New York Cy yterday closed a bar equented by homosexuals, ntendg that permted ”high-risk sexual activy” lked to the spread of AIDS. The Me Shaft is a ”notor and well-known place,” the words of Richard Dunne, executive director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
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GAY HISTORY – NOVEMBER 7, 1985: NYC CLOS THE “NOTOR” MINESHAFT – READ THE NY TIM ARTICLE
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Tal of New York Cy gay nightlife, before the 1980s HIV epimic and the wispread gentrifitn that transformed the cy, sound legendary to those of who weren’t around to wns . But a queer historian has given morn-day queers a close look at one of the most well-known gay leather bars of that era — the Mhaft. Frscher published the terview (and many others) his recently released book Profil Gay Courage: Leatherfolk, Arts, and Ias.
European travelers particular took advantage of low air far and favorable exchange rat to party gay New York Cy and e to the club, Wallace said. Wallace noted that the club gaed notoriety om the ntroversial and oh-so-hot 1980s gay slasher film Cisg.
Stori of New York Cy's gay nightlife before the 1980s HIV epimic and the wispread gentrifitn that transformed the cy sound legendary to those of * mineshaft gay bar nyc *
The club eventually hosted numero leather groups at the time, cludg the Fist F—ers of Ameri (FFA), the Total Ass Involvement League (TAIL), the Interchange (a biker club), and the Gay Men’s S&M Associatn (GMSMA).
He also said closeted actor Rock Hudson, Queen ontman Freddie Mercury, gay philosopher Michel Fouult, and Liza Melli’s father Vcente Mnelli were among the gay lumari who ma si the legendary club. He spected that a self-policg gay group wh the cy ernment who were ashamed of the gay leather scene helped anize s shutdown, though the Mafia’s shady tax algs wh the bar certaly didn’t help, he add.
Rememberg the Lost Gay Bars of NYC Like The Vlt Me Shaft Nth Circle * mineshaft gay bar nyc *
From 1968 until 1985, a number of gay leather bars and sex clubs operated this former market buildg the Meatpackg District.
It beme the first gay venue shut down by the Cy as part of s then-ntroversial AIDS preventn measur. Overlappg wh that e, a seri of gay leather bars began leasg space 1968 on the first and send floors of the buildg.
The Meatpackg District, the northwtern rner of Greenwich Village, was then a perfect lotn for gay nightspots as there were no other nightly activi the area, other than sex workers on the streets. It brought gay men om across a spectm of sexual terts – “leather, sweater, and jeans, ” as Gay Scene observed. The newspaper GAY, however, med that “the boots and jackets are often jt stume here.
In New York Cy, the meatpackg district of Greenwich Village is home to many LGBTQ muni and movements. The most notable landmark is the Stonewall Inn that led to a seri of rts 1969. On the wt si of Greenwich Village, however, was a lser known gay hotspot: an exclive, members-only BDSM sex club… * mineshaft gay bar nyc *
It was one of the filmg lotns for the early gay-themed movie Some of My Bt Friends Are… (1971), wh Fannie Flagg, Candy Darlg, Carleton Carpenter, and Rue McClanahan. The edor of the leather magaze Dmmer, Jack Frscher, published an article on the Mhaft December 1977 that spurred the club’s fame as an ternatnal gay tourist statn. The Mhaft was que genero holdg benefs here, such as one after the tragic 1977 fire at the Everard Baths, and those for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis the early years of the AIDS epimic.
The club had existed the eewheelg years between gay liberatn and the unforeen rise of the AIDS epimic. In October 1985, New York State thori issued emergency regulatns allowg lol officials to immediately close any “homosexual” plac where “high-risk sexual activi” took place. In November, then-mayor Ed Koch was virtually forced to shut down the Mhaft, which was the first gay venue closed by the Cy as part of AIDS preventn measur.
The polici were ntroversial at the time both the gay and medil muni. Gay Activists Alliance Zaps at Sl Sharison Rince. CITY CLOSES BAR FREQUENTED BY HOMOSEXUALS, CITING SEXUAL ACTIVITY LINKED TO AIDS.