February 13, 2008
Clinton says she’d make GLBT issues a priority
In an interview Feb. 10 with the Washington Blade, Hillary Clinton pledged to be the first president to march in a GLBT Pride parade and vowed to vigorously push Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and other legislation.
“I talk about gay issues frequently,” she said. “I’ve been a longtime friend of the gay community…I talk about ending discrimination all the time.” Full Story
Metro Briefs
UI cancer program targets lesbians
University of Illinois Extension announced Feb. 5 a program expanding access to breast cancer education for women in Cook County. The program, “On the Road to Breast Cancer Prevention,” offers sessions targeted specifically to the lesbian community, according to Sonia... Full Story
The Center on Halsted was awarded the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Outstanding Non-Profit Real Estate Project at the 14th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards Feb. 7. The award was for the Center’s “commitment to sustainable development and its design ingenuity... Full Story
Opinion
A colleague stopped by my office last week. “I love that Obama and Clinton are head-to-head,” he said. “I hope that the fight goes all the way to the convention. Won’t that be fun? A convention that matters?” Well, no. It wouldn’t be fun... Full Story
All of us who write for the public press, large or small, get reaction comments from readers. Unless the volume is so overwhelming as to be a burden—as it may be for New York Times or Washington Post writers—reader reaction is welcome and can be interesting and useful. It certainly lets... Full Story
Nation Report
Prosecutor leads crackdown on hate crimes in Seattle
SEATTLE—A recent rash of hate crimes in Capitol Hill and other Seattle neighborhoods has led the King County prosecutor to work with community activists to launch a new anti-harassment campaign that urges potential victims to call 911 and avoid confrontation... Full Story
Wisconsin court won’t let cities join partners case
MADISON, Wis.—The Wisconsin Supreme Court sidestepped the underlying issue of whether the state should provide benefits to same-sex partners in a split-decision Feb. 7 on another issue related to the case... Full Story
California high court to hear marriage testimony
SAN FRANCISCO—California’s high court has set a March date to hear arguments over the legality of gay marriage in the state. The California Supreme Court is to hear three hours of arguments on the issue March 4 in San Francisco. Justices then have 90 days to rule... Full Story
Salt Lake City creates domestic partners registry
SALT LAKE CITY—The Salt Lake City Council approved a citywide partner registry Feb. 5, giving same-sex and other domestic partners the opportunity to share insurance benefits... Full Story
Oregon couples celebrate statewide partners law
PORTLAND, Ore.—Couples exchanged rings, toasted each other and broke into cheers Feb. 4 as other same-sex pairs emerged from the red brick Multnomah County Building waving certificates declaring them newly registered domestic partners... Full Story
Ohio officials using grant to study GLBT teens smoking
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio health officials are using a federal grant aimed at preventing tobacco use among minorities to study why gay and lesbian teenagers smoke at a higher rate than their straight peers... Full Story
Judge orders McGreevey’s boyfriend to disclose his bank records
ELIZABETH, N.J.—A judge has ordered the boyfriend of former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey to turn over records from three joint bank accounts the gay couple share as... Full Story
Editorial
Two news stories in recent days—both dealing with human rights issues in other countries—emphasize still more compelling reasons why our presidential election this year is of the utmost importance... Full Story
I am grateful to all of the 46th Ward residents who took the time to contact my office regarding the increase in the city’s property transfer tax as part of the overall restructuring and bailout of the CTA. It was helpful to hear from people on both... Full Story
Home
First Impressions: The front door is where it all begins
What’s the first thing you notice as you walk into a house? Hint: it has nothing to do with what’s inside. According to Coldwell Banker residential real estate agent Gina Maher, the front door is what people notice first. “It’s where you make your first impression,” Maher says... Full Story
Theater
The world’s great explorers have achieved their milestones by assembling winning teams that provided much of the expertise and virtually all of the legwork for their expeditions. But while the white men in charge have gained... Full Story
Insulting the audience reaches new lows in “Fatboy,” a scatological 90-minute grungefest by John Clancy. This 2004 recipient of a Edinburgh Fringe First award now enjoys a suitably obnoxious Midwest premiere at A Red Orchid Theatre. Inspired by the same go-for-broke... Full Story
As is often the case with Neil LaBute’s writing, “This Is How It Goes” revolves around a concept as opposed to fully articulated characters. This would automatically dismiss many playwrights. LaBute’s work, however... Full Story
Dining
Rick Karlin finds More misses than hits at D.O.C.
