My Queer Portland: A Walk Back in Time to the 1980s & ‘90s

with Kelley McDaniel and Megan MacGregor

Saturday, May 6 at 10:00 AM

Estimated duration: 90 minutes

“My Queer Portland” is a reminiscence of the places that were an important part of my life as a young, single lesbian Mainer, who finally made it to a gay-friendly city in Maine. Some of the places, groups, and events that existed then—Outright, the Matlovich Society, Women’s Dances, Drop Me a Line (gift shop), the Underground (bar)—are long gone; still, they are part of Maine’s queer history. I was born in 1969, the year of the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the modern-day gay rights movement. I grew up gay in small town Maine in the 1970s and 80s—from Androscoggin and Aroostook counties to Knox and Oxford counties. I finally made my home in Portland, ME in early 1990; I had just turned 21. Join me for a two-mile walk around Downtown Portland and learn about some personal queer history, as well as some of Maine’s queer history that should not be forgotten. Wear comfortable shoes and bring your own stories of Queer Portland / Queer Maine. We’ll make eight official stops, collect Pride beads, answer some queer Maine trivia, and do the TimeWarp. We’ll end at the new Equality Center/Maine Trans Net on Casco Street.

Accessibility: The route is wheelchair accessible and there is public transit (Greater Portland Metro Bus).

Starting point: Corner of Preble Street & Cumberland Avenue, Portland

 

Ending point: Equality Community Center/ Maine Trans Net, Casco Street

For questions about this walk, please email janeswalkme@gmail.com.