In ‘Who Needs Gay Bars?,’ Greggor Mattson Explor the Past, Current, and Future of Ameri’s Queer Spac - Eater

Contents:

• GAY BARS AREN’T DISAPPEARG; THEY’RE CHANGG
• ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN NYC'S GAY NIGHTLIFE SCENE FAC OVER A OF SEXUAL MISNDUCT ALLEGATNS
• OWNER OF INIC BLACK-OWNED GAY BAR OPENG CLIVE PIZZA RTRANT
• A GAY UPLE RAN A RAL RTRANT PEACE. THEN NEW NEIGHBORS ARRIVED.
• GAY BAR OWNER BRETT NICHOLSON RUNS FOR PONTIAC CY COUNCIL: ‘MOVG PONTIAC FORWARD, TOGETHER’
• A YEAR GAY BARS
• BLACK-OWNED GAY BARS ARE DWDLG. CAN THEY SURVIVE COVID?
• 'GAY BAR' TRACKS THE WAVE OF A WHOLE CULTURE — AND ONE LIFE
• HOW THE MOB HELPED ESTABLISH NYC’S GAY BAR SCENE
• THE BEST PROVCE OF GUANASTE GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS PROVCE OF GUANASTE

GAY BARS AREN’T DISAPPEARG; THEY’RE CHANGG

I’m not married to the ia of a gay bar always beg everythg — if ’s a queer fe, if ’s a nonprof LGBTQ+ center — but I thk the panmic tght all how important is to have physil plac to ngregate, and those will rema important even a hypothetil, non-opprsive future.

The fact that you have a bar that’s maly Latx folks or a bar that’s Ain-Amerin LGBTQ+ folks, that didn’t surprise me, although I was very terted to fd out what were the challeng of nng those kds of bs bee those are the bars that’ve been closg among the fastt — gay bars that serve people of lor. Six of the ne accers said that bee they were newly out of the closet and didn’t know many queer people when the enunters occurred, they prumed that the cints were normal wh the gay muny, even though they were upset by them at the of Cohen’s accers add that havg accs to New York’s gay bars and parti meant so much to them, pecially for those who were unr 21, that they were willg to put up wh Cohen’s advanc. It wasn’t jt about experiencg fun nights out wh their iends —  was about the sense of eedom and acceptance they felt when surround by other gay people, some s for the first time their liv, they said.

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN NYC'S GAY NIGHTLIFE SCENE FAC OVER A OF SEXUAL MISNDUCT ALLEGATNS

There is no ditn that they knew about the allegatns of misnduct agast Cohen and Motel 23 reported by NBC allegatns ept to public viewCohen has hosted gay parti at glamoro New York nightclubs — cludg Goldbar, PHD Rooftop Lounge at the Dream Downtown hotel and Fishbowl at the Dream Midtown hotel — wh reliable crowds of attractive men and star-studd gut lists. Some of the world’s most well-known gay celebri, cludg Brish Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, actor Neil Patrick Harris and rapper Lil Nas X, have been photographed wh Cohen or ma an appearance at Motel 23. At the door, the man, who said he had never met Cohen before and do not equent New York’s gay nightlife scene, said that Cohen was gog to let him for ee, but charge his iend, who is Black, $250 for admissn.

OWNER OF INIC BLACK-OWNED GAY BAR OPENG CLIVE PIZZA RTRANT

” Wh days, he had received a flood of msag wh allegatns, he anonymo claims posted by the acunt llectively allege that Motel 23’s owner turned gay parti and bars, which some see as queer safe spac, to toxic environments where young men were subjected to unwanted sexual advanc. The bsman and his wife, Melissa, first plaed to the Front Porch proprietors about pre-dawn vendor liveri 2019, not long after the nservative Christian uple moved their fancial firm right next door to the rtrant, which fli a gay Pri flag.

A GAY UPLE RAN A RAL RTRANT PEACE. THEN NEW NEIGHBORS ARRIVED.

