Lifestyle
Lesbian Bars Were Dying. Now They’re Making a Comeback
The buzz on the headlines these past few years makes it impossible not to notice: “Only 21 lesbian bars remain in America,” or “The rise and fall of America’s lesbian bars,” and “Why lesbian bars are disappearing.”
The once-thriving niche of lesbian bars has indeed dwindled. The ones that remain have become clandestine tourist destinations littered around the heartland. These last bastions of the lesbian community are now few and far between.
However, we see a glimmer of hope with recent developments. It could be that grassroots campaigns are poised to save lesbian bars from the brink.
Let’s back up a little.
The origin of lesbian bars
If you’re a fan of Moulin Rouge (or French history, I guess), you might know a bit about the inception of the modern lesbian bar. Artist Toulouse Lautrec often chronicled the lesbian nightlife in turn-of-the-century France. Bars like Le Rat Mort were owned and frequented by lesbians.
This phenomenon spread to other areas of high society in the early 20th century. In Weimar Germany, lesbian entrepreneur Elsa Conrad owned multiple such bars. Bars for women were a rarity in the US at the time, but the upper-crust Cafe des Beaux-Arts, which operated in New York from 1911 to 1921, is cited as an early example.
Prohibition and its aftermath
When we talk about the modern history of lesbian bars, the clock usually starts after Prohibition’s repeal in 1933. Bars like Roselle Inn in Chicago and Mona’s in San Francisco opened shortly thereafter.
It’s worth noting, however, that lesbian bars truly started to pop up during Prohibition. Where women had previously been legally discouraged from drinking, the total prohibition of alcohol was ironically an expanding force. Women could drink freely in speakeasies, and even own them.
The lesbian bars that sprang up after Prohibition were the offspring of the lesbian speakeasies that came before, such as Eve’s Hangout, which was shut down after a 1926 police raid.
The golden age of lesbian bars
Lesbian bars and communities continued to grow, aided by the growth of cities and economic prosperity that followed World War II. Bars of this era still faced plenty of threats. Gay activity was still criminalized, organized crime was eager to capitalize, and internal debates split the community in twain.
In the ‘50s, de facto segregation and economic inequality kept many Black lesbians out of major lesbian bars. So did rigid attitudes about lesbian coupling built around butch/femme (or stud/femme) binaries.
Gay rights!
The first lesbian political organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, was formed in 1955. This was an early motion in the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement, which shone a national spotlight on lesbian and gay communities.
As the movement grew throughout the ‘60s, so did identification with/interest in lesbianism. As lesbian feminism developed in the ‘70s, lesbian bars became activist spaces in addition to social ones. By the ‘80s, there were over 200 lesbian bars nationwide.
There’s just one problem, and it’s a problem that emerges any time social spaces become political ones: politics create conflict. Divisions bubbled over who should and shouldn’t be included in lesbian spaces, from trans women to straight “political lesbians.” This fed into the damaging notion that “lesbian” itself was an exclusionary term.
The slow, painful fall
These divisions persisted, but lesbian bars remained fairly prevalent throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. New movements led to new expansions. The Combahee River Collective helped open doors for lesbians of color. The community was ravaged by the AIDS crisis, but activism on that front helped bring the broader LGBT community together. By the mid-’90s, the Lesbian Avengers were bringing lesbian issues to the forefront of the community.
So, what did kill the lesbian bar? 9/11? The recession? Is it somehow Ellen’s fault?
The truth is, there was no one incident that sent lesbian bars into freefall. The more society as a whole accepted lesbians, the more patronage for these tight-knit neighborhood bars dwindled.
Meanwhile, over the course of the ‘00s, people kind of stopped meeting each other in person. The social role that lesbian bars once played could now be fulfilled much more accessibly by online forums, and later social media.
Statistics show that interest in the “lesbian” label itself may have declined in the ‘00s and ‘10s as well. Post-lesbian discourse has tended to frame the label as too exclusive. While the broader LGBTQ+ community experienced substantial growth in the 21st century, the lesbian community didn’t share in the majority of those gains.
The ravages of COVID-19
Articles about the dramatic decline in lesbian bars started to pop up in the late ‘10s. In 2019, it was estimated that only 15 such bars remained; in fact, there were 21. A string of closings occurred throughout the 2010s as business dwindled and rents increased.
When COVID hit, activists like Erica Rose and Elina Street sounded the alarm. Rose and Street initiated the Lesbian Bar Project, a fundraising campaign aimed at preserving the remaining bars.
Lincoln, NE’s Panic Bar closed in November 2020. In Philly, Toasted Walnut shuttered in February 2021. Even as the Lesbian Bar Project and other campaigns shone a national light on the issue, it seemed like the institution was quickly becoming a thing of the past.
But wait, there’s more?
A confluence of factors led to increasingly dire conditions for the country’s remaining lesbian bars. Pandemic-era restrictions were the final straw for many. But then, something shifted.
See, the pandemic may have kept us apart from each other, but it also reminded us how much we miss sharing a space. As restrictions were lifted, grassroots movements started to form dedicated to providing new, in-person social spaces for lesbians.
