Orange County Regional History Center Blog: Pulse: For The Community

Press release from the Orange County Regional History Center Blog:

November 1, 2021

By Sarai Dai
2021 Oral History Intern, University of South Carolina

This is part two of a three-part blog series in which we’ll share experiences of a few popular Central Florida gay bars through the lens of oral histories in the collection of the Orange County Regional History Center.

Orlando has long played host to a vibrant gay community. For many decades, individuals often found solace and solidarity in certain bars and nightclubs where they could connect with one another without fear. Partying, dancing, and drinking provided an escape from daily life that for some was fraught with tension in a culture that typically did not accept their authentic selves. Due to increased acceptance, the gay nightlife scene, as it was once known, has begun to diminish. However, the impact of historic LGBTQ+ venues on both gay and Central Florida history should not be understated.

Long before the Pulse nightclub tragedy of June 12, 2016, Pulse had a special place in Orlando’s gay community. The club was hugely beloved. Established in 2004 by Barbara Poma and Ron Legler in memory of Barbara’s brother, Pulse came onto the scene later than the other bars in this series, Parliament House and St. Matthew’s Tavern. Nevertheless, it rapidly became a hip and popular location for a night out. If the gay bar lifestyle was fading, Pulse propped it back up. It had a reputation for catering to the college crowd, as opposed to older establishments such as Parliament House, whose clientele skewed older and more local.

However, the original concept was to provide something for everyone. When it opened, Pulse offered three experiences – the White Room, a lounge space that served as home base for (Mar)Tini Tuesdays, the midsection dance floor called the Jewel Box, and the Adonis Room, designed as a dark and less ornate venue for shows. After renovations, the dance floor was opened up through the White Room and the stage was reoriented.

City Commissioner Patty Sheehan fondly remembers Pulse before the renovations.

Angelica Jones, a resident performer at Pulse, describes the atmosphere.

Although themed nights were popular across the gay nightclub scene, Pulse especially leaned into the idea. Friday and Saturday became linked events by DJ Scott Robert, who would play regular versions of Top 40 songs on Platinum Friday and then remixes on Pulsate Saturday. Twisted Tuesday talent shows were also popular and often featured amateur drag performances among other musical acts.

Marco Antonio Quiroga, executive director of the Contigo Fund, found Pulse to be formative.

“When I was homeless, Pulse was the place I went to connect with folks to find housing. Pulse was one of the places that I took a group of grassroots activists and hold [sic] a fundraiser for LGBTQ human rights issues. Pulse was the first nightclub I took my sister to when I came out. It was also the first nightclub I ever went to when I was 17 non a fake ID. And all of my friends went there.”

Tragically, Pulse as it was known, came to an end in 2016 when 49 people were killed there by a mass shooter. Nevertheless, its legacy lives on, not only in the memories of those who found solace at the club but also in the community that it brought together.

Copyright for all oral history interviews are held by the Historical Society of Central Florida.

This press release was produced by the Orange County Regional History Center Blog. The views expressed here are the author’s own.