(Front Porch Market and Grill)What’s more, the Washers say, the ad rat was jt one more sult that the uple, who once planted an “all liv matter” sign their ont yard, have endured sce movg next door to a rtrant owned by a gay uple. They married 2020, five years after they opened the Front Porch, which quickly beme a statn The Front Porch has been flyg a Pri flag on s pat sce 2016, not long after a gunman killed 49 people a gay bar Orlando.

“I had so many threats agast me that even the Dallas police statned squad rs outsi our home, ” Waybourn an activist, Waybourn says, his goals were clear: same-sex marriage, gays and lbians the ary, accs to lifavg medic. “I have que a few gay iends, clients and a fay member, and I have patronized a gay-owned rtrant for years, ” he whether the Washers are tryg to remake The Plas to their image of Ameri — Whe, nservative, Christian — Melissa said, “I n see where you’re g om.

A ltle over a year ago, two gay bars, The Lumber Yard and Swallow Bar, faced each other across 16th Avenue SW, a neighborhood that seemed to be gag tractn the Wt Seattle LGBTQ muny as a more nvenient and laid-back alternative to the Capol Hill nightlife scene. The siwalks were dimly l, and I glid om light to light through the eply balmy eveng, and beyond the pat I found a panmic-era simulacm of a Texas gay bar’s ual weekday crowd: a few (whe) guys watchg sports on their phon, a (whe) man talkg to the bartenr, alongsi a handful of skny (whe) dus lookg to get laid. Jeremy Atherton L, the thor of the book “Gay Bar, ” may have scribed the allure of the spac bt: “It’s not about holdg out for a good night, but rather a lettg go, ” givg to the “unnvcg promise of pe.

GAY BAR OWNER BRETT NICHOLSON RUNS FOR PONTIAC CY COUNCIL: ‘MOVG PONTIAC FORWARD, TOGETHER’

“The first thg we thought was, ‘Oh, my gosh, we’re gog to be out of bs before we started this bs, ’” Hugh, 39, told NBC a global health crisis is not the only headwd their bar, Lambda Lounge, and the few remag Black-owned gay bars the Uned Stat are facg. Charl Hugh, left, and Richard Solomon, owners of Lambda Lounge, one of two Black-owned gay bars remag BrandsFor more than two s, gay bars, pecially those owned by people of lor, have been disappearg.

A YEAR GAY BARS

Though the reasons are not entirely clear, experts spect the overall cle gay bars is related to s of skyrocketg rents and gentrifitn, which have disproportnately impacted small, Black-owned bs; the emergence of onle datg s and apps; and circu parti that rotate among venu, which have bee creasgly popular among younger crowds.

While Mko eventually received a small loan through the ernment’s emergency relief program, he said the donatns “absolutely saved my bs, ” as well as the ia that ’s possible for a Black gay man to open his own bar. Historilly, the bars have been havens for people of lor, who have experienced discrimatn whe-owned bars for generatns, acrdg to Eric Gonzaba, an assistant profsor of Amerin Studi at California State Universy, Fullerton, who is wrg a book about the history of gay the 1960s, gay bars began to sprout metropolan areas across the U. He said even the Stonewall Inn, the once mafia-owned New York Cy gay bar that has bee a symbol of the LGBTQ rights movement, “didn’t let a lot of people of lor to the doors” ( has long sce operated unr new owners who do not engage such discrimatn).

Sce many gay bars the ‘80s and ‘90s were where gay activists gathered to te the muny about HIV and AIDS, he said lifavg rmatn about the vis often didn’t reach the Black up, the Black LGBTQ muny began to form s own hoe parti and unique social clubs ci wh large Black populatns. “This is mic that's found by Ain Amerin and Latx people ner ci, parts of Chigo and Philalphia and Washgton, and dancg be normalized … and this kd of style of mic and this kd of style of dancg that's highly sexualized be the envy of the wir gay muny, ” Gonzaba said of this early dis era that would later give rise to hoe and electronic dance mic. The number of Black-owned gay bars, currently and historilly, is unknown, sce there is no rource that specifilly tracks them, and Gonzaba said many bars equented by LGBTQ people of lor have historilly been whe-owned.

