Seacoast LGBT History Project to present Rainbow Symposium
PORTSMOUTH — What was it like to grow up LGBTQ on the Seacoast? Michael Tobin, one of the speakers at the annual Rainbow Symposium on Oct. 15, has plenty to say on the subject.
"Everyone knew there were 'gays' in Portsmouth," the 1981 graduate of Portsmouth High School said. "And we may have been talked about behind our backs, but people left us alone for the most part. It wasn't until we found our voice and started coming out of the closet that things started happening — and not for the better."
Tobin, who is executive artistic director at The Footlights Theatre in Falmouth, Maine, will be joined by Jim Splaine, a former Portsmouth city councilor and state legislator who sponsored New Hampshire's 2009 marriage equality legislation..
The 1965 Portsmouth High School graduate served three decades in the New Hampshire Legislature. Splaine was also Portsmouth's assistant mayor for six terms and served on the School Board and Police Commission.
Splaine recalls how in 1993, an LGBTQ equality referendum on the Portsmouth municipal ballot failed, helping ignite the statewide cause of new anti-discrimination efforts.
Tom Kaufhold, founder of the Seacoast LGBT History Project, said it held a similar forum seven years ago that was well-received.
“We are so excited to have a diverse panel to share their experiences growing up LGBT on the New Hampshire Seacoast from the 1950s to today," Kaufhold said.
"Our purpose is to research, document and preserve the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people on the Seacoast of New Hampshire."
The free symposium is Sunday, Oct. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle St.
On display will be some artifacts the project has been collecting since 2015. There will be time for a question-andanswer session. Light refreshments will be served.
Tobin remembers the two "safe places gays could go" in the 1970s and 1980s as Cafe Petronella on State Street and the Members club on Route 1, which Tobin described as Portsmouth's only gay club.
"At Members, you had to ring the bell and they'd open a little peephole in the door to see who was out there before they'd let you in," Tobin said.
The Seacoast LGBT History Project presents its annual symposium: Growing Up LGBTQ on the Seacoast.
“We are so excited to have a diverse panel to share their experiences growing up LGBT on the NH Seacoast from the '50s to today” said Tom Kaufhold, founder of the Seacoast LGBT History project. "Our purpose is to research, document and preserve the history of gay lesbian, bisexual and transgender people on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. We did a similar panel seven years ago that was well received, and we wanted to do another in honor of Portsmouth 400th."