January 21, 2009
Standing on the U.S. Capital steps, before an audience in the National Mall estimated at 2 million, Barack Obama at noon Eastern Standard Time Tuesday became the 44th president of the United States. After Chief Justice John Roberts administered Obama’s oath, the new commander-in-chief stood... Full Story / Comment
Local GLBTs celebrate Inaugaration
At Sidetrack on Inauguration Day, a crowd of GLBTs and their allies chanted the words to “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” as they watched George W. Bush board the helicopter that carried him away from the White House on television screens throughout the bar... Full Story / Comment
Freestyle
Looking on the bright side: an interview with Richard Chamberlai
Depending on your age, Richard Chamberlain could have qualified as a heartthrob to you in the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. As the original McDreamy in the TV medical drama “Dr. Kildare,” Chamberlain raised the heart rate of many a viewer in the early 1960s. In the 1970s he heated up disaster films such as “The Towering Inferno.” But it was during the 1980s, in miniseries such as... Full Story / Comment
Freeview: movie reviews, calendar
& DVDiva
“Waltz With Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics)—Like “Slumdog Millionaire,” another recent Golden Globe Award winning film, Ari Folman’s “Waltz With Bashir” stood apart from the pack of 2008 movies. It simply doesn’t look or feel like any of the other movies that played in theaters last (or any) year. In this very personal animated... Full Story / Comment
CFP reviews 'Touch', 'The Little Foxes' & 'The Sand Castle'... Full Story / Comment
Live Performance listings from CFP... Full Story / Comment
As with fellow Grammy Award nominees Estelle, Pink and Maiysha, going by one name works well for Adele and Duffy. Of course, they’re not alone. Like a sober (as far as we know) version of Amy Winehouse, Welsh diva Duffy teamed up with Bernard Butler (of London Suede fame) and others to create the... Full Story / Comment
Thick knits. Soft fleece. Wild wools. Three weeks into January, you probably already are outfitted for cold weather and not strutting the sidewalks of Halsted, Broadway or Clark in summer cottons... Full Story / Comment
McDonald’s takes over 160 Blue (sort of)
Saying that you’re having dinner from McDonald’s isn’t very impressive, unless you’re referring to the new chef at 160 Blue, Michael McDonald. McDonald took over from former chef, Marcial Noguier, a few months ago and has altered the menu to mirror his interest in blending seasonal flavors with... Full Story / Comment
Financial burden of homeownership spread unequally
WASHINGTON—When it comes to homeownership, Hispanics in New Jersey, single parents in California and senior citizens in Rhode Island all have something in common: More than a third have an unaffordable mortgage... Full Story / Comment
Opinion
On January 16, The New York Times published an op-ed column by Mary Francis Berry, head of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1993 to 2004. Pointing out that the commission has been crippled by the appointment of commissioners who see themselves as agents of the presidential administration rather than as independent watchdogs, Berry... Full Story / Comment
The best speech you didn’t hear
Unless you were in Washington, D.C. last Sunday, you probably didn’t see it. You didn’t see Rev. Gene Robinson’s beautiful invocation. Despite all the controversy over the choice of Rev. Rick Warren to lead the opening prayer during the inaugural ceremony, despite the last-minute addition of Robinson in order to appease the fierce (and righteous) anger of... Full Story / Comment
Freetime
Midlife Crisis No. 246: Lesbians Good Enough To Eat
The new food fad in Britain is Cajun Squirrel flavored chips by Walker’s, whose other flavors include chili and chocolate, crispy duck with hoisin sauce, fish and chips and onion bhaji. Mmm…tasty... Full Story / Comment
ARIES: Trying too hard to make everything perfect attests to the fact that it isn’t! Don’t kid yourself about what it will take to fix this. A dozen roses and an apology won’t erase the fact that things just aren’t working... Full Story / Comment
Back in the day: Moments in chicago’s glbt history
This Week In 1979: Group meetings this week include Parents and Friends of Gays at 100 E. Ohio, and the Committee for Chicago Gay Rights Legislation at 2nd Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry... Full Story / Comment
CFP reviews 'Rough Cut' & 'A Rising Star'... Full Story / Comment
News
The Association of Latino Men for Action announced that it will award two $1,000 scholarships to qualified Latino GLBT youth this year. Those interested in applying can download scholarship packets at almachicago.org or call (773) 661-0926. The application deadline is March 20. The scholarship checks will be awarded during a July 10 ALMA benefit... Full Story / Comment
Feigenholtz hopes to fight for GLBTs on a national level
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) couldn’t hide her excitement over the phone as she headed to the airport to catch a flight to Washington. For the past 14 years that she has served in the General Assembly, Feigenholtz has proven to be quite a progressive politician, vocally advocating for women’s rights and going to bat for GLBT equality. Earlier that day, Feigenholtz received the... Full Story / Comment
‘Activist at heart’ runs in 5th District
