So, of course, as mainstream society started socializing in these places, the queer community followed suit. I’d guess the invention of machines like the phonograph, which let places play music without having performers present, was probably a big part of that shift. It wasn’t really until towards the end of the 19th century when there started to be bars as we know them today - places that really just served alcohol.
So, to separate molly houses from gay bars - and I’m not going to claim this is the official definition, it’s just what I’m working with here - I’m going to define gay bars as legitimate, legal businesses focused entirely (or almost entirely) on the sale of alcohol to queer customers. They were also places where fake weddings and mock birth rituals took place.
Molly houses were typically fronted by taverns, inns or coffee houses, and usually also made money off prostitution. The sale of alcohol was considered sort of a “side hustle” (even though it was probably where most of the profit came from.) Even saloons in the American western frontier were entertainment sites - where people could play games or see performances. Even pubs at the time served food and were intended as a place to have gatherings or meetings. For a lot of (at least Western) history, bars weren’t really a thing - you had inns and taverns, which served alcohol but also offered lodging or food. To separate molly houses from gay bars, we have to kind of look at the history of bars themselves. They’re a place for gathering socially with similar “deviants” and “sodomites,” to feel safe among those who have a shared lived experience. Gay bars were not, at least initially, all that different from molly houses and, in terms of their purpose, still aren’t. We have previously talked a little about molly houses before - specifically Mother Clap’s and the White Swan, which were both pretty historically significant. A lot of these places will hopefully get posts of their own further down the line.
But I’m not here to weigh the pros and cons of gay bars - we can all do that on Twitter (and we do) - I just want to talk briefly about the history of gay bars, talk a teeny bit about some of the first ones to exist, and some of the oldest ones that we still have today. It’s true that bars being basically the central gathering place for our community isn’t without drawbacks - although, personally, I love them. I’m not saying you’re doing queerness wrong if you haven’t been to a gay bar, I’m just saying it’s a pretty common shared experience. Even if you’re just someone who loves an LGBTQIA+ person, there’s still a good chance you’ve been to a gay bar. So….we’re back with even more queer history!Ĭhances are pretty good, if you’re an LGBTQIA+ person you’ve been to a gay bar. May not ever calm down but I’m handling the craziness better now that I’m kind of getting used to it. The designation should help the Eagle stay in business regardless of who buys the lot it is located on.I know it’s been like a really long time - sorry about that! My real life job got absolutely crazy and hasn’t calmed down at all. "The city needs to do more to acknowledge the critical role that places like the Eagle continue to play in making San Francisco such a special place, and I am proud to put forward one of SOMA’s most beloved Legacy Businesses and gay bars for this important distinction,”Īccording to San Francisco Planning, "The intent of Landmark designation is to protect, preserve, enhance and encourage continued utilization, rehabilitation and, where necessary, adaptive use of significant cultural resources." "The SF Eagle is one of the few remaining Leather bars in this area and holds great significance for the LGBT community, LGBT history, and, indeed, the history of San Francisco," Haney said when he petitioned the other supervisors to support the landmark ordinance. The bar's gay owners supported the designation, which San Francisco city Supervisor Matt Haney, who represents the area, set in motion last year not long after the lot where the bar is located was put up for sale. The South of Market location is within the city's Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District, but, according to the Bay Area Reporter, it's the first LGBTQ landmark designated within the district.Ī recently developed Eagle Plaza now fronts the bar and honors the city's leather, kink, and LGBTQ communities. The unanimous vote by the San Francisco supervisors had been expected after the city leaders provided preliminary approval for the declaration two weeks prior.