Dean Worbois - Book Signing
Category: Events Calendar
Date and Time for this Past Event
- Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 5pm
Location
Rediscovered Books - Boise
180 N 8th St
Details
Worbois writes about all past and current LGBTQ bars in Boise and interviewed many members of the community and their experiences. Worbois himself was 31 when the first gay bar opened in Boise in 1976 and an excerpt from his book points to how important the space was:
“The opening of Shuckey’s in 1976 created a place where folks could meet and discuss common interests. Infant organizations found people who wanted to join them. New organizations were formed when people met and agreed to start a new club.
“Soon locals opened an affiliate of the Metropolitan Community Church, a gay ministry. The Imperial Sovereign Gem Court of Idaho joined the national drag court system and still organizes large shows that raise funds for various charities while having a great time dressing and acting up. A Community Center provided very early and aggressive AIDS education and continues to help young people rejected by their parents for being gay and many other support services. A newspaper kept the community up on the latest events and struggles. A rodeo club competed in national events. Support groups BGLAD and Your Family Friends and Neighbors have helped gays and their families in understanding and accepting gay orientation. Celebrating Gay Pride week at parties and picnics led to the city’s first Pride Parade in 1990, an annual event much of the city has come to enjoy.”
The book is interspersed with personal stories from Worbois and members of the LGBTQ community as well as historical photos. There are also stories on bars that are open now, like The Balcony; it’s an interesting way to learn about Boise’s LGBTQ bar history and maybe find a new bar you’d like to try out.
About the author
Born fourth-generation Boisean on both sides of his family, Dean was 31 when the first gay bar opened in Boise. The bar turned out to be opened by the dentist he had been seeing since attending Lowell Grade School. It opened just under a funky hotel room where Dean had experienced a memorable teen-aged encounter with a scary and very sexy friend of his neighbor (he might have even had a tattoo!). And it was lit by stained glass lampshades Dean had made a few years earlier when a friend had opened a crafts cooperative in the same space. Dean is one of two Idahoans featured in Scott Pasfield's coffee table book, Gay In America.
