The Contental Baths: The gay bathhoe that birthed electronic mic legends - Blog | Splice

Contents:

• THE CONTENTAL BATHS: THE GAY BATHHOE THAT BIRTHED ELECTRONIC MIC LEGENDS
• A PEEK UNR THE TOWEL: INSI THE 500-YEAR HISTORY OF GAY BATHHO
• EXPLORG THE REVIVAL OF GAY BATHHO NEW YORK CY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY
• GAY BATHHOE EROS TO OPEN S NEW TENRLO LOTN FOR PRI WEEKEND
• BEFORE IT BURNED DOWN, THIS BATHHOE SERVED AS A HAVEN FOR NEW YORK CY’S GAY COMMUNY
• EAST SI CLUBNEW YORK CYMENUHOTELS · LUXURYHOTELS · MID-RANGEON TODAYBARSLBIAN BARSDANCE CLUBSCISE CLUBSSNASMASSAGECULTURESHOPSLGBT+ ATTRACTNSCY GUIGAY TOURSRTRANTSGAY BEACHGAY MAPGAY WEDDGSEAST SI CLUB
• GAY NEW YORK
• GAY HISTORY – DECEMBER 9, 1985: THE NYC DEPT. OF HEALTH CLOS THE INFAMO NEW ST. MARKS BATHS

THE CONTENTAL BATHS: THE GAY BATHHOE THAT BIRTHED ELECTRONIC MIC LEGENDS

The Everard Baths, one of the most legendary of New York’s bathho, was a refuge for gay men probably sce s openg 1888, but fely by World War I. As wh most of the cy’s gay bathho, was closed 1986 by the Cy of New York as an anti-AIDS measure.

One of the most legendary of New York’s bathho, the Everard Baths was a refuge for gay men probably sce s openg 1888, but, as documented, om at least World War I until s closg 1986. Gee Chncey found that raids by the New York Society for the Supprsn of Vice 1919 and 1920 here produced the arrts of numero gay men.

A PEEK UNR THE TOWEL: INSI THE 500-YEAR HISTORY OF GAY BATHHO

Morris Baths was an important social center for gay Ain-Amerin men and one of the longt operatg bathho New York Cy. Until the 1960s, was the only gay bathhoe the cy to adm Ain-Amerin men due to overt discrimatn.

When exactly began to attract a predomantly gay, Ain-Amerin clientele is unknown, but was mostly likely the 1920s durg the Harlem Renaissance. Lln Kirste characterized the baths as “a renzvo” for “notor homosexuals, viated perverts, and merchant semen.

It served an important social service known for s emphasis on sex tn durg a perd when there were few AIDS/HIV outreach programs for gay men of lor and men who did not intify as gay, but had sex wh men. Given s glossy new terr and nvenient lotn, the Baths boomed populary, predomantly wh a whe, middle- and upper-class gay male clientele. In 1980, Mailman opened his own gay club, The Sat, whose name was spired by the Baths, jt a five-mute walk om each other.

EXPLORG THE REVIVAL OF GAY BATHHO NEW YORK CY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY

In an attempt to make The Sat profable, he opened the club to straight patrons on Fridays and ntued operatg until May 1988, when closed due to the loss of s re dience of whe, gay men. No, you’re the basement of the Ansonia Hotel at the Contental Baths, one of the most inic gay bathho history and the unlikely spot where two future electronic mic legends, the late and great Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckl, cut their teeth.

From the 1950s through to the 1970s, homosexual men were subject to nsistent arrt and public huiatn, be om neighbors, landlords, or others reportg them and their partners to police. The Stonewall Rts of 1969, where gay and trans New Yorkers stood up to abive police officers who regularly raid their premis, sparked the morn LGBTQ+ rights movement and creased visibily for gays and lbians New York.

As a rult, gay owned and operated muny centers creased populary and bath ho beme beloved plac to socialize. Wh creased police prence, burgeong sts, and the rise of other gay clubs New York, the Contental Baths’ populary waned. It was a ld Febary morng, 118 years ago this month, when New York Cy police nducted their first rerd raid on a gay bathhoe.

GAY BATHHOE EROS TO OPEN S NEW TENRLO LOTN FOR PRI WEEKEND

This marked the first rerd time that police raid a gay bathhoe Ameri, but certaly wasn’t the last. The tradn of gay male bathg spac dat back to the 15th century — and more genr-ntral bathg is rerd as early as 6 BC.

BEFORE IT BURNED DOWN, THIS BATHHOE SERVED AS A HAVEN FOR NEW YORK CY’S GAY COMMUNY

In the late 1400s, police Florence, Italy, monored homosexual activy and “spect boys” at bathho. As stutns, bathho gaed populary the last century, part due to growg gay populatns lackg plac where they uld publicly gather. The risks of police raids terred some men om steppg to a gay bathhoe, but ultimately the need for timate pannship outweighed the danger posed by police.

EAST SI CLUBNEW YORK CYMENUHOTELS · LUXURYHOTELS · MID-RANGEON TODAYBARSLBIAN BARSDANCE CLUBSCISE CLUBSSNASMASSAGECULTURESHOPSLGBT+ ATTRACTNSCY GUIGAY TOURSRTRANTSGAY BEACHGAY MAPGAY WEDDGSEAST SI CLUB

Dpe survivg 100 years of police harassment, though, the gay bathho of New York Cy uldn’t survive the homophobia of Mayor Ed Koch, who shut most of them down durg the HIV epimic. Followg World War II, a more robt unrground gay culture began to emerge, spurred part by the pannship that queer soldiers found the ary.

While many gay bathho have strict l and regulatns place to ensure the safety of their patrons, there is still a risk of sexual asslt or other forms of harm. Addnally, the revival of gay bathho New York Cy has sparked bat about gentrifitn and the changg nature of LGBTQ+ spac.

GAY NEW YORK

Dpe the ncerns, the revival of gay bathho New York Cy is a ttament to the rilience of the LGBTQ+ muny. By providg a safe and welg space for gay men to explore their sexualy, the tablishments play an important role promotg acceptance and clivy.

GAY HISTORY – DECEMBER 9, 1985: THE NYC DEPT. OF HEALTH CLOS THE INFAMO NEW ST. MARKS BATHS

Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ muny or an ally, ’s important to unrstand the signifince of gay bathho New York Cy and the impact they have on the muny as a whole. First off, let’s addrs the elephant the room: y, gay bathho are plac where men n go to engage sexual activy wh other men. Many gay bathho have strict l and regulatns place to ensure the safety of their patrons, cludg no means no polici and mandatory ndom e.

Many of the tablishments date back to the ’70s and ’80s, a time when beg gay was still heavily stigmatized and crimalized.

Overall, New York’s gay bathho offer a plex and multifaceted experience for those who choose to vis them. For many members of the LGBTQ+ muny, gay bathho are a place of refuge and acceptance, a place where they n explore their sexualy and nnect wh others whout fear of judgment or discrimatn.