Made In Chicago: The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus
(CBS) -- The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus has been around for 31 years and through the years, it has changed.
In 1999, women were allowed to sing in the gay men's chorus.
"It was very controversial. A couple of people left the group because it wasn't a men's space anymore," said artistic director Patrick Sinozich. "But the board talked about it and our constitution said CGMC is open to all."
Not all men. And...
"Everybody is not gay. In fact, we had, last spring, a straight male and a straight female singing with us, and they are now expecting their first child," he laughs.
"So that may be the first biological child of a gay men's chorus..."
As times change, is there really a need for a gay chorus?
"All of the choruses are actually themselves that question right now...
"I think there will always be a need for people to come together and sing... So wherever gay life, whatever it evolves into, I think people will continue to get together and sing about it - just because people sing.
"So it's the singing, more than the gay thing that brings people together."
Sinozich is retiring at the end of this year - after 18 years with the chorus.
And now, that chorus has 200 voices - the most ever. Some alums have returned, just to be part of Sinozich's final season.