” he said. ment contains birth certificates for their two children, practically and symbolically. An additional 16 couples are represented by Lambda adoption decrees showing that both of them are legal “When you’re a kid, you don’t dream about growing up Legal, 15 of whom already have civil unions. The couples parents, their civil union certificate and power of attor- SUMMER QUEER to get a civil union,” said Richard Rykhus, a plaintiff in all attempted to obtain marriage licenses from the Cook ney documentation for each other. the ACLU suit. “You dream about getting married.” County Clerk but were denied. The lead plaintiffs in that MOVIE PREVIEW Rykhus and his partner, Carlos Briones, have been case are Jim Darby and Patrick Bova, longtime activists Turn to page 6 page 22 together 11 years. The two were married in Canada in for LGBT veterans’ rights. 2 May 30, 2012 WINDY CITY TIMES WINDY CITY TIMES May 30, 2012 3 this week in WINDY CITY TIMES When A Great De al Matters, Sho p Ro b Paddor’s... NEWS ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS ‘Lesbian Nuns’ co-editor dies 4 Summer entertainment special 15 Evanston Subaru in Skokie Obama and the LGBTs; Milk 5 Theater specials 16 Anti-homophobe website; parade 6 ‘Jersey Boys’ interview 21 Gay ex-Chicagoan in White House 7 Summer queer movie preview 22 CHICAGOLAND’S ONLY STELLAR CARE AWARD DEALERSHIP ‘Queer Is Community’ event 8 Film reviews: Moonrise Kingdom 23 For Outstanding Customer Service Anti-bullying bill 9 ‘Drop Dead Diva’ Brooke Elliott 24 #1 Cyberbullying; Obama’s Milk party 10 Adam Lambert interview 26 Safe Schools Alliance video 11 Dish: New England Seafood Co. 28 SuBARu Montrose Rocks’ new era 12 IML photos 31 DEALER Gay in the Life; T in the Life 13 Billy Masters 33 iN iLLiNOiS Viewpoints: Strong; Letters 14 2008 OUTLINES 2009 † Real estate; classifieds 30 Rob 2010 Calendar Q 32 2012 RECIpIENT Sports: Chicago Dragons 34 Paddor Bill 2011 Photos on cover (left, from top): Rosemary Keefe photo courtesy of Nancy Manahan; Adam Snowden 2012† Lambert PR photo; photo from IML by Ross Forman; still of Penelope Cruz in To Rome with Love CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, VOICE OF Y SINCE 1985 THE OMMUNIT BI AND TRANS C 12 MAY 30, 20 , NO. 32 WINDY CITYVOL 27 AN ‘LESBI NUNS’ CO-EDITOR DIES TIMESindyCityMediaGroup.com www.W PAGE 4 ambda file for ACLU, L llinois marriage in I DOWNLOAD THIS! Go to www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com ADAM LAMBERT IEW INTERV PAGE 26 s and their Rykhu Richard s Briones, ell as Carlo ids) as w r two k o (with thei a ia Mercad yone has t ever g pez and Claud bda Legal. rtion tha denyin ca Lo f Lam he asse and that e Angeli urtesy o es on t ey love to download complete issues of Windy City Times and Nightspots. lud co e hing at th em of equal suits inc The cas erson th ives th ality law an; left photo ghts depr age-equ fer Schum t in Il- marry the p iage ri arri gether. Bu right to les marr in the m to by Jenni son to status ex coup rth less than intiffs ght pho aising a ion, a same-s s as wo The pla oto). Ri nd are r a civil un the law. couple ylor. t ph 2005 a to old, Ty. eatment under ese t,” said Ta son Ty (righ tember e translates year- as tr l tha c sig- Sep marriag seven mily is unions brand th , their to their this fa “Civil and children fee lies, the symboliith mar- linois explain amilies, y fami par w gle to now that other f hat for man is not on they strug for him to k ted ded t ion a tant ones said. sen Taylor ad l un - SIN e, Lambd impor Bri les repre having a civi in prac SO tat “It’s any other,” f nine coup ies. ance of fall short BY KATE out the s f tant as one o f stor nific also through impor ykhus are h plaintif d that l unions couples rties Union (ACLU)sui ots es and R opens wit gue riage. y that civi a Mer- 2012 ting 25 vil Libe ated law Brion which director, ar d to sa Claudi IML esen Ci din lity t, project faile The couples pez and at 31 Repr he American but coor e equa the ACLU sui LGBT ut have to ca Lo heir car PAGE l and t rate arriag in CLU to work b sed ays. le Angeli ly in t Lega o sepa inning m n Knight, A a year tical w es into ve filed tw ed at w Joh had rotections promi ave ldt Park coup state lin Illinois ha ty aim ions have and p couples h Humbo tation of their fami art- ok Coun aid Camilla civil un vil-union cies at they cross comp against Co ger,” s e same benefits Many ci er agen cado keep documenevent th glove lon Lambda Le- ant th arriage. the riends. Their o children, ing any or of gr es as m hospitals and oth ples, es, in with f their tw in Illinois. t justify wait ect T famili us to all tim rbecue s for e legal canno e project dir LGB eir stat laced on married cou ba ficate them ar “We marriag of Cook prove th ot p Indiana to irth certi h of attor- al t Court had to burden n onal ns b that bot er of Taylor, nation e Circui per- perwork, a onstituti ment contai showing e and pow th (Orr has with pa eet the c decrees certificat uits, filed in vid Orr ay to m on gal. 0 laws Clerk Da ars). ight said. a adopti other. e May 3 ounty or ye s, Kn o other w y Lambd ents, their civil unionor ea ch 6 Th s Cook C ghts f l union ere’s just n d. ented b par o page ty name e of LGBT ri at civi “Th he sai e repres couples cumentation f Turn t Coun portiv he day, ements,” ples ar ons. 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