The lesbian bar revival
As the tireless work of the Lesbian Bar Project kept the remaining bars afloat, social groups and pop-ups started to form across the country. Lesbian Social Detroit. SHELiFE in Miami. Sip City Mixer here in Philly.
These groups coordinate regular events that go beyond the narrow scope of a bar: picnics, beach parties, sporting events. At the same time, they reflect a growing, vibrant, and (contrary to the popular stereotype) inclusive lesbian community nationwide.
As You Are in DC began as a pop-up series, but has now set up a permanent home. The Sports Bra, the first women’s sports bar, is now open in Portland, where another lesbian bar (Doc Marie’s) is opening just this week.
You can thank Lesbian Bar Project for their tireless work keeping remaining lesbian bars alive. You can also thank the internet which, once thought a detriment to the lesbian label, has now invited a new generation of lesbians to flourish.
Looking ahead, more of these pop-ups are trying to set up brick-and-mortar locations. Dave’s Lesbian Bar in Queens is fundraising at its monthly events; so is Hot Donna’s in LA.
Thanks to a renewed focus on community organizing and mutual aid, things are finally looking up for the humble lesbian bar.
Have you ever stumbled upon an MLM online community? If your answer is no, you’re lucky. But if you did, you’d know that they can be a breeding ground for toxicity. Fortunately for some, a new wave of anti-MLM communities has emerged and is giving the much-needed breath of fresh air.
These communities include people who use their platforms to warn us about these dangerous schemes. They also provide a support system for those who are still enmeshed in it and trying to find a way out.
If you’re one of the unlucky ones trying to escape or are just curious, check out these four anti-MLM communities that are saving people from scams.
r/antiMLM
I just love Reddit. It provides a window into just about any subculture, no matter how obscure, and connects you with like-minded people from around the globe. It’s honestly the easiest place to find communities with shared interests.
r/antiMLM is just one of the many communities Reddit has to offer. People will post discussions, pictures, and screenshots showcasing the horror of MLMs. The content ranges from lighthearted and funny, to downright sad. Either way, everyone here has the same idea: MLMs are harmful and predatory. Should anyone come across this subreddit, they’ll be way less likely to fall for a pyramid scheme. And by subscribing to said subreddit, they are nearly eliminating all possibilities of going anywhere near an MLM. Subscribers of r/antiMLM are familiar with popular MLM companies, their tactics, and the red flags within the direct marketing industry. They are quicker to identify this type of scam.
The Anti-MLM Coalition
This website is an absolute GODSEND. The Anti-MLM Coalition is an incredible organization filled with educational materials and various resources. You can tell from the homepage alone that they mean business.
The menu bar provides 8 main website pages. The “Homepage “is filled with their latest articles and a search bar to navigate. “MLM Master List” is exactly what it sounds like: a list of all the known MLM companies in existence. The “MLM or Not?” page brings users to a long article detailing how to spot your typical pyramid scheme.
“Get Help” is a page filled with helpful information. It’s for people who have a loved one trapped in an MLM, or people who wanna take action against these companies. Each link leads to a detailed article on the subject.
The “Resources” page is a shoutout to various authors, YouTubers, and documentaries. It helps anyone who’s trying to do further research. They have a page dedicated to a very shareable infographic; a great tactic to spread the word around fast.
The “Activism” page provides a guideline on where and how to take action. They recommend printing cards, reporting, and exposing MLM corporations on social media. The more buzz, the better.
And of course, they have a “Contact” page in case you need to get in touch.
MLM Lies Exposed
Looking for more places to discuss your anti-MLM sentiments? Or just looking for general help without the hassle? Well, here’s the biggest anti-MLM Facebook group. MLM Lies Exposed is an invite-only community with over 30,000 members. It’s a lot like r/antiMLM, in that you can post things involving the false promises and skeevy behavior behind MLMs. I’d recommend this page to anyone who’s more familiar with Facebook or finds it easier to navigate than Reddit.
Anti- MLM Youtube
Now, hear me out. This is not an official community, but if you’re a regular on YouTube, you’ll know that there are different genres of videos. And each of these genres has garnered its own distinct communities.
They’re kinda like cliques. You’ve got gamer bro YouTubers at one table, and you’ve got beauty influencers at another table. You’ve got commentary YouTubers sitting somewhere near the true crime YouTubers and the podcast channels. Somewhere in the corner, you’ve got the anti-MLM spaces. These YouTubers dedicate their channels to spreading awareness about MLMs and other shady corporate behavior.
Popular YouTube channels include Hannah Alonzo, iilluminaughtii, NOT THE GOOD GIRL, and Kiki Chanel
MLM companies often pretend to be a revolutionary force changing the world and their own lives. In truth, they’re just making their distributors continue a cycle of unhappiness and financial ruin. These are the communities that help people who’ve been duped by these false hopes to move on with their lives.
Have you wondered if buying an electric scooter for short rides is a worthwhile investment? As more people and communities turn to alternative transportation, the shift is often driven by a desire to reduce their carbon footprints and enjoy added convenience. This growing trend has many asking the question, “should I buy an electric scooter?” From electric bikes to unicycles, there’s a lot you can learn and gain when choosing an e-scooter for your daily commute.
