Misplaced Pages

#372627

62-708: The Bovine Sex Club is a bar on Toronto 's Queen Street West strip. In operation since January 1991, the Bovine Sex Club (often shortened to 'the Bovine') has at various times found itself at the forefront of Toronto's rock , punk , alternative , and rockabilly music scenes. The club opened in January 1991 with a trio of Toronto nightlife enthusiasts behind it in ownership capacity — Wesley Thuro a.k.a. Happy Dog who had already had some organizational experience with Toronto nightlife establishments having launched

124-414: A gay or lesbian bar with a dance or disco floor might, over time, attract an increasingly heterosexual clientele, or a blues bar may become a biker bar if most its patrons are bikers. Bars can also be an integral part of larger venues. For example, hotels, casinos and nightclubs are usually home to one or several bars. Other types of bar include: Some persons may designate either a room or an area of

186-637: A body blow. If you are merely looking for sex or a date, the Web is now the first stop for most gay men". June Thomas explained the decline by noting that there is less need for gay-specific venues like bars because gay people are less likely to encounter discrimination or be made unwelcome in wider society. Entrepreneur magazine in 2007 included them on a list of ten types of business that would be extinct by 2017 along with record stores, used bookstores and newspapers. Some commentators have argued there has been some recent decline in gay-specific venues mainly due to

248-452: A common feature in many gay bars, even men-only spaces. Some gay bars and clubs which have a predominantly male clientele, as well as some gay bathhouses and other sex clubs , may offer occasional women-only nights. A few gay bars attempt to restrict entry to only gay or lesbian people, but in practice this is difficult to enforce. Most famously, Melbourne 's Peel Hotel was granted an exemption from Australia's Equal Opportunities Act by

310-423: A conversation, where they didn't feel like sexual freaks or somehow not part of the larger social fabric; from that came culture, politics, demands for equal rights." Gay bars traditionally preferred to remain discreet and virtually unidentifiable outside the gay community, relying exclusively on word of mouth promotion. More recently, gay clubs and events are often advertised by handing out eye-catching flyers on

372-536: A few gay bars in the first quarter of the 20th century. The best known was The Empire  [ nl ] , in Nes , which was first mentioned in 1911 and existed until the late 1930s. The oldest that still exists is Café 't Mandje , which was opened in 1927 by lesbian Bet van Beeren . It closed in 1982, but was reopened in 2008. After World War II , the Amsterdam city government acted rather pragmatic and tolerated

434-479: A gay bar is the nature of its clientele. While many gay bars target the gay and/or lesbian communities, some (usually older and firmly established) gay bars have become gay, as it were, through custom, over a long period of time. The serving of alcohol is the primary business of gay bars and pubs. Like non-gay establishments they serve as a meeting place and LGBTQ+ community focal point, in which conversation, relaxation, and meeting potential romantic and sexual partners

496-519: A haunt for the wealthy, aristocratic and bohemian. Its creator Frida Strindberg née Uhl set it up as an avant-garde and artistic venture. The club provided a solid model for future nightclubs. After homosexuality was partially decriminalized in the UK in 1967, gay bar culture became more visible and gradually Soho became the centre of the London LGBTQ+ community, which was "firmly established" by

558-468: A license to serve beer and wine, but not hard liquor. In some jurisdictions, patrons buying alcohol must also order food. In some jurisdictions, bar owners have a legal liability for the conduct of patrons who they serve (this liability may arise in cases of driving under the influence which cause injuries or deaths). Many Islamic countries prohibit bars as well as the possession or sale of alcohol for religious reasons, while others, including Qatar and

620-575: A place of refuge and support for gay men and the HIV-affected community impacted by the virus. Cure fundraising, testing, support group, and free condom events have been present at gay bars. Some commentators have suggested that gay bars are facing decline in the contemporary age due to the pervasiveness of technology. Andrew Sullivan argued in his 2005 essay "The End of Gay Culture" that gay bars are declining because "the Internet dealt them

