GAY BARS IN CLEVELAND | Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Wtern Rerve Universy

Contents:

• GAY BARS IN CLEVELAND
• GAY CLEVELAND THROUGH THE S: THE CLUBS, QUEENS AND MIC THAT BROUGHT GAY CULTURE TO THE MASTREAM
• GAY NIGHTLIFE CLEVELAND
• MOVG TO LGBTQ CLEVELAND, OH? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!
• 7 BT GAY BARS & RTRANTS CLEVELAND, OH
• THE BEST CLEVELAND GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS CLEVELAND

GAY BARS IN CLEVELAND

GAY BARS IN CLEVEAND have been existence sce at least the 1940s and have served as important s for the cy’s LGBTQ muny to socialize, anize, and distribute rmatn and rourc. GRAUER, a bar lled Ltle Ted’s, which was suated unr a rtrant of the same name near the CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, as well as a bar lled Mac & Jerry’s, which was not exclively gay but was a popular spot for the cy’s dtrial workers.

GAY CLEVELAND THROUGH THE S: THE CLUBS, QUEENS AND MIC THAT BROUGHT GAY CULTURE TO THE MASTREAM

Some gay bars the 1940s were also part of the early drag scene. In the 1950s and 1960s, Cleveland’s gay bar scene grew nsirably, as did the number of bars that were not exclively gay, but gay-iendly.

Ale’s Bar at East 115th Street and Euclid Avenue was one such spot, where stunts om the nearby CASE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY would gather alongsi members of Cleveland’s gay muny. The Kg’s Room CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, suated at Taylor and Cedar, had an almost exclively gay patronage, as did the Shaker Club SHAKER SQUARE.

GAY NIGHTLIFE CLEVELAND

In the 1970s, Cleveland had dozens of gay bars equented by gay men and lbians the muny.

MOVG TO LGBTQ CLEVELAND, OH? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!

The Leather Stalln was a popular gay bar that opened the 1970s the downtown area and has remaed open sce. The CADILLAC LOUNGE closed late 1970, but other bars owned by Gloria Lenihan like the Pickwood Lounge on Clifton Avenue remaed popular spots for Cleveland’s gay and lbian muny. Durg this time, the area around Clifton Boulevard was already a signifint part of the gay bar scene that clud other venu the Nantucket Lounge, across om the Pickwood.

This area is still home to many gay bars today (2022). As the gay liberatn took hold Cleveland the 1970s, members of the gay muny created new gatherg spac that served as alternativ to the gay bars.

In 1977, the openg of the offic of LESBIAN/GAY COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER OF GREATER CLEVELAND provid a space for members of the gay muny to socialize, anize polilly, and share rourc and rmatn. Gay bars mataed their prence Cleveland, and they were signifint for gay publitns like HIGH GEAR which ed them as pots of distributn, but they were no longer the only plac which to socialize openly and safely. Although Cleveland’s gay bars have been valuable spac for members of the gay muny to gather, their patrons have not always been treated an equable manner.

7 BT GAY BARS & RTRANTS CLEVELAND, OH

Discrimatn agast Black patrons at gay bars has been a signifint problem that many members of the gay muny have mobilized agast.

THE BEST CLEVELAND GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS CLEVELAND

The Midwt Regnal Discrimatn Rponse System, a project of Black and Whe Men Together, formed orr to report stanc of racial discrimatn wh the gay and lbian muny and discrimatn agast the muny. In 1985, the anizatn mobilized agast the Rz, a bar Cleveland that accepted members of the gay muny on Sundays, which had been the subject of plats of discrimatn agast Black men and women attemptg to enter. Discrimatn agast women at gay bars has also served as a pot of mobilizatn for the gay muny.

In 1975, the Cleveland Gay Polil Unn boytted the 620 Club on Frankfort Avenue bee refed to adm women.

In 1977, reporters for the PLAIN DEALER wrg an article on the gay bar scene noted the bar’s ntued polici agast admtg women. Today (2022), although there are numero spac Cleveland for LGBTQ people to gather, gay bars still have a strong prence. While early gay bars were often downtown or on Cleveland’s East Si, most gay bars today are suated on the cy’s Wt Si.