Before Stonewall, Cherry Grove: How a Fire Island beach town beme a gay 'safe haven'

Contents:

• NEW YORK CY GAY SNAS AND BATHHO
• DISVER THE 10 BT GAY BEACH NORTH AMERI (AND WHERE TO STAY)
• THE VERY GAY HISTORY OF FIRE ISLAND
• BEFORE STONEWALL, CHERRY GROVE: HOW A BEACH TOWN BEME A GAY 'SAFE HAVEN'

NEW YORK CY GAY SNAS AND BATHHO

Many are left wonrg what will happen to the plot of land the hospal habed; some have fears the spot will be taken over by velopers and transformed to a space that is no longer welg and nothg will ever tly pture the sense of The People’s Beach, there are some optns for those still seekg a queer-iendly summer two down is Fort Tiln, a seclud beach where gays gather when search of a more low-key, remote vibe. An inic gay beach statn sce the 1970s, Fire Island is 5 kilometers off the ast of Long Island, New York, and pris a dozen beachsi muni.

Sun-seekers who head to the longtime LGBT muny of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, n expect to mgle on the shor of gay-iendly Poodle Beach wh olr lol rints and vatng cy folks om Philalphia, Pennsylvania (207 kilometers), and Washgton, D. This town has a number of fay-iendly plac, such as CAMP Rehoboth, a full-service gay and lbian muny center that aniz summer events for all ag.

LGBT-owned bs have thrived here for s, particularly the gay nightlife the Broadway Corridor Alamos Beach, which clus venu like Mhaft, a pub for the jeans and leather crowd, and Paradise, a piano bar and eatery.

DISVER THE 10 BT GAY BEACH NORTH AMERI (AND WHERE TO STAY)

Follow the rabow flags by the lifeguard towers surfsi at the foot of 12th Street to fd the epicenter of gay-iendly Miami Beach, Florida, 4 kilometers off the maland of Miami, Florida. This part of the beach is loud and proud, filled wh gay-iendly rtrants and bars that will tempt you to stay out all night.

THE VERY GAY HISTORY OF FIRE ISLAND

At one end of the lot, retire arrive to practice their golf and mothers mivans gather to wa for their Ltle other end is popular wh another set wh a much lower profile this suburban settg: gay men cisg for sex. Manhattan may have s gay bars and such tradnal pickup spots as the woods of the Ramble Central Park and the piers of the Wt Village. But the ls-acceptg climate of the suburbs and the boroughs outsi Manhattan, gay men often rort to urtg one another om the relative safety and privacy of their rs.

They troll remote parkg lots that bee facto pickup spots well known gay circl but not to the general Island spots clu Two Mile Hollow Beach East Hampton, the Field 6 parkg lot at Jon Beach, a rt stop near Ex 52 on the Long Island Exprsway and the park-and-ri lot on Route 110 Melville. "The vast majory of men who e here are married, " said one longtime parkg lot er, who like the other men terviewed there recently would not tell his name bee of ncerns rangg om embarrassment to fears of gay-bashg.

BEFORE STONEWALL, CHERRY GROVE: HOW A BEACH TOWN BEME A GAY 'SAFE HAVEN'

It's on their way home and they don't have to get volved a relatnship or any gay liftyle or social circl. They don't even have to buy anyone a drk or be seen a gay bar.

"Some say, 'I'm not even gay.

Some longtime lot regulars who are openly gay enjoy gatherg to observe and narrate the forays and entreati as they occur. "There's so much lonels among gay men, " one lot er said.

"The parkg lot's e as a gay cisg spot go back at least to the 1960's, several olr men said. "As for sex, the regulars say that they prefer the parkg lot to gay bars sce there is ltle the way of dgs and alhol and there is more honty about sexually transmted diseas. The lot n be found on Web s listg gay cisg spots, cludg one that scrib as a "cisy parkg lot" that "seems safe and private enough.

Even the softball players who arrive after work and change their shirts outsi their rs do not seem to notice the admirg dience they attract sce most of the gay men do not leave their ntacted about the parkg lot, the print of the Friends of Cunngham Park, Marc A. A stone's throw away, a group of gay men stood narratg the attempt of a man trollg the lot a tan sedan to woo the cute man parked the black S. "While gay gathergs take many forms ethnilly diverse Queens, om the scene Astoria Park to the gay bars servg Central and South Amerins Jackson Heights, many ethnic groups have strong taboos agast homosexualy.

"You know, not everyone who's gay liv Manhattan and ns packs like 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Celebrate Pri on Long Island, one of New York’s most lorful gay pri events, wh a great para, warm wele and fun after-parti.

Stay Midtown, close to the cy’s btlg gay bars. Gay Long Island.