682-522: A rarity around the world. Many articles have been published discussing possible reasons as to why lesbian bars struggle to exist despite a growing lesbian population. Like most bars and pubs, gay bars range in size from the small, five-seat bars of Tokyo to large, multi-story clubs with several distinct areas and more than one dance floor. A large venue may be referred to as a nightclub , club , or bar, while smaller venues are typically called bars and sometimes pubs . The only defining characteristic of

SECTION 10

#1732780740373

744-450: A room as a home bar . Furniture and arrangements vary from efficient to full bars that could be suited as businesses. Bars categorized by the kind of entertainment they offer: The counter at which drinks are served by a bartender is called "the bar". This term is applied, as a synecdoche , to drinking establishments called "bars". This counter typically stores a variety of beers , wines , liquors , and non-alcoholic ingredients, and

806-623: A shebeen in Soweto , for example, was used as a meeting place for black gay men who were part of the Gay Association of South Africa (GASA) but did not feel welcome in the GASA offices. With the establishment of the post-apartheid 1996 constitution that outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation as well as race, South Africa's gay night life exploded, though many bars continued to be segregated by race, and fewer blacks than whites go to

868-746: Is linked to China's opening up to global capitalism and its consequent economic and social restructuring. The bar Centralhjørnet in Copenhagen opened in 1917 and became a gay bar in the 1950s. It now claims to be one of the oldest gay bars in Europe. The main Copenhagen gay district is the Latin Quarter . The very first gay bar in Europe and probably in the world was the Zanzibar in Cannes on

930-553: Is not unusual for gay bars to sponsor teams in local sports/game leagues, and many otherwise traditional gay pubs are well known for hosting post-game parties—often filling with local gay athletes and their fans on specific nights or when major professional sporting events are broadcast on TV. Some of the longest established gay bars are unofficial hosts of elaborate local 'Royal Court' drag pageants and drag-related social groups. Gay bars and nightclubs are sometimes segregated by sex. In some establishments, people who are perceived to be of

992-437: Is organized to facilitate the bartender's work. Counters for serving other types of food and drink may also be called bars. Examples of this usage of the word include snack bars , sushi bars, juice bars , salad bars , dairy bars , and ice cream sundae bars. Bars are a popular setting for fictional works, and in many cases, authors and other creators have developed imaginary bar locations that have become notable, such as

1054-408: Is the case with pubs that serve food, they are not allowed to drink; in the U.S., there are 8 states where children may drink in a pub if accompanied by their parents. In some jurisdictions, bars cannot serve a patron who is already intoxicated. Cities and towns usually have legal restrictions on where bars may be located and on the types of alcohol they may serve to their customers. Some bars may have

1116-474: Is the primary focus of the clientele. Historically and continuing in many communities, gay bars have been valued by patrons as the only place closeted gay men and lesbians can be open and demonstrative about their sexuality without fear of discovery. Gerard Koskovich of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society explains that "[Gay bars] were a public place where gay people could meet and start to have

1178-605: The Golden Twenties . Since the 1960s, the Rosa Viertel (pink quarter) developed in the Glockenbachviertel and around Gärtnerplatz , which in the 1980s made Munich "one of the four gayest metropolises in the world" along with San Francisco, New York City and Amsterdam. In particular, the area around Müllerstraße and Hans-Sachs-Straße was characterized by numerous gay bars and nightclubs. One of them

1240-624: The Motzstraße was internationally known for its transvestite shows. There was also a relatively high number of places for lesbians. Within a few weeks after the Nazis took over government in 1933, fourteen of the best known gay establishments were closed. After homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969, many gay bars opened in West Berlin , resulting in a lively gay scene. In Munich , a number of gay and lesbian bars are documented as early as

1302-527: The United Arab Emirates , allow bars in some specific areas, but only permit non-Muslims to drink in them. A bar's owners and managers choose the bar's name, décor , drink menu, lighting, and other elements which they think will attract a certain kind of patron. However, they have only limited influence over who patronizes their establishment. Thus, a bar originally intended for one demographic profile can become popular with another. For example,

