Jussie Smollett. Photo by Amanda Demme/FOX VOL 32, NO. 4 OCT. 19, 2016 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com RULING THE ‘EMPIRE’ Jussie Smollett discusses his hit show and upcoming movie PAGE 30 OH, MIGHTY ISIS Trans model struts her stuff on new show. Photo courtesy of Oxygen 31 JASON MCVICKER MAN’S COUNTRY FOREIGN AFFAIR Local social worker/educator dies at 54. North Side site closing, Ex-French justice minister Christiane Facebook photo owns much history. Taubira talks equality, division. 7 Photo by Owen Keehnen 22 Photo from the French consulate 6 @windycitytimes1 /windycitymediagroup @windycitytimes www.windycitymediagroup.com “AN EMOTIONAL POWERHOUSE.” –Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune NOVEMBER 2–13 800-775- 2000 Tickets available at all Broadway In Chicago box offices and Ticketmaster retail locations. Groups 10+ call 312.977.1710 2 Oct. 19, 2016 WINDY CITY TIMES WINDY CITY TIMES Oct. 19, 2016 3 WINDY CITY TIMES INDEX NEWS Fatal meningococcal case; column 4 DOWNLOAD Former French official Christiane Taubira 6 THIS ISSUE Obit: Jason McVicker 7 AND BROWSE THE ARCHIVES at Puerto Rican scholar talks queer culture 8 Affinity open house 10 WWW.WINDYCITYTIMES.COM ELECTION CHARTS 12 Elections 2016: Jan Schakowsky 16 Elections 2016: Mike Quigley 20 Legacy Walk dedication for Rivera, Russo 21 Man’s Country profile 22 VIEWS: Gorenberg & Saenz; Mombian 24 KRZYSZTOF PASTOR’S & JULIET ROMEO ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Scottish Play Scott 25 Theater: A look at Bleacher Bums 28 TV: Jussie Smollett interivew 30 TV: Transgender model Isis King 31 Books: Talking with scholar Sarah Schulman 33 NIGHTSPOTS 34 OUTLINES Classifieds 36 Calendar Q 38 online exclusives at www.WindyCityTimes.com SETH LIST Bent Nights profiles shows by Tim Cain and The Seth Bogart Show. Photo of Seth Bogart (left) by Vern Hester BARE ‘ESSENTIALS’ “ A masterful achievement on every level.” WCT reviews the book The Essential — Chicago Sun-Times RuPaul. OZ AND EFFECT Photo courtesy of Stu Maddux The latest pieces involving LGBT History Month cover The Wizard of Oz and 1950s witch hunts that targeted gay men. BOLTON FROM THE BLUE PRESENTING SPONSOR NOW – OCTOBER 23 Margot and Josef TICKETS START AT $34 FIT TO PRINT Lakonishok WCT checked out the fitness expo CORPORATE SPONSOR JOFFREY.ORG/ROMEO known as Club Industry, which experienced a big change this year. 312.386.8905 GROUPS OF 10+ CALL 312.423.6612 THAT’S SHOW BIZ Find out the latest about Sade, Andy Cohen and Law & Order: SVU. OFFICIAL PROVIDER PERFORMS AT: 2016–2017 SEASON SPONSORS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY Michael Bolton was one of the luminaries present at the Gateway for Cancer 50 East Congress Parkway, Research’s 25th-annual Cures Gala. Chicago plus Photo by Jerry Nunn Joffrey Dancers: Christine Rocas & Rory Hohenstein | Photo by Cheryl Mann DAILY BREAKING NEWS 4 Oct. 19, 2016 WINDY CITY TIMES CDPH announces Relationships & new fatal case of the Law Today BY JILLIAN B. SOMMERS meningococcal disease Protecting Your Interest in Shared Assets BY MATT SIMONETTE same serogroup that have caused nine other IMD cases in men who have sex with men after Blumenthal v. Brewer Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), (MSM) in the area since 2015. This is the sec- The Illinois Supreme Court recently held which reversed the Illinois Appellate on Oct. 14, announced that there had been ond of the ten cases to be fatal. in Blumenthal v. Brewer, 2016 IL 118781, Court’s holding based upon the Illinois another fatal case of invasive meningococcal In an Oct. 14 statement, Howard Brown that couples who are not married to each Legislature’s intent. The court provided disease (IMD) in the Chicago area. Health officials called for all at-risk communi- other have no right to maintenance after that: The death took place in September, accord- ties to be vaccinated. Those communities in- ending the relationship, even if the cou- “While the United States Supreme ing to a CDPH alert that went to area health clude women and men who live or work on the ple has been together for decades and Court has made clear that ‘the Consti- providers Sept. 29. The patient was part of the North, South, and West sides of Chicago and rely on one another financially. tution ... does not permit the State to MSM who live or work in any Chicago area. Specifically, in 1981, Jane Blumenthal, bar same-sex couples from marriage “It’s important to know which areas are im- then a medical student, and Eileen Brew- on the same terms accorded to cou- pacted by meningitis so we can focus on in- er, then a law student, bought a home ples of the opposite sex’ (Obergefell v. creasing awareness and prevention in these together and committed themselves to Hodges, 135 S. Ct. at 2607), nothing communities,” said Dr. Maya Green, site medi- each other as domestic partners. To- in that holding can fairly be construed cal director for Howard Brown Health 63rd gether they had three cross-adopted as requiring states to confer on non- Street. “In the past, we offered the same vac- children, all