For Jan Donatelli, a self-described “activist at heart,” the last few weeks spent collecting signatures in the cold and raising money for her run for Congress hasn’t been chaotic and stressful, but a “ton of fun.” Donatelli, a veteran, union member and commercial airline pilot, certainly enjoys a good old-fashioned challenge. Although she’s a lesser-known Democratic candidate among... Full Story / Comment
New CDC data on STDs for 2007 show incredibly high rates of STDs, particularly among minorities, youth and women, and Illinois mirrors this trend. The CDC data shows a staggering 1.1 million Chlamydia cases reported in 2007—the highest number of cases ever reported for any condition. The data also shows an increased rate... Full Story / Comment
Breast cancer legislation pushes forward
The Illinois General Assembly voted on legislation aimed at reducing breast cancer disparity rates, particularly among low income, minority and immigrant women. State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) spearheaded the legislation, which passed both the House and Senate by a unanimous vote. It now awaits the governor’s signature... Full Story / Comment
Chicago House expands housing facility
During a time of economic decline, one Chicago non-profit was proud to unveil its expansion of a facility that houses formerly homeless individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. “In a year when things are going so badly everywhere else, to be able to do this is just golden,” said Chicago House CEO Stan Sloan... Full Story / Comment
AIDS battle burnishes Bush’s legacy in Africa
CAPE TOWN, South Africa—In her AIDS-scarred South African township, Sweetness Mzolisa leads a chorus of praise for George W. Bush that echoes to the deserts of Namibia, the hills of Rwanda and the villages of Ethiopia. Like countless Africans, Mzolisa looked forward to Barack Obama becoming America’s first black president... Full Story / Comment
Calif Prop. 8 lawsuits draw ‘friends’ near and far
SAN FRANCISCO—Labors unions, churches and advocacy groups spanning the ideological spectrum are weighing in on the effort to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriages. Thursday was the deadline to file so-called friend-of-the court briefs in the litigation seeking to overturn Proposition 8. The measure passed in... Full Story / Comment
Maine: Supporters, foes of gay marriage debate timing
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)—The early debate over a gay marriage proposal in Maine is focusing less on the issue and more on the timing as state lawmakers face serious budget problems. Critics say it’s the wrong time for lawmakers to debate the bill because of the budget problems. Gov. John Baldacci’s $6.1 billion two-year... Full Story / Comment
Out in the cold: GLBT youth and homelessness
For many GLBT Chicagoans, dealing with the recent sub-zero temperatures was a minor inconvenience. Sadly, for many of our youth, the harsh winter nights meant that finding a place to stay became a matter of life or death. The local community occasionally talks about issues regarding GLBT youth, usually in the warm summer months when many... Full Story / Comment
Colleges get an F on GLBT awareness
Illinois colleges and universities definitely did not get a gold star on their report card for GLBT equity, according to Illinois Safe Schools Alliance. The Alliance, which advocates for the safety, support and development of GLBT youth in Illinois schools, just released the first statewide report card on GLBT... Full Story / Comment
Vatican: Gay `behavior’ in seminaries declines
NEW YORK—A Vatican office that evaluated U.S. Roman Catholic seminaries in response to the clergy sex abuse scandal concluded that administrators have been effective in stopping “homosexual behavior” in the schools, although the agency said the problem still exists... Full Story / Comment
ASHLAND, Ore.—Clergy members at an Ashland church performed marriage ceremonies for five same-sex couples, even though Oregon doesn’t recognize the marriages as legal. The Rev. Pam Shepherd and three other clergy members who performed the ceremonies Saturday at the First Congregational United Church of Christ have pledged not to sign marriage licenses for any... Full Story / Comment
Marchers demand justice, respect
A handful of activists gathered on the city’s South Side on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, calling for an end to violence against GLBT African Americans. Roughly a dozen individuals, including members of the Coalition for Justice and Respect (CJR), Gender Just and Gay Liberation Network (GLN), braved the cold... Full Story / Comment
Grandmother allowed temporary custody of child
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP)—A woman who is among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the new state law that bars adoption by unmarried couples has won temporary custody of her grandchild. Sheila Cole, 39, of Tulsa, Okla., said the decision Tuesday by Benton County Circuit Judge Jay Finch represents the first... Full Story / Comment
Editorial
Tuesday we welcomed the 44th President of the United States. An estimated 2 million people lined the Washington Mall to watch President Barack Obama take his oath of office and usher in what many of us hope will be a new era in American politics and a new way of doing business in Washington, D.C... Full Story / Comment
In an editorial, “Remembering Our Message,” Chicago Free Press took to task Gay Liberation Network and Join the Impact organizers of the January 10 rally and march for bringing up the Israeli assault on Gaza. The event, the editor said, should have stayed focused on repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and not introduce “divisive” and “inappropriate” issues... Full Story / Comment