BLACK-OWNED GAY BARS ARE DWDLG. CAN THEY SURVIVE COVID?

C., which operated between 1957 and 1990, after alg wh s of discrimatn at gay bars San Francis, where he moved 1969, Rodney Barte, a Vietnam War veteran, former member of the Black Panther Party and gay rights activist, opened his own bar. Activist groups like Lbians and Gays of Ain Dcent for Democratic Actn (LAGADDA) gathered there to anize agast racist rdg polici San Francis and to te the Black muny about HIV preventn, he Barte on The New Eagle Creek Saloon float, San Francis Pri Para, Barte“I ll a muny center that served alhol, that's the way I scribe , ” said Barte, whose bar has been memorialized by his dghter, artist Sadie Barte, an exhib missned by The Lab San Francis.

The report remend tablishments and anizatns the so-lled gayborhood unrgo trag for racial bias and hire more diverse 2018, a group of Atlanta drag performers, all trans women of lor, llectively qu their jobs at a popular gay club, Burkhart’s, after s whe owner ma racist posts on his Facebook year, an email om a manager at Progrs Bar, a gay bar Chigo’s "gayborhood, " orred DJs to stop playg rap mic at the bar. “Anythg vulgar, aggrsive or nsired mumble rap (cludg certa Cardi B tracks and newer Nicki Maj) is off lims, ” the manager wrote a leaked June, activists gathered ont of 941 Saloon, a Ptsburgh gay bar, to prott drs s they said discrimated agast Black July, a picture circulatg on Facebook showed a bartenr at Number Ne, a popular gay bar Washgton, D.

'GAY BAR' TRACKS THE WAVE OF A WHOLE CULTURE — AND ONE LIFE

And while succeeds on many levels, perhaps the most remarkable one is Atherton L's nstant qutng of himself, and the realizatns of how he's changed sce he walked to his first gay bar years ago: "Maybe, I thought, I'm a dis ball.

But between New York’s LGBT muny the 1960s beg forced to live on the outskirts of society and the Mafia’s disregard for the law, the two ma a profable, if uneasy, the gay muny blossomed New York Cy the 1960s, members had few plac to gather publicly.

Unr the guise of New York State’s liquor laws that barred “disorrly” premis, the State Liquor Authory and the New York Police Department regularly raid bars that tered to gay the law saw viance, however, the Mafia saw a goln bs opportuny. It was the only place where gay people uld openly dance close together, and for relatively ltle money, drag queens (who received a bter receptn at other bars), naways, homels LGBT youths and others uld be off the streets as long as the bar was open. “Fat Tony, ” for one, paid New York’s 6th Precct approximately $1, 200 a week, exchange for the police agreeg to turn a bld eye to the “cent nduct” occurrg behd closed Photo<em>An NYPD officer grabs someone by their hair as another officer clubs a young man durg a nontatn Greenwich Village after a Gay Power march New York, 1970.

HOW THE MOB HELPED ESTABLISH NYC’S GAY BAR SCENE

Sometim the ps even went to the extreme measure of sendg female officers to the bathroom to verify people’s get around laws that prohibed servg alhol to LGBT patrons, many gay bars—cludg the Stonewall—operated ostensibly as “bottle bars, ” private clubs where members would brg their own alhol.

Apparently, too many high-powered dividuals—cludg Mafia members, police officers and big Hollywood nam—were implited as Stonewall Inn is a bar loted New York Cy’s Greenwich Village that served as a haven the 1960s for the cy’s gay, lbian and transgenr muny. " This sign was wrten by the Mattache Society–an early anizatn dited to fightg for gay reportg the events, The New York Daily News rorted to homophobic slurs s tailed verage, nng the headle: “Homo Nt Raid, Queen Be Are Stgg Mad. ”Over the next several nights, gay activists ntued to gather near the Stonewall, takg advantage of the moment to spread rmatn and build the muny that would fuel the growth of the gay rights movement.

