SCHOLAR KEVIN MUMFORD TALKS GAY, CIVIL RIGHTS WINDY CITY THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 AUG. 21, 2013 VOL 28, NO. 46 PAGE 10 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.comTIMES Jason Collins: Gay NBA player on Obama, Oprah erica MEINERS BY ROSS FORMAN looks at Jason Collins admitted that not too many know the backstory about the phone call he received from President trayvon case Obama in late April, hours after a Sports Illustrated column revealed that the 12-year National Basketball As- through QUEER, sociation (NBA) veteran is gay—particularly where he was going. FEMINIST LENSES Collins has a friend who works for Valerie Jarrett in the White House, and the friend was among 60 or so family page 8 and close friends who Collins informed the day before the Sports Illustrated issue (May 6 cover date) went live. On that Monday morning when Collins was officially coming out, he received a phone call between calls he was making, and yet he did not answer it because the ID showed the caller was unknown. Minutes later, Collins checked his voicemail and heard it was Jarrett, the senior advisor to the president, with her personal support. “I was kicking myself for missing a call from Valerie Jarrett,” Collins said. Jason Collins. Photo by Ross Forman Turn to page 26 DANCE gay-rights activists FEVER Protest MCDONALD’S pagE 7 WILSON cruZ ON activism page 20 AND ‘MY SO-called LIFE’ pagE 20 Thousands turned out for this year’s Dance for Life, which benefited AIDS Foundation of Chicago, The Dancer’s Fund and Chicago House. See more photos on page 20 and online at www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com. Photo by Hal Baim 2 Aug. 21, 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 7/31/13. !Tax, title, license and documentation fee not included. All offers subject to credit approval. Offers exclude 500 Pop Hatchback, Abarth Hatchback/Convertible, 500L 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 this week in Aug. 21, 2013 RW2013_WCT_5x13-5.pdf 1 6/26/2013 8:35:19 PM NEWS WINDY CITY TIMES Column 4 Protestant group makes history LGBTs back cannabis bill ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS McDonald’s protest 5 Stage Door Jonny 6 Theater reviews Queer take on Trayvon 7 case Scholar talks gay, civil rights Dance for Life overview, pics 3 Gay in the Life Wilson Cruz chats with WCT 13 18 VIEWS: Besen, Tillery 8 Knight: Austenland, Passion 10 Sports: Softball champs 20 11 Billy Masters 20 12 21 23 OUTLINES 25 Dish, classifieds Photos on cover (left, from top): Photo of Kevin MumfordCalendar by L. Q Brian Stauffer; photo of Erica OUR Meiners by Yasmin Nair; photo of protester by Matt Simonette;The NBA’s photo Jason of CollinsWilson Cruz by Melissa Wasserman 22 CITY 24 . 26 OUR SCHOLAR KEVIN MUMFORD TALKS GAY, CIVIL RIGHTS WINDY CITY THE VOICE OF CHICAGO’S GAY, LESBIAN, BI AND TRANS COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 AUG. 21, 2013 VOL 28, NO. 46 PAGE 10 www.WindyCityMedTIMESiaGroup.com LIV Jason Collins: Gay NBA player ES. on Obama, Oprah ERICA MEINERS BY ROSS FORMAN LOOKS AT Jason Collins admitted that not too many know the backstory about the phone call he received from President TRAYVON CASE Obama in late April, hours after a Sports Illustrated column revealed that the 12-year National Basketball As- THROUGH QUEER, sociation (NBA) veteran is gay—particularly where he was going. FEMINIST LENSES Collins has a friend who works for Valerie Jarrett in the White House, and the friend was among 60 or so family PAGE 16 and close friends who Collins informed the day before the Sports Illustrated issue (May 6 coveDOWNLOADr date) went live. THIS! On that Monday morning when Collins was officially coming out, he received a phone call between calls he was making, and yet he did not answer it because the ID showed the caller was unknown. Minutes later, Collins checked his voicemail and heard it was Jarrett, the senior advisor to the president, with her personal support. “I was kicking myself for missing a call from Valerie Jarrett,” Collins said. Jason Collins. Photo by Ross Forman Turn to page 26 DANCE Go to www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com GAY-RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FEVER PROTEST MCDONALD’S PAGE 7 to download complete issues of Windy City Times and Nightspots. WILSON CRUZ ON ACTIVISM page 20 AND ‘MY SO-CALLED LIFE’ PAGE 20 Thousands turned out for this year’s Dance for