October is LGBT History Month! It also includes Coming Out Day. Oct. 11 is Coming Out Day, and in some places, it is also Come Out as an Ally Day!

We have had 40 years of Pride here in Worcester, but not much is recorded. We need to do better as a community about recording our history. For so long, being out was illegal – and then, just taboo – so people did not really want permanent records. Now, there will be a new generation of LGBT people who have no idea what happened before them. If there was a permanent space, such as a community center, then I think we would be more inclined to record our history. The Worcester Historical Society would like to help us by beginning an LGBT Worcester-focused historical archive!

Every year, people young and old decide they either understand themselves better or they no longer want to hide who they really are, so they come out. Some of us have been out for several decades, and we still feel it is necessary to come out. I recall both being outed and coming out. We come out as necessary on a daily basis. As we come out more and more, it is more and more comfortable.

Airspray’s Queer Dance Party: Oct. 16 is the next Airspray Queer Dance Night at Electric Haze (26 Milbury St., Worcester), and it is bigger and more vibrant than ever. Look out for the Morning After Brunch at Chickpea (589 Park Ave., Worcester) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., where you can get a fabulous vegan delight. I have eaten here and, although it can be confusing (you enter through the rear of the building), it was a fantastic meal! I’m not vegan, but the staff was kind enough to explain all the options.

Worcester Consortium: Last year, Leanne Quackenbush organized a collection of all the known Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) in the Worcester area. This year, the groups are looking to continue the tradition. They are looking for new leadership, as well as to expand locations to ensure all colleges feel included. Look them up on the Pride website or Facebook to get more details.

LGBT Networking: There are two groups you should know about if you are a professional in the Worcester area. One is the Gay Professionals Group, currently meeting at Bocado on the second Wednesday of each month from 6-8 p.m. This group is building quite a buzz. Look it up on the Pride site. The second group is based on the Meetup platform. It is for the young lesbian community. This group is very flexible in its definition of young lesbian. The group doesn’t meet on a defined day of the month, but if you check it out on Meetup, I’m sure you will find an outing in which you are interested. Barbara Zerillo helped found the group and says it is looking for new leaders to step up and reinvigorate the group. As always, you can check the Pride site for updates.

By John Trobaugh

John Trobaugh is the president of Worcester Pride and a diversity project specialist in the Diversity and Inclusion Office of UMass Medical School. For more information, visit worcesterpride.org.