Gay Bathhoe - The Stranger

Contents:

• UNCLOAKG DIRE: EXPERIENCG THE GAY SNA
• INSI CHARTS, LONDON'S BIGGT GAY SNA
• THE DOS & DON'TS OF GAY CLUBBG
• WHEN I WAS HOMELS, I SOLD MY BODY GAY SNAS TO SURVIVE
• GAY BATHHOE
• THE FUTURE OF BRA’S GAY SNAS
• GAY SNA EXPERIENC
• LONDON GAY SNAS
• GAY SNAS AND THE RISKS OF HIV AND SYPHILIS TRANSMISSNS CHA--RULTS OF A META-ANALYSIS
• GAY SNA & CISE CLUB GUI
• HISTORY LSON: WHY SNAS REMA IMPORTANT TO GAY CULTURE
• MONTREAL GAY SNAS

UNCLOAKG DIRE: EXPERIENCG THE GAY SNA

The other day, I performed one of the self-experiments while aimlsly roamg the streets of London: searchg for a new experiential plate to tt the lims of my ‘self, ’ I impulsively walked to a gay sna. For those not the know, a gay sna is as an unrground plex of showers, snas, steam rooms and sex booths where gay men go to relax and have totally anonymo sex of all sorts. All sts is 10 quid (only 5 if you’re a stunt—lerally: stunt disunts at a gay sex stutn.

INSI CHARTS, LONDON'S BIGGT GAY SNA

Wh every new generatn of gay and bisexual men a new generatn of cisers.

THE DOS & DON'TS OF GAY CLUBBG

(This is large part why gay bathho are shuttg down across the U.

WHEN I WAS HOMELS, I SOLD MY BODY GAY SNAS TO SURVIVE

) But if you are one of the gay/bi men out there, like many of , who don't get that same sh om Grdr that you do om furtive eye glanc the sna -- which turn to so much more -- then this article is for you: the 5 do's and 5 don'ts of gay cisg. Don't take your Rolex or that rg your grandma gave you when she passed away to the gay sna. Charts is a gay sna that’s somehow stood firm and risted the velopers for nearly 20 years.

GAY BATHHOE

Amidst a vastatg year for gay venu London, alarm bells were set off June when was reported that the se might make way for a luxury hotel, but thankfully for s patrons, there’s been very ltle follow-up.

‘It was found 1997, ’ says staff member Lewis, ‘when fdg a fy, welg place to be openly gay or explore your sexualy was perhaps tougher than is now. For the uniated, a gay sna is, as our listg onle stat: ‘like a leisure centre, but wh sex’ – a place where men cise and hook up.

‘That always ma me giggle – the last thg a gay du to a sna for is a mouthful of fish.

THE FUTURE OF BRA’S GAY SNAS

‘Some misnceptns are fuelled by homophobia’. Speakg of hair, you might image that wh that zty, naturel activy gog on, a gay sna would be ked lube and all manner of curly follicl. There are still a lot of gay or bisexual guys who aren’t out.

GAY SNA EXPERIENC

Sadly, I fear some misnceptns are fuelled by homophobia.

If was a straight swgers’ club, might be seen as cheeky, racy, darg, but bee ’s a gay spot, ’s more likely to be nsired sleazy and gross.

There are gay venu most ci and towns. ’s most remote gay bar) you uld probably fd one place to wet your whistle.

LONDON GAY SNAS

Chanc are, your first tentative steps out onto the London queer scene were ma or around Old Compton Street, the shg of London’s mastream gay culture.

The inic Royal Vxhall Tavern is one of the olst gay venu the cy and ss, as you may have gused, Vxhall.

GAY SNAS AND THE RISKS OF HIV AND SYPHILIS TRANSMISSNS CHA--RULTS OF A META-ANALYSIS

Chanc are you probably won’t be starg down that barrel of that gun a gay club eher then pal. Csg a venue to ll out an expensive plummer bee you and your pals thought ’d be a great plan to smash up the toilet after your first h of gay gra gak isn’t exactly the pnacle of allyship.

Gay men do not have any more right to touch a woman’s breasts than a straight man whout nsent.

It’s been 50 years sce homosexualy was crimalised this untry. A mere 30 years later, sectn 28 was passed - makg an offence to promote (talk about) homosexualy schools and only 5 years ago same sex marriag were not legal.

GAY SNA & CISE CLUB GUI

Hi, odd kda qutn maybe, but has anyone here been to a gay sna before? Every once a while, as though strand si a gay Advent lendar, I e upon a room wh the door popped open and a guy si eher lyg nu on his tummy or jackg off while his ey stare out to the hallway.

Walkg back to my room, I nsir how eply reassurg mt be for gay men to know that, at any time of day or night, and wh very ltle effort and expense, they n get head on the fly, no strgs attached. Before ronavis h, Charts Vxhall claimed to be ​“Europe’s largt gay sna” for men wantg steam, queer mararie and a potential subterranean hook-up.

Charts Vxhall was the last survivg outpost of a gay sna cha which at s 2005 peak had six branch dotted across London.

HISTORY LSON: WHY SNAS REMA IMPORTANT TO GAY CULTURE

Losg Charts is a major blow for London’s queer male muny, but gay snas across the UK have weathered an credibly ttg 12 months.

MONTREAL GAY SNAS

“Gay snas n of the possibily of sex, but whether people actually have sex when they get here is a pletely different thg, ” says Stephen Gunn of Mantire Spa Plymouth. In 2021, gay snas are faced wh the same toxic cktail of threats as any other LGBTQ venue.

But when we talk about savg our val queer spac, gay snas tend to be exclud om the nversatn. Nick Batt, owner of Pk Broadway Southampton, says a lol rad statn was terted hearg about his stggle to survive the panmic as a small bs owner until he said he ran a gay sna. Even wh the LGBTQ muny, gay snas have a lgerg image problem.