SECTION 20

#1732780740373

1364-473: The metal or wooden bar (barrier) that is often located along the length of the "bar". Over many years, heights of bars were lowered, and high stools added, and the brass bar remains today. There have been many different names for public drinking spaces throughout history. In the colonial era of the United States, taverns were an important meeting place, as most other institutions were weak. During

1426-476: The "wrong" sex (for example, a man attempting to enter a women's club) may be unwelcome or even barred from entry. This may be more common in specialty bars, such as gay male leather fetish or BDSM bars, or bars or clubs which have a strict dress code . It is also common in bars and clubs where sex on the premises is a primary focus of the establishment. On the other hand, gay bars are usually welcoming of transgender and cross-dressed people, and drag shows are

1488-577: The 18th century, molly houses were clandestine clubs where gay men could meet, drink, dance and have sex with each other. One of the most famous was Mother Clap's Molly House. The first gay bar in Britain in the modern sense was The Cave of the Golden Calf , established as a night club in London . It opened in an underground location at 9 Heddon Street, just off Regent Street , in 1912 and became

1550-443: The 1980s, police raids on white gay clubs lessened as the apartheid government forces found itself dealing with more and more resistance from the black population. In the black townships, some of the shebeens , unlicensed bars established in people's homes and garages, catered to LGBTQ clients. During the struggle against apartheid, some of these shebeens were important meeting places for black gay and lesbian resistance fighters. Lee's,

1612-467: The 19th century saloons were very important to the leisure time of the working class. Today, even when an establishment uses a different name, such as "tavern" or "saloon" or, in the United Kingdom, a "pub", the area of the establishment where the bartender pours or mixes beverages is normally called "the bar". The sale and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages was prohibited in the first half of

1674-425: The 20th century in several countries. In the United States, illegal bars during Prohibition were called " speakeasies ", "blind pigs", and "blind tigers". Laws in many U.S. states prohibit minors from entering a bar, such as California. In the UK, minors are permitted to be in a bar, though there are many bars that also serve food. In many jurisdictions, if those under legal drinking age are allowed to enter, as

1736-705: The 21st century. Since the 1980s, the Le Marais district is the center of the gay scene in Paris. In Berlin , there was gay and lesbian night life already around 1900, which throughout the 1920s became very open and vibrant, especially when compared to other capitals. Especially in the Schöneberg district around Nollendorfplatz there were many cafes, bars and clubs, which also attracted gay people who had to flee their own country in fear of prosecution, like for example Christopher Isherwood . The gay club Eldorado in

1798-626: The Carlton Hotel in downtown Johannesburg in the late 1940s, catering exclusively to men of wealth. In the 1960s, other urban bars began to open that drew more middle and working class white men; lesbians were excluded. The language of Gayle had its roots in the Cape Coloured and Afrikaans -speaking underground gay bar culture. In 1968, when the government threatened to pass repressive anti-gay legislation, queer culture went even further underground, which meant clubs and bars were often

1860-611: The French Riviera. The Zanzibar was opened in 1885 and existed for 125 years, before it was closed in December 2010. Among its visitors were many artists, like actor Jean Marais and comedians Thierry Le Luron and Coluche . Paris became known as a centre for gay culture in the 19th century, making the city a queer capital during the early 20th century, when the Montmartre and Pigalle districts were meeting places of

1922-504: The LGBTQ+ community. Although Amsterdam , Berlin , and London had more meeting places and organizations than Paris, the latter was known for the "flamboyance" of LGBTQ+ quarters and "visibility" of LGBTQ+ celebrities. Paris retained the LGBTQ+ capital image after the end of World War II , but the center of the meeting place shifted to Saint-Germain-des-Prés . In the 1950s and 1960s the police and authorities tolerated homosexuals as long as

Bovine Sex Club - Misplaced Pages Continue

1984-622: The Pimpernel), Inge Meysel and Hildegard Knef . The oldest continuously operating Japanese gay bar, New Sazae, opened in Tokyo in 1966. Most gay bars in Tokyo are located in the Shinjuku Ni-chōme district, which is home to about 300 bars. Each bar may only have room to seat about a dozen people; as a result, many bars are specialized according to interest. Because of a raid on a Mexico City drag ball in 1901, when 41 men were arrested,

