This Month in the History of Gay and Lesbian life in Wisconsin-- This Month in Wisconsin LGBT History: October 2007 by Don Schwamb35 years ago-- 1972-- GPU/ Gay Peoples Union radio show is to be broadcast over WOKY radio; Lesbians hold seminar in Waukesha; Back Room bar in Madison opens; new Miss Gay Milwaukee, Billie Shepard, is crowned. 30 years ago-- 1977-- ECOM (Entertainers Club of Milwaukee) holds Halloween show, and contests for Miss Gay Wis and Mr Groovy Guy; Jamie Gay and Paul Zinthefer win respectively. 20 years ago-- 1987-- Madison sends 2 buses of people to the October 11 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights (Milwaukee cancels their bus due to "lack of interest"); Beer Town Badgers holds a Club Night with a telephone answering machine as prize; Lavendar Hill IV announces results of August event: over $3,600 raised for Milwaukee AIDS Project; Milwaukee Mayoral candidate Martin Schreiber said that he did "not understand how two people of the same sex could live together in such a relationship. I don't agree with it and I don't accept it". Schreiber made his remarks at a September 30 forum sponsored by CCBA, Lambda Rights Network, BWMT, and In Step. On October 28, cable TV show "Tri-Cable Tonight", sponsored by the Cream City Foundation, debuts; the program goes on to run for 26 episodes over as many months, and wins several major national and local cable programming awards. At the first Miss Your Place contest, Mr. Gay Wisconsin David Rogers, and Dorris DeLago, crowned Venessa winner. Joe won as Mr. Y.P.; and Legendary drag performer Holly Brown holds her Bon Voyage party. Also in OCtober 1987, Wayne Bernhagen, owner of both Wreck Room and Your Place bars, and a founder of SSBL/ Saturday Softball League, and founder of the Milwaukee Classic (which started as the Wreck Room Classic), passes away, a victim of AIDS.
Note: The issues appearing above are some of those dated in the featured month. However, relevant news may appear in issues previous to or after that pictured and linked above: earlier issues may have ads or announcements of upcoming events, and later issues may carry actual photos or more extensive coverage of events that occurred after publication deadlines. |
Credits: "This Month in History" concept by Kate Sherry of Q-Life, and Don Schwamb;
Page design and arrangement by Don Schwamb.
Last updated: September-2007.