Out and About

HAPPY LGBTQIA+ HISTORY MONTH! GIULIANO D’ORAZIO

October is LGBTQIA+ History Month, so I thought I’d take a moment to look back at Worcester’s own queer history. My space here is limited, and the history of Queer Worcester is rich, so as a nightlife and events column, I’m going to focus on the local history of queer nightlife and gay spaces. As queer folks, our history has not traditionally been accurately recorded alongside the mainstream, and so often young people in our community are largely unexposed to the people, places and events that shaped the culture they now inhabit. That’s why I think initiatives like the Worcester Historical Museum’s For The Record: LGBTQ+ Worcester are so vital. The project compiled historical records that had previously only existed in various, hard-to-find places, and created an exhibit which ran at the museum through most of 2019. A beautiful and comprehensive full-color catalogue accompanied the exhibit, and if you missed it in person, you can still get a copy through the Historical Museum. The catalog was compiled by Joseph F. Cullon (WPI), Robert Tobin (Clark) and Stephanie E. Yuhl (Holy Cross, Harvard Graduate School of Design), and I’ve used it as a reference for this article.

One of the recurring themes I hear in Queer Worcester amongst my millennial peers and those younger, is the need for more queer spaces in our city. One might be surprised to learn that there were actually more nightlife spaces specifically catering to gays and lesbians in decades past. Throughout the mid twentieth century, bars like The New Yorker, Ports O’ Call, Exit II, and the Mailbox (from which today’s MB Lounge descended), all served Worcester’s then mostly underground gay community. Further into the 70s and 80s, the popularity of disco music and dance clubs lead to the rise of Club 241 (opening in 1987), which was described as a center of gay life for the better part of a decade. The Floating Dancefloor was a biweekly lesbian dance party which took place at a local VFW, offering a social gathering for queer women outside of the local bar scene. Sadly, the decline in explicitly gay, lesbian or more broadly queer spaces is not unique to Worcester, and has been an unfortunate trend of the past several decades. Many point to the increased mainstream acceptance of queer folks as a reason for this decline. As the need to hide our identities decreased, the need for sheltered space decreased -- at least for gay men and lesbian women. The most marginalized members of our community, sadly still face high levels of descrimination and violence, making the need for safe and affirming queer space as in-demand as ever.

As we all know, when it comes to opening businesses, money talks and economics is a game of supply and demand. I hope that in the coming years, as a younger more diverse generation of queer folks come of age, we’ll band together to invest in all members of our community by building a demand for spaces that are truly inclusive of all. Worcester loves to talk of “renaissance”, so how about a queer one?

If anyone is interested in contributing their story to the record, email David Conner at davidconner@worcesterhistory.net

Bio Giuliano D’Orazio (he/him) is a Worcester native, musician, music educator, member of the queer community, and a board member of Love Your Labels.

Email: giulianodoraz@gmail.com

Instagram: @musicbygiuliano

STYLE Savvy

APRIL GODDARD

Hello, and welcome Pulse readers to the most fall time of the year (in my opinion). October is here, which means that sweaters are out, the weather is crisp, and pumpkin spice is abundant. Ah, fall-the perfect time to cozy up to a fresh new change in wardrobe and trends tomake the season all the more festive. So what is going on for fashion fall 2021? Read on for all of the trendiest pieces that you will want to get your hands on asap!

LOW RISE JEANS- I’ve said it before (like three times), and I’m going to need to say it again...the low rise denim trend is not going anywhere. For millennials looking to relive their youth in denim, this may be cause for celebration with a tinge of nostalgia. If you are in fact in the opposite camp and have been rocking the high rise for the past 10 years, well the good news is that that’s not quite going away either. But if you want to try the trend for the sake of trying, here are my suggestions: Try a slim bootcut or straight leg jean. I find that this is a good way to ease into the trend without going headfirst, and I generally find these styles a lot more comfortable.

BLACKED OUT SHADES-This is by far my favorite trend of the fall. Cool pair of blacked out shades is the way to do it, as it screams chic, simplistic elegance with a hint of cool person energy. Shades this cool are a great way to make athleisure look chic, or to put the finishing touch on a more formal outfit. Size and shape don’t matter so much, but if you wanted to be a little more bold, I would go for an oversized pair!

PUFFER VEST- This trend has been away for a while, but last year’s resurgence of the 1980’s-esque puffer jacket has made way for the pair down version: The puffer vest. Perfect for cooler but no jacket-required weather, the puffer vest looks great with a sweater or long sleeved shirt, paired with some relaxed denim or even leggings and some sneakers for a sportier feel.

OVERSIZED TOTE- No, this trend from spring/summer 2021 will not be going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Large totes have gone in and out as the “main” or “prime” bag on trend since the early 2000’s, but it has never truly gone all the way out, meaning that investing in a quality tote is generally a safe bet. For this fall, think: A tote with rich and warm tones of brown or beige, and something that is versatile enough to hold everything that you need while still being simple in design enough to go with every outfit, whether you are heading into the office or going to brunch. Don’t love love totes because you feel like your stuff always gets lost in a tornado at the bottom of your bag? The perfect solution is a bag organizer, which you can pick out to cater to your specific needs. Mine has a holder especially for my laptop.