Why gay bars are closing — and what’s taking their place

Marketplace ^ | 6/13/24 | Sabri Ben-Achour and Erika Soderstrom

[DallasBiff]

Across the country, gay bars — often a fixture of queer nightlife — have been shuttered at an alarming pace. More than 45% closed between 2002 and 2023.

But the closing of gay bars is prompting some to reimagine queer nightlife, argues Amin Ghaziani, a professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia.

Sabri Ben-Achour: So let’s start with this idea of the disappearing gay bar. This comes down to economics that I think are very relatable to a lot of businesses. It’s not that they’re not viable as a business, it’s that they’re getting priced out.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Miscellaneous; Society; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: aminghaziani; bathhousebarry; closing; economics; erikasoderstrom; fdrq; gaybars; grindr; homoapps; homofascism; homosexualagenda; obamaissad; ohnoanyway; queer; sabribenachour

[DallasBiff]

This thread will probably be pulled, but it is ironic that gay neighborhoods are being gentrified.

[Texas Eagle]

This thread should be epic.

[Disambiguator]

Are they being replaced by mosques?

[thescourged1]

I’m just here for the Blue Oyster references.

[marktwain]

Digital meet-ups replace gay bars.

Just another retail site going out of business because of digital markets...

[Disambiguator]

I was being tongue-in-cheek. Yes, everything has an app now. No need for in-person interaction to arrange a tryst.

[ConservativeMind]

Grindr “bar” apps?

[mythenjoseph]

Bewilderment and repulsive reaction by me trying to read the article. I will never accept or understand homosexuality.

[Pilsner]

I’m just here for the Blue Oyster references.

The instant I read this, the music played in my brain.

[TexasGator]

“So one study found that 80% of queer Black respondents, 79% of queer Asian respondents and 75% of queer South Asian respondents reported experiencing racial bias from within LGBTQ+ communities. “

[Billthedrill]

The author dances around it a little, but does eventually get to the bottom line that gay bars are no different from any other enterprise: if there's a more profitable use of the space, that's what it will be used for.

These "innovative" new parties are raves. Been going on for decades.

[jz638]

Used to be that gays couldn’t be seen in public places being gay, either the behavior itself was discriminated against or the people doing it couldn’t risk being seen engaging in the behavior in public. Gay bars were the only game in town... unless you wanted to go cruising in a public park or a certain bathroom in the denver airport.

Now there are apps for hookups, people don’t really blink if there is a gay couple in public or someone is known to be gay. They got everything they said they wanted, and now their “culture” is gone.

[catnipman]

“Why gay bars are closing — and what’s taking their place”

gayer bars?

[Chickensoup]

Not really

Here in northeast the cities actively courted gay and arts crowds that would upgrade buildings and areas then the developers moved in. that was the ultimate plan.

[Chickensoup]

I think it is Grinder.

[Hyman Roth]

This a true blow to the industry

[tumblindice]

Greetings, welcome! May I push in your stool.

Walked into a gay bar in San Diego, didn’t know what it was, I was doing laundry next door. Just wanted to buy some smokes.
Back when I smoked, when I wasn’t hideous looking, years ago.
I felt like I was wearing Milkbone underwear in the dog pound.

[Billthedrill]

They’re just chasing the bottom line.

[Honorary Serb]

Yup!

I can’t understand or accept “trans” or “non-binary” either!

[AppyPappy]

They no longer need a “safe” space. Plus gay bars are very high-drama these days because everything is.