Mayor Hosts GLBT Reception

Pictured #1 Mayor Richard Daley with representatives of Gatorade/QTG, which has signed on to provide hydration drinks for the Gay Games. #2 Daley addresses the crowd. #3 Vernita Gray and Arlene Halko. #4 Daley with photographer Victor Skrebneski, who has donated much time to photographing Gay Games athletes for a show opening July 13. He and Steve Becker also recently were featured in a Gay Games one-day show at the Cultural Center; those images were also on display for the Pride reception. #5 Peg Grey and Paul Oostenbrug of Team Chicago present Daley with a TC uniform. Photos by Tracy Baim and Andrew Davis.

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A who’s who of the GLBT community was in attendance as Mayor Richard M. Daley welcomed people to the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on LGBT Issues’ annual pride reception, which took place June 20.

Daley took time to acknowledge how the GLBT community ‘has contributed to the greatness of the city.’ He added that he is looking forward to July’s Gay Games, which will feature 12,000 athletes. He commented how the Games will be a time for the city to come together and ‘show what Chicago is all about.’ Speaking to the audience, Daley concluded by saying, ‘You’ve made Chicago very proud of what you’ve accomplished [and] I’m very proud to be your mayor.’

Bill Greaves, the mayor’s GLBT liaison, took a moment to remember Gay Chicago magazine founder Ralph Paul Gernhardt and Chicago House co-founder Thom Dombkowski, two local gay icons who passed away this year. ‘Both Ralph Paul Gernhardt and Thom Dombkowski stood tall for our communities. They were inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their achievements and contributions, and they will be sorely missed,’ Greaves stated.

Greaves also briefly discussed the fact that 2006 marks the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosis of AIDS. ‘We cannot stand here in 2006 without harkening back to 1981, when the first news of AIDS hit The New York Times,’ he said. ‘That was a defining moment in our history that brought our communities together as never before, to take care of our own in the face of neglect, and to build for the future.’ Another topic that Greaves brought up was the effort of the conservative group Protect Marriage Illinois (PMI) to put a referendum opposing same-sex marriage on the November ballot—and Fair Illinois’ herculean task of verifying the 347,912 signatures PMI collected. ‘ [Fair Illinois’] results should be public next week, and the results are expected to be very good. We applaud the efforts of everyone involved and eagerly await their announcement,’ Greaves commented.

He concluded by talking about the Gay Games. Greaves not only mentioned how certain companies, such as Harris Bank and Kraft Foods, ‘have withstood threats of boycott and remained firm in their commitment to sponsor the Games,’ but also announced that Gatorade and ESPN are now major sponsors, and that singer Andy Bell of Erasure will perform at the Opening Ceremony.

Paul Oostenbrug and Peg Grey of Team Chicago presented Daley, the honorary chair of the Gay Games host committee, with the Team Chicago uniform and made him a TC member.