Life, which benefited AIDS Foundation of Chicago, The Dancer’s Fund and Chicago House. See more photos on page 20 and online at www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com. Photo by Hal Baim Then click on any ad and be taken directly to the advertiser’s Web site! online exclusives at www.WindyCityMediaGroup SEEING THE .com Point Foundation PEDOINT Jorge Valencia (left) was at an organizational event that honored its scholars. Photo by Ed Negron C M Y CM MY CY SPACE CASES CMY AIDS Legal Council of Chicago held its K annual summer benefit—this time with Read a profile of the theme “Lost in Space.” Jeff Zacharias, the A fashion show out gay clinical benefited Lurie director of New Hospital’s Center Hope Recovery SA for Gender, TUR Center. KEEPING COOL Sexuality and HIV D WCT profiles the business and life Photo from Zacharias AY Prevention. , SEP partners who own Berwyn ice-cream Photo by Ed Negron SOLDIER T store Over the Rainbow. SOLDIER . 28 LEADERS OF R THE PACK REGISTE FIELD THAT’S ENTER AI R Find out the latest about Jennifer D T TAINMENT SR OD Lopez, Orlando Cruz and Nate Berkus. UNWALK.ORAY PR ODUC ED BY G plus DAILY BREAKING NEWS Pop Making Sense looks at upcoming shows by acts such as The Pack A.D. Photo by Rebecca Blissett SPONSORE nightspots D BY WINDY CITY nightspots #1100 • August 21, 2013 GAY R GLAMOUR ODEO & GRIT Miss and Mr.Get Continental ready for (above) & MISS/MR. and Windy City Rodeo 2013 (below) CONTINENT AL Find Nightspots on Bell Li Show #535 tho | Or MEDIA bitz | PARTNER Marat www.WindyCityQueercast.com A&U S hon Spo Magazine rtsw GRAB | Best ear | Publi Magazine GayChicago. | WG c c Communications N | W om | C indy C hicagoPr Inc ity Media ide. Group com | G ay Chic Magazine 4 Aug. 21, 2013 WINDY CITY TIMES A Queer Agenda August 23–25, 2013 BY ANDRÉ PÉREZ Chicago is Queerer than Boystown Where do queers in Chicago find commu- computer for cheap. Although they have nity? As a visible trans Latin@, queers no explicitly LGBTQ programing, Free who are new to Chicago or just coming Geek is fairly on top of their trans stuff, out, often approach me wanting advice. and they even have gender-neutral bath- They are hungry to connect with one rooms. West Town Bikes is a great place another. There’s no one answer. It really to fix up your beater or soup up your depends on who you are and what you single speed. If you like biking but don’t are looking for. love the macho culture that sometimes All queer people will never feel com- accompanies it, check out Women and fortable in a single kind of space. Sure, Trans Night hosted every Wednesday from large institutions with enough money to 7-10 p.m. If you’re over 30, Queer So- spend on promo guys or marketing de- cial Club at Archie’s Tavern may be more partments offer a focal point for LGBTQ your speed. Grab a few drinks in low-key life. However, our city has more to offer environment on the first Wednesday of than we sometimes recognize. every month. When we look to one neighborhood that offers a very particular experience Pleasing places for queers of color of LGBTQness to everyone, and put it on Club Escape and The Jeffrey Pub a pedestal, we overlook a broad range are the two of the longest-running bars of spaces and places where queer people catering to Chicago’s Black LGBTQ com- find affirming community. My visibility munity. You can find great dancing any in the community also means that I’m night of the week at either, but if you’re privy to a constant barrage of complaints looking to meet ladies, you’ll have the about the usual suspects—they are too most luck at Club Escape on Thursdays. Queer people of color (QPOC) spaces are often less formal and institutionalized than “If I can help a few folks their white counter- navigate community and parts, but there are an increasing number of find the queers who are out Chicagoans working to build QPOC space. The there looking for them, then Black and Brown Punk Show is an annual event this is a successful column. that brings together musicians from all over Remember two things—only the country on Chicago’s South Side. This three- the seekers find, and have a day (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) good time! extravaganza has sever- al QPOC on the organiz- ing team, has included drag-themed shows in the past, and is benefit- white, not womyn-friendly; people who ing The Crib, an LGBTQ homeless youth are sober don’t want their social life to shelter, this year.