My New York: A History of Gay Bars

With rumors that the city is moving to shut down the few remaining sex clubs in the city, and the Meat Packing District all but a shadow of what it used to be, there are some of us who miss the vibrant and eclectic manifestations of what gayness used to be in New York (and, no, I don't mean the Disney version of upwardly mobile, 'Chelsea-fied' or - nowadays - 'Hell Kitchen-ified', gentrifying current mold of gayness).

From time to time we get pitches for stuff that people want me to plug on this blog. I am sorry peopl'z. I try to stay away from advertising stuff or promoting things that I don't find groovy.

So imagine my surprise when I get a message that directed me to the following blog:

• History of Gay Bars in New York City

I clicked on it expecting to find some boring mumbo-jumbo but, lo-and-behold, I found myself enthralled!

Apparently, the bar historian has been hitting some of the most widely read gay blogs for promotion because earlier today both Good as You and Joe.My.God featured it (with Joe unearthing news that The Spike will be reopening in the near future).

Also - apparently - I'll be sharing a panel podium with the Good as You'er sometime next week. The topic? Blogging for the gay masses (details to come).

In the meantime I am still wondering just what "Matinee Toliet Tactics" entail in the 1980 Mineshaft flyer above (lifted from the above mentioned blog). I do have an impressionable mind, mind you.