I didn’t realize that there were other, like-minded people. “I have heard stories where people said, ‘You saved my life. “Before the internet, people relied on these books,” said Gatta, who added that others are creating similar listings online. It was published in various formats from 1964 to 2019, but it will live online moving forward, according to owner Gina Gatta, who said the guide is losing money. Mattson sources some of his data from the San Francisco-based Damron Guide, the most-comprehensive listing of LGBTQ spaces nationwide. "Were these lesbian bars invaded by gay men? Were these new establishments where people were choosing to socialize in mixed gender groups? Or were these formerly gay male bars that had become welcoming to women?"
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News: That's the spirit Utica's Mill Street goes from gristmill to distillery And that was an accompanied by a rise in the number of gay bars that were identified by patrons as places where men and women socialize together. “There was a precipitous decline through the ‘90s. “The peak of lesbian bars happened back in the late ‘80s,” said Mattson, who is working on a book on changes in gay and lesbian bars over the last 25 years. However, LGBTQ bars that predominantly serve women and people of color have seen sharper drops of 51.6% and 59.3%, respectively. There are fewer than 900 LGBTQ bars nationwide, having declined by 36.6% between 20, according to Mattson’s research. “That was everybody's Friday and Saturday for years.” “(It was), you come here, you drink, you eat and then you go down to Wall Street at 11 p.m. And I remember there were some issues where some women didn’t want men in here.”īack then, Slammers was a stopping point for women on their way to the Wall Street nightclub. “Gay men wanted to be with gay men, and gay women wanted to be with gay women. “We were separate but equal,” Gordon said. In the early 1990s, the LGBTQ community was less integrated, creating a bigger audience for lesbian bars. We’ve got this partnership going on.” 'Separate but equal': A history of LGBTQ bars A lot of them will come back to eat more and sober up. People will come here to eat first, have a drink or two, then go to the show. “(It) has helped us tremendously,” Gordon said. And the newly opened LGBTQ show bar and nightclub, District West, located behind Slammers, is bringing in new, mostly male, clientele. The bar’s pizza continues to be one of the biggest selling points. Today, staff members say Slammers is doing well, and in no danger of closing. A greater acceptance of the LGBTQ population, as well as cultural shifts within the community, are cited as contributing factors. The pandemic’s devastating effect on bars and restaurants has shed new light on the state of gay and lesbian bars, which have been shrinking in number for decades. Slammers in Columbus a 'safe haven' for patrons Operating Downtown on East Long Street since 1993, Slammers is the only surviving lesbian bar in Ohio, and one of just 15 left in the U.S., according to a report by Greggor Mattson, associate professor of sociology at Oberlin College and Conservatory. News: Central Ohio cities embrace designated outdoor drinking areas
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“I’m not exactly sure what happened with Liquid,” said Escamilla, 36, of Downtown. Ask around, and you’ll hear about Wall Street Downtown, Summit Station (now The Summit) in North Campus and Blazer’s Pub (now Two Truths) in the Short North.ĭani Escamilla especially liked Liquid Café and Lounge (now Standard Hall), also in the Short North. Traces of the old scene in Columbus exist in the memories of people who were there. In Columbus, like many cities, lesbian-centered nightlife is a thing of the past.