There’s a section of Yorktown Mall in Lombard that looks as if it’s a city street. Quaint street lamps cast shadows upon the snow-swept sidewalks. If it weren’t for the lack of dog poop, pigeons and panhandlers, you’d... Full Story
More News
Ready for your close-up? Well, not if you’re Barack Obama and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is around. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown recounting Obama’s reaction when he found out Newsom was at a fundraiser for him in 2004... Full Story
Keisling discusses trans issues at Center
Activist Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said her transition to female, which she began in 2000, was relatively easy. “I had the ideal transition,” she said, describing the acceptance she experienced from family and friends... Full Story
New Illinois Lottery game benefits HIV programs
State officials and community activists gathered at the James R. Thompson Center downtown Feb. 11 for the official unveiling of the Quality of Life scratch-off Illinois Lottery ticket. All of the proceeds from the ticket are to go towards community organizations providing services for... Full Story
Lambda’s ‘Freedom to Marry’ draws 400
More than 400 community members attended Lambda Legal’s seventh annual Freedom to Marry Reception Feb. 7 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. C.C. Carter, of the Center on Halsted, was the emcee and explained why she now had stakes in the fight for marriage equality... Full Story
Bond, Foreman speak at Creating Change
DETROIT—In this U.S./Canada border city next to an icy Detroit River, more than 2000 activists, civil rights leader Julian Bond and New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson gathered last week to celebrate the 20th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change... Full Story
Gay Mormons reach out to new church leader
SALT LAKE CITY—A group of gay Mormons is seeking an unprecedented meeting with the new church president and his counselors, hoping to begin a conversation and find ways to address the concerns of its members... Full Story
Democratic delegate race tight; McCain coasting
Sen. Hillary Clinton maintained a slight lead Feb. 11 over Sen. Barack Obama in the race for delegates needed to win the Democratic presidential nomination, despite Obama’s victories in four states last weekend. The Associated Press reported that Clinton had 1,136 delegates... Full Story
Super Tuesday gay votes show tilt toward Clinton
According to exit polls, Hillary Clinton won the battle for gay and lesbian votes in New York and California on Super Tuesday—Feb. 5—while an analysis of other returns around the country, including in Chicago, points to a possible Clinton advantage but is less conclusive... Full Story
Rights group scolds Egypt for treatment of gays, HIV-positive
CAIRO, Egypt—Recent arrests and trials in Egypt of HIV-positive men endanger human rights, an international watchdog said Feb. 6 and called on Egyptian authorities to release those in custody and stop criminalizing AIDS... Full Story
Partners bill stalls in New Mexico House
SANTA FE—A proposal to allow for domestic partnerships was shelved by a New Mexico Senate committee Feb. 9, a move that likely dooms the measure with time running out in the legislative session... Full Story
Freetime
Midlife Crisis No. 198: Girly Christ
I used to think the Dead Sea Scrolls were a type of venereal disease you caught from bending over in a tent and playing hide the sausage with a Bedouin tribesman until I watched a documentary on the Discovery Channel and found they’re actually ancient writings from biblical times... Full Story
PISCES: Part of you loves all this excitement and another part of you wishes things would settle down. Multiple changes are creating so much intensity. Dive into it. There are lessons here that will teach you more about who you really are. More
Back in the day: Moments in Chicago's GLBT history
1973: South Side gay bars at this time include Another Place, 7300 S. Cottage Grove; the Chain, 7860 S. Cottage Grove; Episode, E. 77th St. and Cottage Grove; High Chaparrel, 7740 S. Stoney Island Ave.; In Between, W. 63rd St. and Harlem Ave.; Jimmy’s, 1172 E. 55th St... Full Story
DVDiva: kiki & herb & romance & cigarettes
“Kiki & Herb Live at the Knitting Factory” (Alive Mind)—Filmed at the legendary NYC venue The Knitting Factory on May 17, 2007, this concert DVD can barely contain the frenetic energy of performance art cabaret couple Kiki (Justin Bond) and Herb (Kenny Melman). A deviously dynamic duo... Full Story
CFP reviews "Adam & Yves" and "Verboten Part 2". Full Story
Freestyle: arts, entertainment & lifestyle
Righteous Treasures: Loyola's art collection goes on display
For nearly 40 years Loyola University’s fine art collection was tucked away inconspicuously in the Cudahy Library of the northside campus. However, with the creation of a downtown gallery in Loyola’s old Lewis Tower building on Michigan Avenue, more... Full Story
A ‘Feather’ in her cap: an interview with Heather Haneman/Feather Handlesmen
Dancer Heather Haneman has gone where few other straight women have dared to go, and she wrote all about it in her book “Big Wigs: Stories of a Straight Girl in a Drag Queen’s World” (State Street Publishing, 2007, $19.95). In the book, as both Heather and... Full Story
looking presidential: White House furnishings
A one-time Halsted Street cruiser—now a partnered man—liked to say that presidents could collect a pretty penny for sleeping in Lincoln’s bed, but tricks would pay a mint for a night on his Sealy mattress. No name will be shared to protect the partner... Full Story
The guys from American Music Club, led by out front-man Mark Eitzel, are back with “The Golden Age” (Merge), their radiant, but restrained, new album. Transplanted to Los Angeles from San Francisco (after Eitzel’s brief Chicago stint), with two new band members in... Full Story
Kinetic Stereokids and The Way It Is play the Empty Bottle, 1045 N. Western, at 9 p.m. Call (773) 276-3600. More
Freeview: Brits hand out film awards
LONDON—Daniel Day-Lewis won the best actor award at the British Academy Film Awards Feb. 10, cementing his place as an Oscar favorite for his role as a larger-than-life oilman in “There Will be Blood... Full Story