THE BEST PROVCE OF GUANASTE GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS PROVCE OF GUANASTE

1 / 14: RxSome scholars have argued the famo Stonewall rts that sparked the natnwi LGBT movement were as much a ristance agast the mob’s exploatn of the gay muny as they were a stggle agast police harassment and discrimatory laws. ” Two of the ma gay-rights anizatns that me out of the rts, the Gay Activists Alliance and Gay Liberatn Front, actively champned gettg anized crime out of gay Mafia’s stranglehold on New York Cy’s nightlife bs took a huge h wh a seri of high-profile prosecutns the 1980s.

ReviewTripsAlertsSign CartProvce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste TourismProvce of Guanaste HotelsProvce of Guanaste Vatn RentalsFlights to Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste RtrantsThgs to Do Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste Travel FomProvce of Guanaste PhotosProvce of Guanaste MapProvce of Guanaste Travel GuiProvce of Guanaste Bed and BreakfastHotelsAll Provce of Guanaste HotelsProvce of Guanaste Hotel DealsProvce of Guanaste MotelsProvce of Guanaste HostelsProvce of Guanaste CampgroundsRomantic Hotels Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste RortsProvce of Guanaste Luxury HotelsProvce of Guanaste Fay HotelsProvce of Guanaste Spa RortsProvce of Guanaste Beach HotelsProvce of Guanaste CasosProvce of Guanaste Bs HotelsProvce of Guanaste Green HotelsProvce of Guanaste Ski-In / Ski-Out Hotels5-Star Hotels Provce of Guanaste4-Star Hotels Provce of Guanaste3-Star Hotels Provce of GuanasteB&B Hotels Provce of GuanasteMarrtt Autograph Collectn Hotels Provce of GuanasteRIU Hotels & Rorts Provce of GuanasteBt Wtern Hotels Provce of GuanasteMarrtt Hotels Provce of GuanasteWt Hotels Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Free ParkgPet Friendly Hotels Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh PoolsCool & Unique Rorts Provce of GuanasteJungle Rorts Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste Luxury Boutique HotelsLuxury Rorts Provce of GuanasteRomantic Boutique Hotels Provce of GuanasteBoutique Spa Hotels Provce of GuanasteSprg Break Hotels Provce of GuanasteDivg Rorts Provce of GuanasteSprg Break Rorts Provce of GuanasteFishg Rorts Provce of GuanasteProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Tennis CourtsProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh LoungeProvce of Guanaste Yoga HotelsProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh SnaProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Valet ParkgProvce of Guanaste Accsible HotelsProvce of Guanaste Water Sports RortsProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Breakfast BuffetProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Soundproof roomsProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh GymProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh BoatsProvce of Guanaste Hotels wh Bike RentalsProvce of Guanaste Non-Smokg HotelsProvce of Guanaste Rorts wh BoatsProvce of Guanaste Hikg HotelsHotels near Tamardo BeachHotels near Maleku ToursHotels near R CelteHotels near Samara BeachHotels near Playa ConchalHotels near Playa AvellanaHotels near Playa GunHotels near Samara-Carrillo Info CenterHotels