Gay bars are not a monolith.īut the state of the gay bar has become a pressing concern. There are strip clubs and dive bars and cafes and cocktail bars serving both gay and straight people. There are bars where bears go to cruise, where lesbians hang with local bikers, or where, at one establishment in the book, undocumented Latino men don’t have to show ID to dance. There are bars in big cities and in small towns. “There is no one answer to the question ‘Who needs gay bars?’ because there is no one ‘who,’ no one set of ‘needs,’ and no one kind of ‘gay bar,’” writes Mattson, a sociology professor at Oberlin. These differences are sort of the point of Mattson’s book, a chronicle of gay bars in 39 states across the country and throughout American history. I don’t need to be entertained, I mentally yelled at the bar owner. I want a relaxed night with friends, with good cocktails and the knowledge that my partner and I will feel accepted. Gay bar patrons want entertainment, he says - drag shows, TV watch parties, activities. One of the 130 gay bar owners he interviewed is bemoaning how his customers are no longer content to hang with friends and converse over a few drinks. There was a moment reading Greggor Mattson’s book, Who Needs Gay Bars?, where I found myself becoming incredibly defensive.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |