July 30, 2008
Baseball fans—some dedicated, some casual—from Chicago’s GLBT community helped fill Wrigley Field and an adjacent rooftop July 27 for the annual Out at the Ballgame, which is sponsored by the Chicago Free Press. Temperatures held in the mid-80s all afternoon as the Cubs defeated the Florida Marlins 9-6, taking back sole... Full Story
Nation Report
Villaraigosa cancels appearance at HRC dinner
SAN FRANCISCO—Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pulled out as keynote speaker for the Human Rights Campaign’s annual San Francisco fundraising event July 26 following intense lobbying from transgender activists angry over the group’s stand on a federal gay rights bill... Full Story
Cops give anti-gay county commissioner thumbs-down
OKLAHOMA CITY—A group representing Oklahoma County sheriff’s deputies has given County Commissioner Brent Rinehart a no-confidence vote after he lampooned the sheriff in a campaign comic book that also took on gays and the attorney general. Rinehart faces felony campaign corruption charges, a recent poll suggests he faces an... Full Story
Trans woman sues state of Georgia over firing
ATLANTA—A former Georgia state employee claimed July 22 in a federal lawsuit that top Georgia legislative officials fired her because she said she would come to work dressed as a female as she prepared for a sex-change procedure to transform from man to woman... Full Story
San Francisco plans alternative Halloween party
SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco officials determined to keep Halloween festivities out of the historic Castro district already are crafting alternate plans. City leaders say they plan to hold a party near AT&T Park this year, and also promote smaller events across the city to disperse revelers... Full Story
McGreeveys argue over alimony payments
ELIZABETH, N.J.—A lawyer for former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey has again argued that the nation’s first openly gay governor has no ability to pay alimony to his estranged wife. But lawyers for Dina Matos again have again contended that McGreevey simply refuses to work so he can deny support to her and their daughter... Full Story
Nike pulls ads over homophobia charges
BEAVERTON, Ore.—Nike said July 25 it would pull its ads for its Hyperdunk basketball shoes, responding to criticism that they fed homophobic views. Nike previously defended the ads, but said it would withdraw them as quickly as possible “to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace,” The... Full Story
Judge: Teen who shot gay kid to be tried as adult
OXNARD, Calif.—A Ventura County (Calif.) judge said July 24 that a 14-year-old charged with killing his gay classmate should be tried as an adult and, as a result, may face a life sentence. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Douglas Daily ruled that the stiff punishment wouldn’t be unconstitutional... Full Story
Editorial
The Congressional hearing held July 23 on the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay and lesbian personnel did little to actually end the ban—Democratic leaders say they’re not asking Congress to change the ban right now because even if they were successful in the U.S. House and Senate, President Bush would veto the change... Full Story
We are outraged by the planned induction of James Dobson into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Dobson has made hatred against lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual people a centerpiece of his so-called “ministry... Full Story
Opinion
I think of myself as an agreeable, easy-going man who takes things as they come, goes with the flow, etc., etc. But I confess that there are some things about gay men—or at least some gay men, predominantly but not exclusively younger gay men—that annoy me. Men Who Make a Big Deal out of Being in Recovery... Full Story
My colleague Jon has a question: How do we decide what’s a gay issue? Why marriage and not poverty? Why the military and not the death penalty? It’s a good time to be strategic about this, because I believe that we are close to winning our main issues... Full Story
Freetime
Midlife Crisis No. 222: Crucify him!
