Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubala
Just happen to stumble upon this TV bit again tonight.... Vice Essentials "The last lesbian bars" http://www.vice.com/read/the-last-le...rs-apvideo-178
One of the arguments explaining why this phenomenon of diminishing lesbian presence is happening is that social milieu plays the major part...
Quote: "Affluent middle class white lesbians are not spending their money going to bars..."
Wow....just wow....this hit me like a tone of bricks. Then I realized this actually really hits home for me, having never been a bar goer....
My next thought is what needs to be done to bridge the gap?
What is the alternative real-estate for lesbian visibility recitation if any, physical or virtual real estate? |
I admit I didn't watch the video, but....
If people don't support any establishment by going there and also spending money there, then it closes.
I have had 20 years of going to lesbian bars. Owners have always given me the same reasons as to why lesbian bars close and gay men's flourish.
1) Historically women drink (drank) beer, so they spent less. Men drink alcohol/mixed drinks, so the tips are higher.
2) Women "couple up" and then drop out of the bar scene until they break up. Relationships don't keep men out of the bars.
Also, in the past, the bars were the only place that we could find each other, whether it be our lovers or our friends. Gay people don't even need their main social group to have gay people in it to find new partners. They just go online, pick up their next lover, and carry on. The same holds true as to why there is a high percentage of lesbian and gay men alcoholics and smokers. We were in the bars as that was our place to gather socially.
I have seen a lot of lesbian bars close over the years. Sad. There are some bars I/others have bemoaned the loss of for many, many years. I never expected Sister's in Philly to close. That one had been around a long time and I thought was still very busy. Young women spent money in that bar, buying mixed/specialty drinks that is more common with the younger, hip crowd. It certainly wasn't the "typical" lesbian bar where we were all drinking Coors Light back in the day. I only recently learned it closed several years ago.
Lesbians are more accepted mainstream. They can dance with their lovers in the bigger cities no matter the club. They don't need to go to the lesbian bars to be themselves. Gay men still have to hide in the shadows, so there is still a use for the bars. And their cash keeps the place going.