CHEF ART SMITH DISHES ON HIS RESTAURANT WINDY CITY THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 AUG. 28, 2013 VOL 28, NO. 47 PAGE 18 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.comTIMES Civil-union couples and Social Security BY KATE SOSIN nize her civil union. advocates argue that extending social security benefits TALKING WITH “This is why we need marriage and not all these eu- will undermine the message that civil unions fall short Vernita Gray spent more than 40 years paying into so- phemisms,” said Gray. “I’m an American in every state. of marriage, an argument that LGBT groups are mak- LESBIAN cial security. And she paid her dues in Chicago’s LGBT Whatever is the benefit for my spouse should be the ing to Illinois lawmakers who are wavering on marriage JUDICIAL community, pushing for rights throughout those four benefit for my spouse.” equality. CANDIDATE decades. Predictions on whether SSA will recognize civil unions The result has been mixed advice and political strat- Now, she wants her partner, Pat Ewert, to have access and domestic partnerships are mixed. Some groups like egy in Illinois amid an expensive push to pass an equal LINDA PAUEL to her social security benefits. The two had a civil union the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have said that marriage bill. page 10 June 2, 2011, in a public ceremony to mark the start of they think SSA should recognize such relationships, and Anthony Niedwiecki, associate professor at the John Illinois civil unions in Millennium Park. they have encouraged same-sex couples approaching 62 Marshall Law School, said such legal conundrums will But Gray, like many Illinois civil-union couples, does years-old to apply. plague the federal government and LGBT people until not yet know the fate of her benefits. Gray is among But others note that the federal government does not thousands of Illinoisans awaiting word on whether or recognize civil unions and say it is unlikely such bene- Turn to page 6 not the Social Security Administration (SSA) will recog- fits will be granted. Further confusing the matter, some SIMPLY THE FEST WINDY CITY RODEO HIGHLIGHTS pagE 22 LESBIAN R&B SINGER MONIFAH page 9 TALKS RELIGION, ENGAGEMENT pagE 16 The Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus held its annual Lovefest Aug. 25 at Jackson Park. While there was plenty of entertainment, there was also an emphasis on health, as various providers were part of the “Healthy is Sexy” (HIS) Health Village. See photos on page 9. Photo by Vern Hester 2 Aug. 28, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES ` NEW 2014 FIAT 500L NOW AVAILABLE! 0% APR FOR 60 MONTHS! DAYS NO 9 PAYMENTS Fields FIAT of Highland Park 250 Skokie Valley Road, • Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 579-6900 • FIATofhighlandpark.com Photos are for representative purposes only. Vehicles shown may differ from actual vehicles to be sold. Offers expire 8/31/13. !Tax, title, license and documentation fee not included. All offers subject to credit approval. Offers exclude 500 Pop Hatchback models and cannot be combined together or used in conjunction with any other special offers, rebates or cash allowances. 60 month financing offered at $16.67 per month per $1,000.00 financed. Please see dealer for details. WINDY CITY TIMES Aug. 28, 2013 3 this week in WINDY CITY TIMES NEWS ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Column 4 Scottish Play Scott 13 Logan Square church backs gay marriage 5 Theater reviews 14 When A Great Deal Matters, Shop Rob Paddor’s... Manning protest; Social Security 6 Talking with out singer Monifah 16 Supreme Court forum 7Dish: Spotlighting Art Smith 18 Howard Brown transition 8 Billy Masters 21 Evanston Subaru in Skokie Lovefest photos 9 Lesbian judicial candidate Linda Pauel 10 OUTLINES Classifieds 18 LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE Gay in the Life 11 VIEWS: Johnson; Julian Bond letter 12 Calendar Q 20 Windy City Rodeo highlights 22 Friday: 9am-9pm Saturday: 9am-6pm Open Labor Day/Monday: 9am-5pm Photos on cover (left, from top): Photo of Jesus Salgueiro (left) and Art Smith by Ed Negron; FREE BBQ LUNCH FRIDAY, SAT. & MONDAY photo of Linda Pauel from Pauel; photo from Windy City Rodeo by Kirk Williamson; PR photo of Monifah IAN, S GAY, LESB CE 1985 THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’ Y SIN HEF ART C BI AND TRANS COMMUNIT SMITH DISHES UG. 28, 2013 S A , NO. 47 ON HI NT WINDY CITYVOL 28 RESTAURA TIMESiaGroup.com www.WindyCityMed 8 PAGE 1 efits curity ben ocial se l short extending s nions fal Civil-union couplese that at civil u mak- ecurityh s argu sage t ps are advocate the mes BT grou riage mine t that LG on mar under rgumen ring - will are wave e eu rriage, an a akers who t- ot all thes of ma s lawm ical stra ocialnion. Sy state. to Illinoi polit r civil u arriage and n n ever ing qual nize he ed m ican i he ed advice and pass an e why we ne an Amer ould be t equality. n mix ush to “This is I’m ouse sh ult has bee sive p said Gray. “ my sp The res an expen sms,” efit for the John and S phemi he ben unions in Illinois amid ssor at er is t ize civil egy e DOWNLOADprofe ms will THIS! N ev e.” n ll. iat ru SOSI aying into so- What y spous og like iage bi i, assoc conund BY KATE years p LGBT m er SSA will rec me groups marr dwieck ch legal til han 40 benefit for th ed. So d that said su T people un more t in Chicago’s ions on whe e sai Anthony Nie , d LGB y spent her dues hose four Predict nerships are mix ACLU) hav d w School t an ra e paid ghout t Union ( rshall La l governmen 6 ITH Vernita G And sh throu domestic part erties relationships, an Ma federa page G W curity. hts and Civil Lib ze such ching 62 Turn to cial se hing for rig rican ogni pproa plague the TALKIN ty, pus have access the Ame hould rec ouples a N uni t, to ion SSA s e-sex c IA comm Pat Ewer civil un hey think ed sam not LESB . partner, a t ag does IAL decades her The two had e start of have encour rnment C nefits. mark th they gove bene- JUDI E Now, she wantscu rity be ony to s-old to apply. the federal ikely such social se ic cerem year note that it is unl ter, some ANDIDAT to her n a publ Park. oes others say he mat C 2011, i ennium uples, d But using t A PAUEL June 2, s in Mill il-union co g ize civil unions and LIND union civ ay is amon recogn d. Further conf % y Illinois . Gr or grante 10 Illinois civil man r benefits ether ill be PAGE Gray, like of he on wh fits w But he fate ng word - know t ti A) will recog not yet ans awai tion (SS linois ministra nds of Il urity Ad thousa cial Sec not the So THE FEST Go to www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com SIMPLY 9 to download complete issues of Windy City Times and Nightspots. CITY WINDY RODEO GHTS HIGHLI 2 PAGE 2 page 9 s on emphasi Then click on any ad and be taken directly to the advertiser’s Web site! also an here was ment, t ntertain y of e Hester s plent y Vern Photo b While there wapage 9. &B son Park. os on R at Jack phot LESBIAN FAH Aug. 25 illage. See MONI ealth V NGER , al Lovefest (HIS) H SI GION d its annu is Sexy” RELI ucus hel hy TALKS s Ca f the “Healt MENT e part o GAGE ago Black Gay Men’ er EN The Chic us providers w E 16 ario PAG health, as v END OF MONTH INCENTIVES! online exclusives at ** www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com RAY OF LIGHT 1 Windy City Times spotlights male burlesque dancer Ray Gunn (left). 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