VOL 30, NO. 33 MAY 13, 2015 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Affinity in Chicago’s Pride Parade, 2007. Photo by Tracy Baim Affinity at 20 Marking two decades of grassroots accomplishments PART ONE OF TWO social background of anyone who cares to stop by, they would BY Gretchen Rachel HAMMOND find Affinity’s door wide open and inside safety and an exuber- ant welcome. It is late on a Wednesday evening. While the darkening streets Chris Smith was one of the nine people who founded Affinity of Chicago have long since emptied of commuters on their way in 1995. She was to remain with the organization for 13 years home, at the Affinity Community Services offices located just in the capacities of co-chair and then president. off a modest Hyde Park shopping center, the small cadre of “Some of the initial thinkers were rooted in larger commu- staff and volunteers are still at their desks. nity processes,” Smith told Windy City Times. “There were folks Just as there was 20 years ago when a group of determined like me who were part of other organizations around the city, advocates organized around a dire need for services and social Black LGBT folks in particular, who were contemplating the al- justice geared toward the Black LGBT community on Chicago’s location of LGBT resources and services throughout the city.” South Side, there is still far too much to do. They envisioned advocacy and assistance on the South Side On one wall of a long, narrow conference room adjacent to of Chicago delivered by and for Black LGBT people. “We began Affinity’s set of confined offices, a dry erase board notes up- to hammer out a mission, vision and developed the social pil- coming tasks and projects. There is no space at the bottom to lars of what would become Affinity,” Smith recalled. RED RECKONING add anything else. She became a co-chair of the organization alongside accom- Reba McEntire talks about LGBT fans, Yet despite the overwhelming list and cramped surroundings, plished non-profit consultant Lisa Marie Pickens. In the sum- being a redhead. the space is infused from end-to-end with energy, determina- mer of 1995, Affinity’s list of tasks and projects required to 15 tion and an immediate sense that no matter what the race, Photo by Albert Sanchez sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, age, economic or Turn to page 8 LGBT VETERANS DIRECTOR DEE REES AIDS FOUNDATION To be honored on Memorial Day. On her HBO movie ‘Bessie,’ directing Queen Latifah. Gala honors Ernie Rodriguez Artist’s rendering by Tod Tatsui Photo by Frank Masi/HBO (pictured) and Tom Kehoe. 4 14 Photo courtesy of AFC 7 JULY 7–26 800-775-2000 • TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ALL BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BOX OFFICES BROADWAY’S HUGE-HEARTED HIT! AND TICKETMASTER RETAIL LOCATIONS GROUPS 10+: 312-977-1710 • KINKYBOOTSTHEMUSICAL.COM 2 May 13, 2015 WINDY CITY TIMES WINDY CITY TIMES May 13, 2015 3 WINDY CITY TIMES INDEX NEWS LGBT veterans to be honored 4 DOWNLOAD GRAND OPENING Obits: Heffernan, Hayes, Davis 6 THIS ISSUE AFC to honor Rodriguez, Kehoe 7 AND BROWSE THE ARCHIVES at Affinity marks 20 years 8 th In the Life 9 WWW.WINDYCITYTIMES.COM MAY 16 Viewpoints 10 ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS Dancin’ Feats 11 Knight: Dee Rees talks ‘Bessie’ 14 Reba McEntire interview 15 Guild Literary Complex holding event 16 VOL 30, NO. 33 MAY 13, 2015 www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com Affinity in Chicago’s Pride Parade, 2007. Sutton Foster talks ‘Younger’ 17 Photo by Tracy Baim Affinity at 20 Marking two decades of OUTLINES grassroots accomplishments PART ONE OF TWO social background of anyone who cares to stop by, they would Classifieds; Dish (Commons Club) 19 BY GRETCHEN RACHEL HAMMOND find Affinity’s door wide open and inside safety and an exuber- ant welcome. It is late on a Wednesday evening. While the darkening streets Chris Smith was one of the nine people who founded Affinity of Chicago have long since emptied of commuters on their way in 1995. She was to remain with the organization for 13 years home, at the Affinity Community Services offices located just in the capacities of co-chair and then president. Reporter wins award; Baim honored 20 off a modest Hyde Park shopping center, the small cadre of “Some of the initial thinkers were rooted in larger commu- staff and volunteers are still at their desks. nity processes,” Smith told Windy