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the state of the lesbian bar

A woman with curly hair in a dark bar pours a draft from a spigot.
Society + Culture

The Lesbian Bar Project Raises Over $100,000 to Protect 15 of Our Last Lesbian Bars

Lesbian bars across the country are closing at an alarming rate. The filmmakers and activists of the Lesbian Bar Project teamed up with Jägermeister to save the fifteen that remain.

By Lindsay Lee Wallace| December 23, 2020 | 4 Comments
Issues

Dykes Rule the Night

Lesbian bars may be dying, but lesbian nightlife is more alive than ever

By Clare Hand| December 30, 2019 | 16 Comments
The Scene

Day in the Life: Lisa Cannistraci, Activist and Lesbian Bar Owner

“When I opened the bar in 1991, we had a jukebox. Yeah that’s about it. Back then folks were not so intent on being in fabulous spaces. They just wanted a safe space to congregate.”

By Molly| June 23, 2017 | 8 Comments
Herstory

Lesbian Bar Names of the Past, Ranked

RIP sweet girls.

By Erin| June 15, 2017 | 45 Comments
Society + Culture

Also.Also.Also: Lesbians Are Here, Our Bars Are Not, and Other Stories for Your Weekend

Salute Your Shorts, tiny galaxies, Hillary Clinton between two ferns, bitches of rom-coms, gender bias, christ almighty our maternal mortality rate is fucking crazy, are you alone?, Jasika Nicole Perfect, The Lexington Club, and so much more!

By Laneia| September 23, 2016 | 29 Comments
Arts + Pop Culture

Lesbian Bars I Definitely Made Up But Probably Exist

“Yearn is honestly a little too much. Yearn is the bar equivalent of Marina’s voice on Jenny’s voicemail that one time when she’s like, “Jenny. I was just… thinking about you.”

By Erin| February 10, 2016 | 60 Comments
Herstory

Last Call: Stories from New Orleans’ Disappearing Dyke Bar Scene

A new podcast dives deep into New Orleans’ dyke bars of the 1970s and ’80s. Here are a few of the funny, sweet and powerful stories from Last Call.

By Rachel Lee| March 24, 2015 | 13 Comments
First Person

Gay, Interrupted: On Navigating Gaybourhoods As A Queer Brown Woman

Gay districts are safer, more open and more profitable than ever before, but for whom?

By Fikri| February 18, 2015 | 42 Comments
The Scene

State of the Lesbian Bar: Were DC’s Legendary Lesbian Bars Just a Phase?

Phase 1, both the oldest standing lesbian bar in America and the last to remain in the nation’s capital, closed abruptly this month. Meanwhile, venues for gay men are booming. What’s the future of lesbian nightlife in DC?

By Carmen| January 29, 2015 | 50 Comments
Herstory Society + Culture

The State of the Lesbian Bar: Portland Sees Popups Replace the E Room

A rich LGBT watering hole history, the last lesbian bar’s betrayal, and thoughts on the current landscape of queer women’s parties and spaces — a dramatic tale of Portland, Oregon bar culture.

By Alley Hector| December 18, 2014 | 29 Comments
The Scene

Let’s Hash It Out: How Do You Feel About Men and Straight People Going To Lesbian Bars?

We’re not sure that there’s a right answer to this question, but we’ve laid out some arguments for and against and now it’s time to dig in.

By Riese| December 4, 2014 | 300 Comments
The Scene

Listling Without Commentary: 26 Excerpts From Negative Yelp Reviews Of Lesbian Bars By Men and Straight People

“The place is so dingy, grimy, and gross that I seriously believe monsters are going to come flying out of the bathroom at any moment and swoop down on all the dudes and chop our heads off.”

By Riese| December 2, 2014 | 111 Comments
The Scene

Listling Without Commentary: 29 Excerpts From 1-Star Reviews Of Lesbian Bars

“The patrons there were lucky I didn’t use my ninja skills on their @$$!!!”

By Riese| November 11, 2014 | 69 Comments
The Scene

The State of the Lesbian Bar: San Francisco Toasts To The End Of An Era

Iconic lesbian bar The Lexington Club is closing. Let’s pour one out for it and examine the State of the Lesbian Bar in these sad times.

By Robin| November 11, 2014 | 25 Comments
The Scene

Pop-Up Gay Bar Is Coming To A Bar Near You

A reinvention of Guerrilla Queer Bar, Pop-Up Gay Bar aims to create new LGBT spaces, one bar and one night at a time.

By Robin| September 9, 2014 | 21 Comments
The Scene

Sisters Nightclub Closes, Leaves A Hole in Philly’s Lesbian Nightlife and Our Hearts

It was 2008, I thought I might be gay, and I had gone to the only lesbian bar in Philadelphia in fearful hope that someone else might be able to figure things out for me. Now that bar is closing.

By Laura Mandanas| August 17, 2013 | 8 Comments
The Scene

Famous Lesbians Open New Lesbian Nightlife Spot In Lesbian New York, We Think We’re Into It

There’s a lot going on at The Dalloway this week so Team Autostraddle NYC decided to finally tell you what we think about the fancy lesbian hotspot. Spoiler alert: We’re digging the new girl in town.

By Vanessa| February 13, 2013 | 36 Comments
The Scene

The Gay Bar: Where Hopes and Dreams (and Bathroom Hook-Ups) Come True

Cubbyhole, where everyone knows your name. (Featuring our “first gay bar ever” stories)

By Jess| July 5, 2011 | 120 Comments
The Scene

PYT Girls Amp Up Los Angeles Lesbian Nightlife, One Costume at a Time

PYT (People You Trust) is a new kind of lesbian party, brought to you by 6 Los Angeles women including ReaL L Word’s Romi, Gimme Sugar’s Charlene and DJ Saratonin. Find out what makes this lesbo party team stand out from the pack.

By Jess| September 15, 2010 | 19 Comments
The Scene

Girl-in-Sydney, Australia: Crystal Does Lesbian Nightlife, Discovers They’ve Got Their Own “Chart”

Here, being able to hold a conversation while looking over your friends’ shoulders is a must-have skill. I point this out to a girl named Mel, who laughs and agrees, “We’ve been having a conversation for about ten minutes, but the whole time I’ve been looking over there.”

By Crystal| May 21, 2009 | 19 Comments
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From the Archives

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    Listling Without Commentary: Statements (NOT QUESTIONS) Left for Riese and Laneia on Formspring Part Two

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    QUIZ: Which Inanimate Object Is Actually Your Gender?

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    NSFW Lesbosexy Sunday Is Thinking About Pandemic Dating

  • “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Episode 1309 Recap: That’s Hot

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    “Wynonna Earp” Episode 407 Recap: Glitter In The Air

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