Webmaster

Chub and Chaser History Project Saturday, November 18, 2006 10:54 PM

The Chub and Chaser History Project

The Goal!

To collect information from our community base with the purpose of chronicling the history of the Chub and Chaser sub-culture of the gay community.

Background

The Chub and Chaser community has existed for many decades. Its long history as an organized sub-culture of the gay community goes back to the formation of the first social groups in the 70’s, but perhaps even earlier.

In the scheme of things, Internet sites like BiggerCity were late-comers to the scene. After all, organizing started decades ago with small social gatherings, then the local groups, printed newsletters, magazines, regional and national events, bulletin board systems (BBSs), newsgroups, chat lines, email lists, and finally the web sites.

BiggerCity, as a web site that caters to this community, is looking to document as much information as possible about the origins and evolution of the Chub and Chaser community. The information will be collected, organized, and shared in an effort to make it available to anyone interested and future newcomers.

This is where we need your help!  We’d love to hear from folks who have been part of the community for many years and know first-hand events and important facts about the community. We’d love to hear especially from those who had a part in organizing the first Girth & Mirth clubs, or have participated in the community since the early days.

How you can help...

Here’s some of the things we’re looking for:

• Information on the origins of the terms we user today in our community (e.g., chubs, chubby-chasers, admirers, etc.)
   
• Information about the social gatherings that led to the formation of the first Girth & Mirth social clubs. Participants, meeting places, etc.
   
• Anything and everything about regional, national, and international events (e.g., Convergence, EBMC, ECC, WCC, etc.) Including summaries of past events with dates, locations, activities, and turn-out.
   
• Stories of overlaps, spin-offs, split-offs, etc. between the Chub and Chaser community and the Bear community in the early days.
   
• Anecdotes, achievements, politics, activism, controversy, etc.
   
• Information about early publications (pre 70's and 80's) or media coverage.
   
• Information about the early technology days; BBSs, chat lines, e-newsletters, early web sites, etc.
   
• Materials; scans or copies of newsletters, photos of events or social gatherings, bar memorabilia, flyers, buttons, organizational minutes, media articles, etc.

If you can provide any of the information above, OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN, please get in touch with us.  We’d love to get this project off the ground and provide a place where it can be recorded and shared with all.

Contact: history@biggercity.com