Giuliano D’Orazio

Springtime signals new growth, warmer weather and shedding the winter blues. It’s the feeling of a fresh restart that most of us look forward to. Typically, it’s also a time we break out of hibernation and re-engage in our social circles, grabbing a beer on your favorite patio (shoutout to my fave – Redemption Rock on Shrewsbury Street!). This year, that sentiment might be more potent than ever. With the vaccines rolling out across the state and the nation, restrictions on gatherings are being eased and communities are looking ahead at a return to physical togetherness. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, the pandemic may have us feeling even more isolated than some. 

Queer folks so greatly value spaces where we can safely gather; where we’re accepted, represented and valued. As excited as we are, there’s still the buzz of paranoia in the air, perhaps even tinged with a touch of Stockholm Syndrome. If you’re like me, pandemic brain fog has you feeling sluggish and more socially awkward. The turbulent political climate of the past year is in the back of my mind, too, as I think about reentering public life. How will the division we see across the nation play out in our regular interactions? I think the pandemic has kept many folks siloed, paranoid and untrusting, and conspiracies have caused disputes over basic facts. Will our regained proximity to others clear a bit of this anthropophobic haze? 

Let’s just talk about the basic public health/safety angle for a minute. Yea, we’re seeing a ton of promising trends as vaccines are distributed to more and more of the population, but this isn’t the time to believe the virus, as some genius once put it, will “magically disappear”. Let’s try, for the sake of ourselves and our neighbors, to finish strong here. Do your part with the masks, distancing, and washing hands? Washing hands is cool in general. The vaccines, as most health and science experts agree, are working, but the CDC and NIH are both urging all of us to keep up with our safety measures. Hey, I’m down for anything that might help get us back on the dancefloor a bit sooner. 

I know I am so looking forward to publicly engaging in a social life. I really miss the Worcester’s Queer Community. Seeing old friends and new faces alike at Airspray, or making new friends at karaoke were some of the high points of any given week before COVID. This column Out And About, has historically been a spotlight on the queer community and our goings on in and around Worcester. While I’ve done my best to keep abreast with any news that has come up over the past year, such as the changes surrounding Worcester Pride, there really hasn’t been a whole lot happening… out, or… about, so I zoomed out a bit to focus on broader, relatable topics as we all navigated the pandemic. I can’t wait to be writing about events and culture-shaping moments again. To that point, please don’t hesitate to email me (giulianodoraz@gmail.com) with any suggestions or ideas for a future column. I’d love to hear from you! 

Giuliano D’Orazio (he/him pronouns) is a Worcester native, musician, music educator, active member of the local LGBTQ+ community, and a board member of Love Your Labels. Follow him on instagram @musicbygiuliano