2046-727: The United Kingdom and the Netherlands gay bars were established throughout the first quarter of the 20th century. The oldest gay bar in Beijing is the Half-and-Half, which in 2004 had been open over ten years. The first lesbian bar in China (also in Beijing) was Maple Bar, opened in 2000 by pop singer Qiao Qiao . The On/Off was a popular bar for both gay men and lesbians. The increase in China's gay and lesbian bars in recent years

2108-644: The Western world, the relevance of gay bars in the LGBTQ+ community has somewhat diminished. In areas without a gay bar, certain establishments may hold a gay night instead. Gathering places favoured by homosexuals have operated for centuries. Reports from as early as the 17th century record the existence of bars and clubs that catered to, or at least tolerated, openly gay clientele in several major European cities. The White Swan (created by James Cook and Yardley, full name unknown) on Vere Street , in London , England,

2170-520: The alert for bullying and attacks. In 2013, Moscow's largest gay bar, Central Station, had its walls sprayed with gunfire, had harmful gas released into a crowd of 500 patrons, and had its ceiling nearly brought down by a gang who wanted to crush the people inside. Nonetheless, gay nightlife is increasing in Moscow and St. Petersburg, offering drag shows and Russian music, with some bars also offering discreet gay-only taxi services. The first recorded use of

2232-432: The all ages rave club 23 Hop just a few months earlier in 1990, colourful CFNY radio personality Chris Sheppard who in addition to achieving a measure of local fame as the voice of CFNY's weekend live-to-air broadcasts from various Toronto clubs also performed under the 'DJ Dogwhistle' moniker, and Darryl Fine . Those who have visited the club include band members and film actors, including Bruce LaBruce . In 2013

2294-862: The bar for Cheers , Cocktails and Dreams bar in the film Cocktail (1988), the Copacabana bar in the crime film Goodfellas , the rough and tumble Double Deuce in Road House (1989), The Kit Kat Klub in Cabaret , the Korova Milk Bar in the dystopian novel and film adaptation of A Clockwork Orange , the Mos Eisley cantina-bar in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), and the Steinway Beer Garden from

2356-489: The club opened a rooftop patio bar known as the Tiki Bar. The Bovine's facade was built by a small group of local artists including Dave Grieveson and Great Bob Scott (also the drummer for The Look People ). They worked under the creator of the Bovine, Happy Dog (real name - Wesley Thuro). The exterior and interior were an art installation made solely from discarded items. Bar (establishment) The term derives from

2418-520: The conduct was private and out of view, but gay bar raids occurred and there were occasions when the owners of the bars were involved in facilitating the raids. Lesbians rarely visited gay bars and instead socialized in circles of friends. Lesbians who did go to bars often originated from the working class. Chez Moune , opened in 1936, and New Moon were 20th-century lesbian cabarets located in Place Pigalle , which converted to mixed music clubs in

2480-432: The crime-themed video game Grand Theft Auto IV . Gay bar This is an accepted version of this page A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender or queer ( LGBTQ+ ) clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communities. Gay bars once served as the centre of gay culture and were one of

2542-709: The early 1990s. Gay bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs are centred on Old Compton Street . Other cities in the UK also have districts or streets with a concentration of gay bars, like for example Stanley Street Quarter in Liverpool, the Merchant City in Glasgow, Canal Street in Manchester and the Birmingham Gay Village . There are many institutions in the United States that claim to be

Bovine Sex Club - Misplaced Pages Continue

2604-541: The early 2000s, the human rights of gays and lesbians in Taiwan improved significantly. The gay nightlife entertainment scene shifted from being a scene opened by gays and only having gay customers. Some non-gay-only nightclubs were considered gay nightclubs because they gathered a large number of gays. Representative stores are TeXound and 2F. Starting in 2007, gay bars began to move into the Ximen Red House, which

2666-491: The existence of gay bars. In the 1960s their number grew rapidly and they clustered in and around a number of streets, although this was limited to bars, clubs and shops and they never became residential areas for gays, like the gay villages in the US. Since the late 1950s the main Amsterdam gay street was Kerkstraat , which was succeeded by Reguliersdwarsstraat in the early 1980s, when the first openly gay places opened here, like

