Which is not to say they are completely safe from violence: The brutal massacre at the Pulse nightclubin Orlando five years ago is a painful reminder of the physical threats LGBTQ+ people - especially trans people of color - are subjected to when out in the world. Gay bars are, to a degree, taken for granted now with 72 percent of Americans accepting of homosexuality, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center study, gay bars are likely more at risk of being invaded by raucous bachelorettes looking for an “exotic” experience these days than being raided by police as they were in the burgeoning days of the LBGTQ+ rights movement. “The real question now is: A community that’s gotten used to socializing online and doing Zoom drag shows - will they again engage with the physical places and bring their friends? The day when you hang out your shingle and say, ‘I’m a gay bar,’ and have people flock to it - those days might be over.” “Owners drained their retirement accounts and had employees working for little to no pay,” says Greggor Mattson, an associate professor of sociology at Oberlin College in Ohio who specializes in sexuality and LGBTQ+ bars. But owners, most of whom were barely able to hang on, are uncertain about the impact the pandemic hath wrought and are wondering aloud if the pandemic has forever changed business - and, in turn, this slice of gay culture.
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Now that the establishments that survived are reopening, it might be reasonable to assume that patrons starved for fellowship are going to bring gay bars back stronger than ever. Whether it’s a sprawling megaclub with a massive sound system and an eye-popping light show like the famed Abbey in West Hollywood or a hole-in-the-wall dive with $5 drinks so strong, they’d knock out a horse with two sips, gay bars hold a kind of sacred allure in the LGBTQ+ community.ĭespite a decline in recent years due to a number of factors big and small, including the rise of apps and a greater acceptance of LGBTQ+ people overall, gay bars still hold enormous influence in gay culture: They are places where queer people can (mostly) be themselves, revel in queer culture, and shed for a moment the weight of being a minority in a sometimes alienating and harsh world.ĭon’t Forget Those Who Can’t Celebrate PrideĪs with just about all bars in the United States, nearly all gay spots closed during the pandemic - at least for the type of drinking, dancing, and drag shows people knew in pre-Covid days - leaving many queer people without a designated space for community, fun, and bonding.
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Whatever the case, the real star of the gay-bar story is the bar itself. Or maybe they just dance the night away to Rihanna, Britney, Mariah, and J.Lo. Kimberly's expert tip: There's never a cover.It’s a story as old as time: Guy walks into a bar, orders a drink, meets another guy, they hook up, they never speak again. Recommended for Gay Clubs because: Kockout is the newest bar to open up on the strip, and therefore is the new hot place to hangout. In the evening, they open up the Backroom Bar, where the real fun is said to be had.
Gay bars full#
When you get nibbley, you can nosh on a yummy snack from their full kitchen or opt for a handmade pizza from Pup's Pizza, which is located right inside Knockout. Knockout invites guests to come in, enjoy the music, drink the cocktails and get great service from some of San Antonio's best bartenders. They have brand new pool tables, dart boards and even a punching bag, for working out that post-work aggression.
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it may be the first official gay sports bar in San Antonio, where you can watch games on one of their big screens or over 15 flat screen TVs.
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One of the newest additions to the LGBT nightlife is Knockout, located along the San Antonio strip, also known as Main Avenue.