near Playa HermosaHotels near Costa Ri Bt TripsHotels near Liberia Airport (LIR)Hotels near Nosara Beach Airport (NOB)Motels near Nosara Beach Airport (NOB)Motels near Liberia Airport (LIR)Popular All-Inclive RortsPopular Beach RortsPopular Fay RortsPopular All-Inclive HotelsPopular Hotels Wh WaterparksPopular Honeymoon RortsPopular Luxury RortsPopular All-Inclive Fay RortsPopular Golf RortsPopular Spa RortsPopular Cheap RortsThgs to DoAll thgs to do Provce of GuanasteNightlife Provce of GuanasteGood for CouplGood for KidsGood for Big GroupsBudget-iendlyGood for Adrenale SeekersHoneymoon spotAdventuroGood for a Ray DayHidn GemsFree EntryBars & Clubs Provce of GuanasteGay Bars Provce of GuanasteDance Clubs & Diss Provce of GuanasteCoffeeho Provce of GuanasteWe Bars Provce of GuanasteBar, Club & Pub Tours Provce of GuanasteTours & Activi Provce of GuanasteOutdoor Activi Provce of GuanasteBoat Tours & Water Sports Provce of GuanasteTransportatn Provce of GuanasteNature & Parks Provce of GuanasteSpas & Wellns Provce of GuanasteShoppg Provce of GuanasteClass & Workshops Provce of GuanasteFood & Drk Provce of GuanasteSights & Landmarks Provce of GuanasteMms Provce of GuanasteFun & Gam Provce of GuanasteDay Trips Provce of GuanasteTraveller Rourc Provce of GuanasteAmement Parks Provce of GuanasteSightseeg Tours Provce of GuanasteFactory Tours Provce of GuanasteB Tours Provce of GuanasteSegway Tours Provce of GuanasteWalkg Tours Provce of GuanasteWater Sports Provce of GuanasteBoat Rentals Provce of GuanasteDolph & Whale Watchg Provce of GuanasteGondola Cis Provce of GuanasteSpeed Boats Tours Provce of GuanasteKayakg & Canoeg Provce of GuanasteParasailg & Paraglidg Provce of GuanasteRiver Raftg & Tubg Provce of GuanasteScuba & Snorkellg Provce of GuanasteShark Divg Provce of GuanasteBeach Provce of GuanasteGolf Cours Provce of GuanasteHorseback Ridg Tours Provce of GuanasteEqutrian Trails Provce of GuanasteHikg Trails Provce of GuanasteMotorcycle Trails Provce of GuanasteSports Camps & Clics Provce of GuanasteWater Sports Provce of GuanasteGear Rentals Provce of GuanasteBoat Rentals Provce of GuanasteDolph & Whale Watchg Provce of GuanasteGondola Cis Provce of GuanasteSpeed Boats Tours Provce of GuanasteKayakg & Canoeg Provce of GuanasteParasailg & Paraglidg Provce of GuanasteWater Sports Provce of GuanasteBoat Rentals Provce of GuanasteDolph & Whale Watchg Provce of GuanasteGondola Cis Provce of GuanasteSpeed Boats Tours Provce of GuanasteKayakg & Canoeg Provce of GuanasteParasailg & Paraglidg Provce of GuanasteRiver Raftg & Tubg Provce of GuanasteScuba & Snorkellg Provce of GuanasteShark Divg Provce of GuanasteSubmare Tours Provce of GuanasteSurfg & Wdsurfg Provce of GuanasteSwim wh Dolphs Provce of GuanasteWaterskig & Jetskig Provce of GuanasteDuck Tours Provce of GuanasteFerri Provce of GuanasteTaxis & Shuttl Provce of GuanasteB Servic Provce of GuanasteRail Servic Provce of GuanastePlaygrounds Provce of GuanasteBeach Provce of GuanasteForts Provce of GuanasteHot Sprgs & Geysers Provce of GuanasteMaras Provce of GuanasteMountas Provce of GuanasteNatnal Parks Provce of GuanasteNature & Wildlife Areas Provce of GuanasteEqutrian Trails Provce of GuanasteHikg Trails Provce of GuanasteMotorcycle Trails Provce of GuanasteVolnos