Learning to ride a scooter is easy
To learn how to ride your electric scooter is surprisingly easy. The learning curve is so low you can start cruising down the road in a short time. The Gotrax GXL V2 e-scooter is a good choice for beginners. It is affordable at just around $349 and can get you to work and back in a single charge. If you’re wondering whether you should buy an electric scooter, this model is a great place to start.
Once you finish the easy assembly and four-hour charging, you can already use it. It has the usual handbrake and bell on the left side. On the right sits a thumb throttle which you simply turn to gain speed and keep your balance.
You should lower your speed when stopping. This is because the higher your speed is when braking will result in the tires wearing out quickly. You will then need maintenance which can be expensive.
Turing is easy, but you need to do it with care. With both hands on the handlebars, signaling may not be possible. This is why many high-end e-scooters have features with light-up signals for this purpose.
Get additional but helpful features
Some considerations include features such as the signal lights mentioned above, suspensions, thicker tires, or more powerful motors. These will help you navigate bumpy roads, steep inclines, and uneven terrain.
When buying e-scooters, you should also consider the battery, waterproofing of the scooter, or portability. These are investments that can make your rides safer and more comfortable.
Consider your city’s laws
Before buying that electric scooter, check out your town or city’s laws about speed limits or the use of these EVs in general. Most budget-friendly scooters can travel up to25 km/h, but it’s still a good idea to know what your limitations are to prevent problems with the law.
Nighttime riding can also be a cause for concern if you plan on doing much of it. You may have to invest in headlights and reflectors to safely enjoy riding at night. You can also get helmets that already have lights and reflectors on them.
An electric scooter is faster and fun
Not only will you see huge savings on gas, but you’ll also be enjoying your rides with an electric scooter. These may be the two main reasons the EV craze has hit many towns and cities. The feel of the wind on your whole body while on it gives an exhilarating feeling that driving a car won’t ever duplicate.
Getting out of traffic quickly and efficiently is also a perk of having to ride an e-scooter. If you don’t have a lot to carry, an e-scooter is the best mode of transportation for short rides. However, you can also opt for a bag attachment that will allow you to bring a few items and small cargo when riding.
You’ll be addicted to it
Be warned: casual riding in your electric scooter can be addicting and leave you wanting more. This may be the exact reason add-ons are popular, while upgrading to higher-end models seems to be the norm for some people. After a few rides, you would see yourself wanting to get a particular feature and opting for more power and speed. So, as an answer to the question, should I buy an electric scooter? You should say yes!
Even if COVID-19 remains present after two years, it’s not stopping people from going on beach vacations. After all, cases aren’t as high as before, and many people have been vaccinated against the virus. And when it comes to beach vacations, it means more swimming and fun water activities, such as snorkeling, watching dolphins on the boat, and parasailing. We often get carried away with these activities, and unfortunate incidents befall us. One of those unavoidable incidents is accidentally dropping your smartphone into the ocean or sea. You’ve worked so hard to buy the device, only for it to slip away into the ocean. There’s a possibility that you can still retrieve it, though. But what do you do after you drop your smartphone in the ocean? Here’s what you need to do.
Look For Your Phone
You can still retrieve your phone from the ocean IF you accidentally dropped it in a shallow part of it. Use your feet or hands to feel for the phone. And if you have a net or something to scoop it up, do that too.
However, Do NOT in ANY CIRCUMSTANCES try to retrieve your phone IF it fell somewhere deep. You need to accept the fact that it’s long gone and is now with the sea. If this happens, contact your mobile phone provider immediately if you have a plan with them. They could help you with reassigning your old number to a new phone.
Switch the Phone Off and Leave it to Dry
Once you retrieve your phone, turn it off immediately. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to take snaps for your Instagram or create videos for TikTok. However, this is a necessary measure once it’s out of the water. Plus, make sure to dry it with a clean towel. Since you’re still at the beach and a few hours away from civilization, this is your best bet in ensuring your phone doesn’t take any more damage.
Remember the uncooked rice myth? Yeah, that’s not true. It’s no longer recommended to put your phone in uncooked rice because it will cause further corrosion. In an old interview, David Naumann said in the USA today that if you drop your smartphone in the ocean, you can put it inside a Ziplock bag. You’ll add purified water there and a pinch of baking soda. Baking soda is necessary to counter corrosion.
Bring It to A Pro ASAP
You can be tempted to fix your smartphone once you get home. But the best person to deal with this situation is a professional. It can be challenging to disassemble the phone, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. Once you’re back home, immediately take it to a repair shop and tell them that you accidentally dropped it in the ocean.
Preventive Measures
To prevent any data loss, why not back up your files on a cloud? That way, if you lose your phone or drop it in the ocean, you can still have your files when you get a new one.
And if you’re going to the beach, make sure to put the smartphone inside a waterproof bag. It will keep your phone dry and secure!
Unfortunately, this guy can no longer retrieve his phone. And this is why you need to take preventive measures to avoid a scenario like this.
And for other stories, news, or tips, read more here at Owner’s Mag!
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