July 25, 2007
Lakeside Pride ensembles celebrate 10 years of music
In the early 1990s, Jon Dallas attended a Gay Pride parade in Nashville and heard a marching band in the distance. Full Story
Editorial
Last week in Mexico City, a somber ceremony and wreath laying at the Benito Juarez Memorial in Alameda Central Park marked the 135th anniversary of the Mexican leader’s death. Full Story
In Greg Lindeman’s “Letter to the Editor” (CFP July 18), in which he said that that the Pride Parade should move downtown, he also said that “the Irish in Chicago don’t march in Bridgeport,” referring to the fact that there is a downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Full Story
Nation Report
Residents object to putting strip clubs underground
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Some residents are objecting to an idea that would literally drive some of Washington’s strip clubs underground by placing them beneath a landmark traffic circle. Full Story
Judge allows church to leave UCC over gay marriage
HUNTINGTON, Ind.—A judge has upheld a vote by a northeastern Indiana congregation to leave the United Church of Christ over the denomination’s recognition of gay marriage. Full Story
Judge rules against laws for same-sex parents
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Multnomah County Circuit Judge July 17 decided that two Oregon laws on parental rights violate the state’s constitution when applied to same-gender couples but said an upcoming legislative change will remedy it. Full Story
Archdiocese settles lawsuit that named Foley priest
MIAMI—The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami has settled a sexual abuse lawsuit that named a priest who acknowledged having inappropriate encounters with former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley. Full Story
Soldier who didn’t disclose HIV faces assault charge
RALEIGH, N.C.—Military and civilian authorities charged an HIV-positive soldier with assault with a deadly weapon, accusing him of having unprotected sex with a partner he didn’t tell about the infection. Full Story
Foley spends almost half-million on legal fees
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned from Congress amid an Internet teen sex scandal, has racked up nearly a half-million dollars in legal fees paid from his campaign account, according to recent filings. Full Story
Opinion
Whatever happened to gay culture?
One of the things that makes us most proud of being gay is our rich cultural heritage. But I wonder if that culture is now in danger.Full Story
It is important to keep our main focus on the struggle for gay freedom and equality here in the United States where the forces of anti-gay repression are constantly looking for ways to undermine and reverse our progress. Full Story
Dining
Opera's fare is sweet music for the palate
Try as I might to enjoy classical singing, all that comes to mind when I think of opera is Bugs Bunny singing an aria from “The Marriage of Figaro.” But if you, like me, think that Renata Tibaldi is an Italian car, there’s an Opera on the near south side that you’ll be happy to get to know. The pan-Asian restaurant has been around for a couple of years... Full Story
Travel
Take a tasting tour of Mexico City
MEXICO CITY—A soft flour tortilla stuffed with melted Chihuahua cheese and fresh squash blossoms. Chili- and chocolate-laden mole draped over succulent chicken breasts. Spit-roasted-pork tacos topped with pineapple, onion and cilantro. Full Story
Home
Keeping up a lawn is no easy task. Forget lazy summer afternoons—maintenance is a seemingly endless cycle of weeding, fertilizing, watering and cutting. Full Story
Freetime
Midlife Crisis No. 172: what can I get for $20?
I was interested to read about Florida State Rep. Robert “Bob” Allen (R-Merritt Island) who was recently arrested after allegedly offering to perform oral sex on a male undercover police officer for $20. Full Story
That Girl: Season 3” (Shout! Factory)—That hair, that smile, that voice, that habit of getting into comical and complicated situations can only mean “That Girl.” The third season of the popular proto-feminist sitcom, which premiered in 1965 and ran until 1971, and starred Marlo Thomas... Full Story
Horoscopes: Oozing Goo: July 25 - July 31
Sometimes the planets warp and blob like wax in lava lamps and we watch hypnotized as balls of gas and rock shift shape before our eyes. Full Story
You know how it feels when you are dancing to a song that is firing on all cylinders and you are caught up in the beats and rhythm and melody and you can’t help but smile—a big, hot grin, stretching from ear to ringing ear? Full Story
Our Back Pages: July 25 - July 31
1970. Members of Chicago Gay Lib and the newly formed Black Caucus picket the Normandy bar at 744 N. Rush St. Full Story
More News
Ol’ Blowhard Bill O’Reilly was at it again recently, fuming over gay people going to baseball games. Full Story
Man says he turned down cash but was still charged for prostitution
A Chicago man last week filed a federal civil suit against five Chicago police officers and the City of Chicago, alleging that he was unlawfully arrested for prostitution, maliciously prosecuted and defamed by the defendants. Full Story
Oak Park Village Board supports civil unions bill
The Oak Park Village Board last week unanimously passed a resolution making it the first municipality to support House Bill 1826, which would make civil unions available to same-sex couples in Illinois. Full Story
Bi-national and military couples wary of partner registries
OLYMPIA, Wash.—Tom Richardson and Salvador Valenzuela first marked their commitment to each other with a city domestic partnership in Seattle. When Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage, they married and hyphenated their last names. Full Story
RALEIGH, N.C.—Live one day at a time, without fear, Tammy Faye Messner said earlier this month as she battled cancer, weighing just 65 pounds. Full Story
Trans ex-inmate sues prison system
SAN FRANCISCO—Alexis Giraldo was born a man but lives life as a woman. She takes hormones to feminize her appearance, a fact she says prison officials did not care about even as her male cellmate repeatedly raped and beat her. Full Story
Corzine asks UPS to respect unions law
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J.—New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine sent a letter July 20 to United Parcel Service of America urging the shipping giant to respect New Jersey’s civil unions law and offer gay employees the same benefits for their partners that married workers get. Full Story
Banton agrees to stop promoting anti-gay songs
Dancehall performer Buju Banton has signed a statement agreeing to stop singing songs with homophobic lyrics, according to the Guardian Online. Full Story
Obit
Ferd Eggan, a writer, activist, teacher, and tireless advocate for people with HIV/AIDS, died in Los Angeles on July 7 at age 60 after a six-month bout with liver cancer, complicated by HIV and hepatitis C infections. Full Story
Art
Andersonville’s Estudiotres gallery presents “Drawn In,” a group exhibition of artists for whom drawing is an important element in their work. The exhibition includes three gay artists: George Bowes, Robert Lucy and John Parot. Full Story
Freestyle
When was the last time you decided not to mail a postcard home because you figured you would be back before the postcard arrived in the mail? Full Story
You should always suspect the straight characters in a gay play. Sooner or later, their sexuality will be up for grabs in ways that gay audiences would hate if the roles were reversed. Conversion, it seems, is OK if it goes our way. Full Story
Comedy is a funny business and few know that better than Carol Leifer. Long after establishing herself in the stand-up comedy world, Leifer continues to take to the stage, in addition to writing, producing and acting in a variety of vehicles. She is also hard at work on a book titled “When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win.” Full Story
Live Performance Listing: July 25 - July 31
July 28: Club legend Amanda LePore struts into Hydrate. Full Story
Music
The temperatures may have been hovering around their July average, but when the annual Pitchfork Music Festival was taking place, Chicago was the coolest place on earth for a couple of days. Full Story
Cinema
FreeView: Movie Reviews & Calendar
“Hairspray” (New Line)—Anyone concerned that “Hairspray,” the movie version of the stage musical based on the John Waters film of the same, was straying too far from its origins and was in the wrong hands (yes, you, Mr. Travolta) need not worry. Full Story