THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 Mar. 10, 2010 • vol 25 no 23 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Burris, Durbin call for DADT repeal BY CHUCK COLBERT page 14 Momentum to lift the U.S. military’s ban on Suzanne openly gay service members got yet another boost last week, this time from top Illinois Dem- Marriage in D.C. Westenhoefer ocrats. Senators Roland W. Burris and Richard J. Durbin signed on as co-sponsors of Sen. Joe Lie- berman’s, I-Conn., bill—the Military Readiness Enhancement Act—calling for and end to the 17-year “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy. Specifically, the bill would bar sexual orien- tation discrimination on current service mem- bers and future recruits. The measure also bans armed forces’ discharges based on sexual ori- entation from the date the law is enacted, at the same time the bill stipulates that soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Coast Guard members previ- ously discharged under the policy be eligible for re-enlistment. “For too long, gay and lesbian service members have been forced to conceal their sexual orien- tation in order to dutifully serve their country,” Burris said March 3. Chicago “With this bill, we will end this discrimina- Takes Off page 16 tory policy that grossly undermines the strength of our fighting men and women at home and abroad.” Repealing DADT, he went on to say in page 4 a press statement, will enable service members to serve “openly and proudly without the threat Turn to page 6 A couple celebrates getting a marriage license in Washington, D.C. The law allowing same-sex couples to obtain licenses went in effect March 3. See page 4; photo by Patsy lynch ‘Out at CHM’ looks at queer Latinos BY YASMIN NAIR Latina lesbians to define their identity in public spaces” as they worked to “negotiate national The Chicago History Museum’s Out at CHM series and ethnic identities and the diverse political hosted its first Latina/o event March 4. Titled histories” of members. Oscar “Queer Latinos: Art and Change,” the program LLENA began in 1988 and lasted till 1992. showcased the work of two researchers, Lourdes Chicago, in 1980, was not a friendly space for page 14 Wrap-Up Torres and Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes who Latina lesbians, who saw a lack of public spaces. presented on their Chicago-based work in the In November 1988, more than 30 such lesbians Latino/a community. They were introduced by gathered for a meeting to discuss ways to rem- Gays (like this one) Got Talent tMarch 3, 2010 Ramon Rivera-Servera, an assistant professor in edy the situation, and this gave birth to LLENA. at Spin. page 12 nightspots the department of performance studies at North- The name was an acronym for “Latina lesbians western University. en nuestro ambiente” or “Latina lesbians in our Torres is a professor of Latin American and space.” “Llena” in Spanish also means “full.” Ac- Latino Studies and the director of the Center cording to one member, LLENA was to convey for Latino Research at DePaul University, and the sense that the women felt “perfect in our a board member of Amigas Latinas, a local or- own space [with] a sense of completeness.” The pick it up ganization for Latina lesbian, bisexual, trans- group met every other Friday at Horizons, now Strip It Chicago Takes O hits the ground Sat., March 6. pages 2, 19, 30 gender, queer and questioning women. Torres’ Howard Brown Health Center. take it home Mad about American Idol’s Mardi Gras at Blake Lewis. Sidetrack. page 10 page 16 presentation was on Amigas and on its prede- LLENA consisted of a mixture of all social Lourdes Torres. Photo by Tracy Baim cessor group, LLENA. She said that the impetus Turn to page 8 behind her work was to “document the efforts of AdWindyCityTimes15x1025_ebersole_02outlined.indd 1 3/4/10 11:30:06 AM 2 Mar. 10, 2010 0% APR on 2010 Volkswagen Passat Sedan for 72 mos. Routan for 66 mos. %from 60-72A P mos. R^ Tiguan and GTI for 60 mos. thru VCI w/qual. credit. Offer ends 3/31/10. 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Impeccable and gorgeous—A landmark event!” —Time Out Chicago NEWS Marriage equality in D.C. 4 “Seamlessly meshing poetry, music and modern vernacular, it brims Durbin, Burris on DADT 6 with both raw emotionand real comedy.” —Chicagoist Westboro church in Chicago 6 Spin sued by ex-employees 7 “A music-infused, hilarious, tragic, complex, multi- Nettelhorst gets $100K 7 generational telling of the African-American experience!” LGBTQ education forum 8 —NewCity Out at CHM: Queer Latinos 8 Equality confab coming 9 “Surely the greatest piece of writing by an American playwright Anti-gay bill killed 9 under 30 in a generation of more.” —Chicago Tribune Quotelines 9 View by Mortimer; letters 10 ENTERTAINMENT Now Playing! Dancin’ Feats 11 In the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre Theater reviews 12 Anthony Martinez talks with Windy City Suzanne Westenhoefer 14 Times about the upcoming Equality Oscar roundup 14 Across America conference. Read page 9. Knight: Remember Me 15 Photo courtesy of Anthony Martinez Oscars gala photos 16 Chicago Takes Off pics 16 Gays Got Talent pics 16 Travel: Santa Monica, Calif. 19 Musician fights leukemia 19 Billy Masters 21 OUTLINES Real estate; classifieds 18 Calendar Q 20 Gay Games/Outgames merge? 22 Sports: Stegoscorus 22 Erica Meiners (left) and Therese Quinn were among the panelists who spoke at Photos on left side of cover (from top): Photo of Suzanne an LGBTQ education forum. Read page 8. Westenhoefer by Adam Bouska; photo from Chicago Takes Off by Kat Fitzgerald; photo of Precious director Lee Daniels Photo by John Fenoglio courtesy of Amanda Wehr the brother/ 9lii`j#;liY`eZXcc ]fi;8;Ki\g\Xc DXii`X^\`e;%:% JlqXee\ N\jk\e_f\]\i ;FNECF8;K?@J >fkfnnn%N`e[p:`kpD\[`X>iflg%Zfdkf[fnecfX[Zfdgc\k\`jjl\jf] :_`ZX^f KXb\jF]] ÊFlkXk:?DËcffbjXkhl\\iCXk`efj sister plays N`e[p:`kpK`d\jXe[E`^_kjgfkj% FjZXi NiXg$Lg K_\eZc`ZbfeXepX[Xe[Y\kXb\e[`i\Zkcpkfk_\X[m\ik`j\iËjN\Yj`k\ written by Tarell Alvin McCraney www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com directed by ensemble member Tina Landau A breakthrough theatrical event: three interconnected plays in two programs by a brilliant new American voice.