A 2020 report out of Oberlin College found as many as 37% of gay and lesbian bars in the U.S. That could spell trouble for establishments built for a bygone era. With dating moving online and bargoers feeling more comfortable outside of queer spaces, gay bars are facing stiffer competition. It really opened my eyes and made me feel relief and excited for my future.”Ĭultural mores are evolving though. I had grown up thinking I was the only one who felt this way. “I felt free and excited to be around so many people that were all just like me. “It was amazing,” said Darin Holland in the survey. The survey was shared via social media and 94% of respondents said they are part of the LGBTQ community. Nearly every respondent said their first time visiting a gay bar was an important milestone. More than 140 people responded to an informal online survey conducted by KERA and The Dallas Morning News about what these establishments have meant to them. The Stonewall Inn in 1969 famously helped usher in the gay liberation movement in the United States, but gay and lesbian bars closer to home have also served as the backdrop to the personal histories of queer North Texans. Watering holes like the 1851 Club have long been precious mainstays of queer life. “There was no question in my mind,” he said. Haynes, once a longtime customer, said he bought the Arlington bar in memory of her. 1851 Club owner Dalton Haynes next to the plaque honoring his grandmother.