While on a recent tour of Australia, Pope Benedict XVI was given a California Angels baseball, a stress ball and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears by a group of American youngsters. The Pope lovingly squeezed the stress ball—possibly thinking it was a 12-year-old... Full Story
GEMINI: MAY 21-JUNE 20: You have a voice in this situation. Others may seem as if they don’t want to hear it but you can’t let that stop you. You’re the only one who knows what’s really going on. Everyone will benefit if you can let yourself be heard... Full Story
DVDiva: Camp is a four-letter word
“Camp Out” (Liberation)—With a premise involving teens and Christians that could potentially be a turn-off to all sorts of viewers, it is to the credit of co-directors Larry Grimaldi and Kirk Marcolina that “Camp Out” is not only an informative doc but also an entertaining one... Full Story
Movies showing in the bars this week include Jeanette McDonald and Maurice Chevalier in “The Lady Dances” at Bushes, 3320 N. Halsted, and Shirley Temple and Lionel Barrymore in “The Little Colonel” at Little Jim’s, 3501 N. Halsted... Full Story
CFP reviews 'Lovers & Friends' & 'Jock Itch'. Full Story
News
OK, so you’re a guard at the state capitol. What would you guess would be the No. 1 thing that you’d try to keep people from hiding and bringing into the building? Did “guns,” by chance, come to mind in, say, about half a second? Well, then you’re obviously not cut out for guard duty at the Oklahoma Capitol, where state police last week said they... Full Story
Dallas defeats Force for IWFL championship
In a battle that started slow, then exploded into a scoring battle, the Chicago Force came up a few yards short in the Independent Women’s Football League championship game July 26, losing 35-29 in overtime to the Dallas Diamonds. The heartbreaking loss on the Force’s home field at North Park University in Ravenswood came after the previously undefeated Force drove to the Diamonds'... Full Story
Sidetrack forum addresses alcohol use
The GLBT community’s complicated relationship with alcohol was the focus of a forum at Sidetrack July 23. “Let’s Take a Glass Together” was sponsored by Project CRYSP, the Chicago Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse, Lifelube, Sidetrack and the Feast of Fools podcast... Full Story
Family questions police account of shooting
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—To police, Steven Hirschfield was violent and out of control when he clambered aboard a patrol boat sent to rescue him in the San Diego Bay during a gay pride party. The 37-year-old bodybuilder, shirtless and wearing sneakers... Full Story
OBIT: JoAnne McAllister/Digory
JoAnne McAllister/Digory died peacefully July 3. She is survived by her family of heart and many dear friends. Many will remember her as the friendly and efficient bartender at bars such as Baton, The Loading Dock, Sundays, Redoubt and others. She retired from bartending in the 1990s and used her time to... Full Story
Anti-gay beliefs fueled shooter’s attack
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—Three people wounded in a fatal shotgun rampage at a Unitarian church in Tennessee were in serious condition July 29, a day after a candlelight vigil tried to comfort congregation members and others attempting to “make sense of the senseless... Full Story
Congress holds first hearing on military ban
WASHINGTON—Opponents of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays and lesbians in the military denounced it as cruel and unpatriotic July 23. Supporters insisted it is needed to maintain military morale and raised the prospect of a rise of HIV infection among service members if gays are allowed to serve openly... Full Story
AIDS bill scraps HIV travel ban
WASHINGTON—The House voted July 24 to triple money to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis around the world, giving new life and new punch to a program credited with saving or prolonging millions of lives in Africa alone. The 303-115 vote sends the global AIDS bill to President... Full Story
Freestyle: arts, entertainment & lifestyle
Loyola’s University’s Museum of Art has mounted an appealing exhibition of 19th and early 20th century paintings, watercolors and prints drawn from the 700-item collection of the Terra Foundation for American Art... Full Story
For a number of years, I’ve made a tradition of reviewing books and products with my eldest cat, Wednesday April Adams. Well, Wednesday returned from her annual visit with the vet one morning last week and went on a writer’s strike. She also complained of an insufficient collection of items to strike her feline fancy... Full Story
Philadelphia: more than just Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross and cheese steaks
Everyone knows there’s tons of history in Philadelphia. There’s the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin’s house, Betsy Ross’ house, the “Real World” house. OK, so maybe the location of the place where they filmed an MTV series isn’t an important bit of history, but the tourists still seek it out... Full Story
Sat., Aug. 2: Ronny’s Bar, 2103 N. California, presents Athens Boys Choir—“a gender-deviant, multi-media, spoken word, hip-hop extravaganza”—Filf Dos and Actor Slash Model at 9 p.m. Call (773) 278-7170. More
I have a confession to make. I don’t like breakfast. That’s not exactly true. I do like breakfast—I just don’t like most breakfast fare. Cold cereals leave me cold, hot cereals make me gag, omelets seem like a waste of ingredients and pancakes and waffles—well, I can tolerate those, but I always... Full Story
Pet-friendly apartments: More and more landlords want you and your dog
What’s the number one thing people look for when they’re in the market for a new apartment? If you said space, parking or location, you’d probably be wrong. According to a recent survey conducted by apartments.com, more than 84 percent of respondents said they own a pet. For them, a building’s pet policy was the first thing they... Full Story
Foreclosure crisis takes toll on pets
TUCSON, Ariz.—Maxx is losing his home and family. He doesn’t know it yet. The pooch was rescued as a pup from the streets seven years ago and has lived snugly in the Strohmeyers’ southwest side home ever since. That home went into foreclosure proceedings two weeks ago. The family has less than three months to move out and... Full Story
Theater
There’s a reason you encounter the bar before the ticket booth when stepping into the Annoyance: So you can get into the right frame of mind before stepping back into the world of “Co-Ed Prison Sluts... Full Story
Deborah’s waking thoughts are decorated by Old World poetry and the great romances of classic fiction. Don defines his life and feelings through the intricacies of mathematical equations. Though 40-something Deborah was 22-year-old Don’s high school English teacher, this odd couple eventually begins a strong and... Full Story
For the sake of the butterfly we love the cocoon. “The Full Monty” is gloriously inspired by the popular 1997 film about unemployed working-class Brits, lovable losers who give themselves a second chance to make and feel good. (A few years later, Helen Mirren’s ”Calendar Girls” gave... Full Story
