Photos and documentatn of people at area gay events before the 1970s are fairly rare, so much of what we know om an amalgamatn of diari, oral histori, stori passed down and clu left behd.
Contents:
- IOWA LBIAN AND GAY BARS, RTRANTS, LODGG, PRI EVENT, BS MAPS
- EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS CEDAR RAPIDS
- HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
- HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
- HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
IOWA LBIAN AND GAY BARS, RTRANTS, LODGG, PRI EVENT, BS MAPS
Belle's Basix. Cedar Rapids' premiere gay bar. Weekly drag performanc. Dancefloor. Servg the muny wh pri sce 1997. * cedar rapids gay bar *
“We ll ourselv a gay bar, but we are an everybody bar, ” Harrison told KCRG April 2020. Ensurg the safety of his patrons beme a more dntg prospect after the Pulse Nightclub shootg 2016, durg which an anti-LGBTQ terrorist killed 49 people an Orlando, Florida gay club.
Belle’s Basix has been the target of egggs, BB gun pellets and slurs shouted by drive-by homophob.
EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS CEDAR RAPIDS
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Gay Bars Lbian Clubs - Maps, Lks, Drivg Directns * cedar rapids gay bar *
“It tly is the one day I love to s back and see how much we ‘misfs’ n e together and eat, drk, and be OURSELVES…gay, str8, whatever!!! The gay muny seems to have let go so i need to do the same.
CEDAR RAPIDS — In 1997, flyg the pri flag on First Avenue NE was a revolutnary marker of what is now Cedar Rapids’ only gay bar.
HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
Photos and documentatn of people at area gay events before the 1970s are fairly rare, so much of what we know om an amalgamatn of diari, oral histori, stori passed down and clu left behd. * cedar rapids gay bar *
When first opened nearly 25 years ago, Club Basix’s most distguishg feature was s visibily — somethg absent om Cedar Rapids’ gay bars for s.
Before she me out 1993, Newhall rint Jennifer Rowray, now a popular lbian personaly on TikTok, was gog to the 620 nightclub, a gay staple Iowa Cy now closed. Long before mastream tablishments picked up on the trend of puttg their buildg number or addrs their name, as did the 620 club, she said was generally a signal of safety for gay patrons.
HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
Photos and documentatn of people at area gay events before the 1970s are fairly rare, so much of what we know om an amalgamatn of diari, oral histori, stori passed down and clu left behd. * cedar rapids gay bar *
Another mon for gay bars was havg “Mr. But plac like the saved her om isolatn — feelg like you’re the only one, often one of the most horrifyg experienc she said a gay or lbian person n experience. ” Even the small ways, the shared culture is a ntuo monstratn that gay bars like Basix do more than tolerate LGBTQ patrons — they accept them.
HISTORY HAPPENGS: GAY HISTORY HARD TO TRACK CEDAR RAPIDS
“Gay bars have never, ever jt been bars, ” Rowray said. ” She don’t thk of as a gay bar — jt a bar.
History of gay bars Cedar Rapids Before Club Basix opened the old McDonald’s rtrant at 3916 First Ave. NE, formerly known as Club Basix, had been the one stutn that held on for 25 years as gay bars cled and social media beme ubiquo.
“Before I wouldn’t close bee I thought the gay muny need . Over the last , LGBTQ people have felt more fortable gog to other bars, and straight people have felt more fortable g to gay bars, where they experience unndnal acceptance.