2728-538: The famous cafe April in 1981, followed by dancing Havana in 1989. Other streets where there are still concentrations of gay bars are Zeedijk , Amstel and Warmoesstraat , the latter being the center of the Amsterdam leather scene , where the first leather bar already opened around 1955. The Queen's Head is a gay bar located at Zeedijk 20 in the centre of Amsterdam. Because of the high prevalence of homophobia in Russia, patrons of gay bars there often have had to be on

2790-411: The few places people with same-sex orientations and gender-variant identities could openly socialize. Other names used to describe these establishments include boy bar , girl bar , gay club , gay pub , queer bar , lesbian bar , drag bar , and dyke bar , depending on the niche communities that they serve. With the advent of the Internet and an increasing acceptance of LGBTQ+ people across

2852-455: The foreign zones, which were traditionally more tolerant. One male bar patron said Korean bar culture was not as direct as in the United States, with customers indicating their interest in another customer by ordering him a drink through a waiter. The oldest lesbian bar in Seoul is Lesbos, which started in 1996. Under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco from 1939 to 1975, homosexuality

2914-407: The modern effects of gentrification . But despite the decline, gay bars still exist in relatively strong numbers and thrive in most major cities where male homosexuality is not heavily condemned. They also asserted many gay men (especially men new to gay nightlife) still find some value in gay-specific venues and being in the company of other gay men. Unlike gay bars, lesbian bars have become

2976-537: The number 41 has come to symbolize male homosexuality in Mexican popular culture , figuring frequently in jokes and in casual teasing. The raid on the "Dance of the 41" was followed by a less-publicized raid of a lesbian bar on 4 December 1901 in Santa Maria. Despite the international depression of the 1930s and along with the social revolution overseen by Lázaro Cárdenas (1934–1940), the growth of Mexico City

3038-431: The oldest gay bar in the country. Since Prohibition ended in 1933, there are a number of notable gay bars that have opened. In alphabetical order: Gay bars have been heavily impacted by the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS with both potential risk and crucial community support and education. San Francisco had over 100 gay bars when the epidemic first hit in the early 1980s; by 2011 there were only about 30 remaining. During

3100-678: The oldest lesbian bar in Singapore. Today, many gay bars are located on the Neil Road stretch, from Taboo and Tantric, to Backstage Bar, May Wong's Café, DYMK and Play. Mega-clubs like Zouk and Avalon are also a big draw for the gay crowd. The history of gay and lesbian bars in South Africa reflects the racial divisions that began in the Apartheid era and continue, to some extent, in the 21st century. The first white gay bar opened in

3162-459: The only places to meet. These bars were often the targets of police raids. The decade of the 1970s was when urban gay clubs took root. The most popular gay club of Johannesburg was The Dungeon, which attracted females as well as males, and lasted until the 1990s. The 1979 police assault on the New Mandy's Club, in which patrons fought back, has been referred to as South Africa's Stonewall . In

SECTION 50

#1732780740373

3224-767: The owners paid bribes . A fairly visible presence was developed in large cities such as Guadalajara , Acapulco , Veracruz and Mexico City. Today, Mexico City is home to numerous gay bars, many of them located in the Zona Rosa , particularly on Amberes street, while a broad and varied gay nightlife also flourishes in Guadalajara, Acapulco, in Cancun attracting global tourists, Puerto Vallarta which attracts many Americans and Canadians, and Tijuana with its cross-border crowd. However, there are at least several gay bars in most major cities. In Amsterdam , there were already

3286-595: The street, in gay or gay-friendly shops and venues, and at other clubs and events. Similar to flyers for predominantly heterosexual venues, these flyers frequently feature provocative images and theme party announcements. While traditional gay pub-like bars are nearly identical to bars catering to the general public, gay dance venues often feature elaborate lighting design and video projection, fog machines and raised dancing platforms. Hired dancers (called go-go girls or go-go boys ) may also feature in decorative cages or on podiums. Gay sports bars are relatively unusual, but it