of whom had the same last married, same-sex couples common cine to all students on college campuses and names, and both invested money into law rights or remedies not shared by had great success. This is proof that those of us Blumenthal’s private medical practice. similarly situated non-married cou- Brewer cared for the couple’s children, ples of the opposite sex. Legislatures living or working in at-risk communities should and later became a judge, while Blumen- may, of course, decide that matters of not get scared, we should get educated and get thal worked as a successful physician at public policy do warrant special con- vaccinated.” her medical practice. Given Brewer’s time sideration for non-married, same-sex IMD is a rare communicable bacterial disease spent raising the couple’s children while couples under certain circumstances, that can cause meningitis. It can be spread Blumenthal worked to support the fam- notwithstanding the fact that the in- through activities such as sharing drinks, ciga- ily and expand her medical practice, Blu- stitution of marriage is available to all rettes, smoking devices or marijuana, and also menthal was significantly wealthier than couples equally. What is important for through kissing and sexual contact. Common Brewer by the time the couple decided to the purposes of this discussion is that symptoms are fever, headache and a stiff neck. end their relationship in 2008. the balancing of the relevant public Other accompanying symptoms include nausea, When the relationship ended, Blumen- policy considerations is for the legisla- vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and thal left the family home, and Brewer as- ture, not the courts. Indeed, now that confusion. sumed all obligations therefor. However, the centrality of the marriage has been Howard Brown Health offers free vaccina- Blumenthal sued Brewer for partition of recognized as a fundamental right for tions as part of primary care screenings at all the home, and Brewer asserted counter- all, it is perhaps more imperative than its clinic locations. Additional vaccination lo- claims for the home and other forms of before that we leave it to the legisla- Dr. Maya Green. cations can be found by calling 311 or visiting spousal support, including a portion of tive branch to determine whether and bit.ly/1Jr8C9M. Photo by Matt Simonette Blumenthal’s earnings and a share in under what circumstances a change in her medical practice, arguing that assets the public policy governing the rights earned during the relationship should be of parties in non-marital relationships divided equally between the two parties. is necessary.” Blumenthal moved to dismiss each of Accordingly, the Illinois Supreme Court Municipal index out, ALMA announces Brewer’s counterclaims based on a prior held that Brewer could not assert her Illinois Supreme Court holding, Hewitt v. counterclaims against Blumenthal, as rates nine scholarship Hewitt, 77 Ill. 2d 49 (1979). she had no interest in Blumenthal’s as- The Association of Latino/as Motivating In Hewitt, the Illinois Supreme Court sets. Illinois cities Action (ALMA) Chicago has announced its determined that an unmarried hetero- The Blumenthal holding suggests that The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foun- annual ALMA Young Latino Leaders for Creat- sexual couple that had been living a same-sex couples who are in long-term dation, in partnership with the Equality Fed- ing Change Scholarship. eration Institute, released its fifth annual conventional family life together for relationships and share residences or This scholarship was developed in order to over 15 years, but had never married, other financial assets should consider Municipal Equality Index (MEI), assessing provide financial assistance to outstanding LGBTQ equality in 506 cities across the na- had no rights to one another’s property marriage or entering into a civil union, Illinois Latino LGBTQ youth leaders and youth attained throughout the course of the or executing either pre-nuptial or post- tion, including nine in Illinois. allies to attend the annual Creating Change The 2016 MEI—the only nationwide rat- relationship. The court reasoned that nuptial agreements, to protect the equi- Conference. With ALMA, Comcast and other “it is [not] appropriate for this court to table distribution of those assets earned ing system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal donors sponsoring, two young leaders will be grant legal status to a private arrange- throughout the duration of their rela- law and policy—shows that cities across the awarded a scholarship to attend the Creat- ment substituting for the institution of tionship. country, including in Illinois, continue to ing Change 2017 conference in Philadelphia, marriage sanctioned by the State.” Based If no actions are taken and a couple take the lead in supporting LGBTQ people and the event also includes the Union Equals upon Hewitt, the trial court in Blumen- does not marry or enter into a civil and workers, even when states and the fed- Fuerza: Latino Institute.