Provce of GuanasteWaterfalls Provce of GuanasteBodi of Water Provce of GuanasteHealth Clubs Provce of GuanasteYoga & Pilat Provce of GuanasteArt Galleri Provce of GuanasteFlea & Street Markets Provce of GuanasteShoppg Malls Provce of GuanasteSpecialy & Gift Shops Provce of GuanasteFarmers Markets Provce of GuanasteFashn Shows & Tours Provce of GuanasteShoppg Tours Provce of GuanasteSports Camps & Clics Provce of GuanasteLsons & Workshops Provce of GuanasteCookg Class Provce of GuanastePat & Pottery Studs Provce of GuanasteBreweri Provce of GuanasteBeer Tastgs & Tours Provce of GuanasteCoffee & Tea Tours Provce of GuanasteCookg Class Provce of GuanasteFood Tours Provce of GuanasteWe Tours & Tastgs Provce of GuanasteWe Bars Provce of GuanasteFarmers Markets Provce of GuanasteOther Food & Drk Provce of GuanasteDistillery Tours Provce of GuanasteBattlefields Provce of GuanasteCivic Centr Provce of GuanasteRelig S Provce of GuanasteEdutnal s Provce of GuanasteHistoric S Provce of GuanasteMyster S Provce of GuanasteScenic Walkg Areas Provce of GuanasteShips Provce of GuanasteFarms Provce of GuanastePots of Intert & Landmarks Provce of GuanasteLookouts Provce of GuanasteChurch & Cathedrals Provce of GuanasteArt Galleri Provce of GuanasteArt Mms Provce of GuanasteHistory Mms Provce of GuanasteSpecialy Mms Provce of GuanastePlaygrounds Provce of GuanasteGame & Entertament Centers Provce of GuanasteSports Complex Provce of GuanasteEspe Gam Provce of GuanasteMiature Golf Provce of GuanastePat & Pottery Studs Provce of GuanasteLibrari Provce of GuanasteVisor Centers Provce of GuanasteAirport Loung Provce of GuanasteParque Nacnal Rcón la Vieja: Tickets & Tours‎Palo Ver Natnal Park: Tickets & Tours‎Playa Gran: Tickets & Tours‎Rn De La Vieja Volno Natnal Park: Tickets & Tours‎Coyotera Beach: Tickets & Tours‎Thgs to do near Parque Nacnal Rcón la ViejaThgs to do near Costa Ri Tours & AdventureThgs to do near Happy RisCasdas Agua AzulPe Pot BeachPot Vicente LighthoeVatin NecropolisSeaWorldTurtle River ParkPortatxWildlife Loop RoadTropinoe CoveGarn of the GodsFast Track Through Denpasar Airport BaliSmall-Group Tour: Historil Pub Walkg Tour of LondonAll-Inclive Catamaran Day CiseExperience the Bety, History and the Culture Of Accra a DayDubai Internatnal Airport Plaza Premium Lounge at Termal 3Utv Si By Si Adventure At Carabali (4 People)Shop, See, & SplashMumbai Airport TransferPrivate Half-Day Tour of the Authentic Cy of FezZagreb to Spl Group Transfer wh Plvice Lak Tour (Includ: Entry Ticket)RtrantsFlightsVatn RentalsTravel StoriCisRental CarsToursAdd a PlaceTravel FomAirlTravel GuisRoad TripsHelp CenterCentral AmeriCosta RiProvce of GuanasteThgs to Do Provce of GuanasteGay Bars Provce of GuanasteSee all Thgs to DoGay Clubs & Bars Provce of GuanasteSee all Thgs to DoAll thgs to doCategory typAttractnsToursDay TripsOutdoor ActiviConcerts & ShowsFood & DrkClass & WorkshopsShoppgTransportatnTraveler RourcTyp of AttractnsNightlifeNightlifeBar, Club & Pub ToursBars & ClubsDance Clubs & DissCoffeehoGay Clubs & BarsWe BarsTraveler ratgGood forGood for CouplBudget-iendlyGood for KidsGood for Big GroupsHoneymoon spotGood for Adrenale SeekersHidn GemsFree EntryAdventuroGood for a Ray Day1 place sorted by traveler favorClear all filters1.