3348-624: The term "gay bar" is in the diaries of homosexual British comedian Kenneth Williams : "16 January 1947. Went round to the gay bar which wasn't in the least gay." At the time Williams was serving in the British Army in Singapore . In the 1970s, straight nightclubs began to open their doors to gay clients on designated nights of the week. In the 1980s, a lesbian bar named Crocodile Rock opened in Far East Plaza, which remains to this day

3410-576: The urban bars. The 2005 inaugural gay shebeen tour was advertised as a gay pub crawl that would provide an opportunity for South Africans and foreigners to "experience true African gay Shebeen culture". In Seoul, most gay bars were originally congregated near the Itaewon area of Seoul , near the U.S. military base. But in recent years, more clubs have located in the Sinchon area, indicating that "safe spaces" for Korean LGBTQ+ people have extended beyond

3472-524: The worst years of the epidemic (before affordable and effective treatment), millions of gay men around the world died; consequently fewer persons owned or patronized gay bars. A 2009 study revealed a correlation between gay bar attendance and certain high-risk sexual behaviors. Specifically, the research indicated that individuals who frequented gay bars were more likely to engage in insertive unprotected anal intercourse, including with partners whose HIV status differed from their own. Gay bars have always been

3534-731: Was accompanied by the opening of gay bars and gay bathhouses . During the Second World War , ten to fifteen gay bars operated in Mexico City, with dancing permitted in at least two, El África and El Triunfo. Relative freedom from official harassment continued until 1959 when Mayor Ernesto Uruchurtu closed every gay bar following a grisly triple-murder. But by the late 1960s several Mexican cities had gay bars and, later, U.S.-style dance clubs . These places, however, were sometimes clandestine but tolerated by local authorities, which often meant that they were allowed to exist so long as

3596-655: Was illegal. However, in 1962, Spain's first gay bar, Tony's, opened in Torremolinos and a clandestine gay bar scene also emerged in the 1960s and early 1970s in Barcelona . In Taiwan, Gay bar culture was first brought to Taiwan by the US military stationed in the 1960s. In the 1970s, the first gay bar "Take" appeared in Taipei. At the same time, lesbians often held activities in American military bars and gay bars. It

3658-515: Was not operating well at that time. Relying on the gay customer base, this place gradually gathered a lot of popularity and became the first openly gay business district in Taiwan. Nowadays, Ximen Red House Bar Street is a must-visit attraction for gays from all over the world when visiting Taiwan. Currently, the representative gay bars include Abrazo Bistro, Bacio Taipei, Belle's, Commander D, Fairy Taipei, G-Star, Ganymede, Hunt and Locker Room. There are also many small gay bars in Ximen Red House. In

3720-467: Was not until 1985 that the first lesbian bar "Forgettable Valley" appeared. After the mid-1980s, Gay bars and T-bars sprouted up like mushrooms after a rain. In addition to Taipei, they also began to appear in Taichung and Kaohsiung. The style has also become diversified from simply drinking and chatting. For example, Funky in the 1990s divided its business hours into singing hours and dancing hours. In

3782-542: Was raided in 1810 during the so-called Vere Street Coterie . The raid led to the executions of John Hepburn and Thomas White for sodomy . The site was the scene of alleged gay marriages carried out by the Reverend John Church . It is not clear which place is the first gay bar in the modern sense. In Cannes , France, such a bar had already opened in 1885, and there were many more in Berlin around 1900. In

SECTION 60

#1732780740373

3844-693: Was the travesty nightclub Old Mrs. Henderson , where Freddie Mercury , who lived in Munich from 1979 to 1985, filmed the music video for the song Living on My Own at his 39th birthday party. Other gay venues include Pompon Rouge , Mandy's Club , Pimpernel nightclub, the bar Mylord , the Ochsengarten , which was "Germany's first bar for leather men ", as well as the gay hotel-pub Deutsche Eiche . Regulars in many of these bars and nightclubs include, for example, Freddie Mercury, Rainer Werner Fassbinder , Walter Sedlmayr (who met his later murderer in

#372627