City Times. “There were folks Just as there was 20 years ago when a group of determined like me who were part of other organizations around the city, advocates organized around a dire need for services and social Black LGBT folks in particular, who were contemplating the al- justice geared toward the Black LGBT community on Chicago’s location of LGBT resources and services throughout the city.” South Side, there is still far too much to do. They envisioned advocacy and assistance on the South Side Billy Masters 21 of Chicago delivered by and for Black LGBT people. “We began On one wall of a long, narrow conference room adjacent to Affinity’s set of confined offices, a dry erase board notes up- to hammer out a mission, vision and developed the social pil- coming tasks and projects. There is no space at the bottom to lars of what would become Affinity,” Smith recalled. RED RECKONING add anything else. She became a co-chair of the organization alongside accom- Reba McEntire talks about LGBT fans, Yet despite the overwhelming list and cramped surroundings, plished non-profit consultant Lisa Marie Pickens. In the sum- Force routs Crush; Hall of Fame bowling 22 the space is infused from end-to-end with energy, determina- mer of 1995, Affinity’s list of tasks and projects required to being a redhead. 15 tion and an immediate sense that no matter what the race, Photo by Albert Sanchez sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, age, economic or Turn to page 8 LGBT VETERANS DIRECTOR DEE REES AIDS FOUNDATION To be honored on Memorial Day. On her HBO movie ‘Bessie,’ directing Queen Latifah. Gala honors Ernie Rodriguez Artist’s rendering by Tod Tatsui Photo by Frank Masi/HBO (pictured) and Tom Kehoe. 4 14 Photo courtesy of AFC 7 JULY 7–26 800-775-2000 • TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ALL BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BOX OFFICES BROADWAY’S HUGE-HEARTED HIT! AND TICKETMASTER RETAIL LOCATIONS GROUPS 10+: 312-977-1710 • KINKYBOOTSTHEMUSICAL.COM online exclusives at www.WindyCityTimes.com ‘HOME’ bound Windy City Times reviews the New York City production of the Tony-nominated Fun Home. Photo by Jenny Anderson TO THE MAX Welcome to the ALL-NEW Urban Pooch Training & Fitness Center! Unique to Chicago, our spectacular, state-of-the-art 10,000-s.f. facility offers training, fi tness and agility—with many classes you won’t fi nd anywhere else. We’re proud to provide the city’s largest team of differentiated, award-winning trainers, who can solve any behavior issue. THAt’s itALIAN! Australian trans man Max Mack will be Windy City Times visited the Italian competing at International Mr. Leather. And we’re thrilled to introduce the world’s fi rst FitBark Dog Activity restaurant Piccolo Sogno Due as well Photo from Mack as the Gold Coast eatery Hugo’s Frog Monitor program, awarding weekly prizes to top performers. Bar & Fish House. 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Damen Avenue | 773.961.8880 Mr. Leather 2015 /nightspots www.UrbanPoochTraining.com THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO nightspotschicago www.WindyCityQueercast.com UrbanPooch_WindyCityTimes_4.875x13.5_v3.indd 1 5/7/15 10:19 PM 4 May 13, 2015 WINDY CITY TIMES Relationships & the Law Today BY LESLIE A. GUTIERREZ Possible Outcomes From the Same-Sex Marriage Debate Before the Supreme Court On April 28, 2015, the U.S. Supreme as and just less than two-years ago in U.S. Court heard oral argument on the legal v. Windsor, he voted in favor of striking challenges to bans on marriage rights for down the section of the federal “Defense same-sex couples in Obergefell v. Hodges. of Marriage Act” law that defined marriage Specifically, the Court was tasked with as between a man and woman only. addressing two questions: (1) whether Thus, even without Justice Roberts’ Stanley Jenczyk, chairperson of the monument committee and junior board member of the states must perform same-sex marriages; vote, if Justice Kennedy follows his prior Chicago Chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER), with an early draft of the and (2) whether states must recognize pattern of analysis, the Supreme Court design. same-sex marriages performed in another should issue a national mandate for mar- Photo by Tracy Baim state where such marriages are legal. riage equality with a 5-4 decision. Both The Supreme Court is comprised of Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy nine Justices.