32 Decline of Lesbian Bars

The decline of lesbian bars in the United States is a troubling trend that underscores several interconnected challenges facing the queer community. According to the latest count by the Lesbian Bar Project, there are only 24 lesbian bars left across the nation, a stark contrast to the approximately 1,000 establishments catering to gay men or mixed-gender queer clientele, and the staggering number of “straight” bars. This disparity can be attributed to a range of systemic issues. Women historically faced difficulties securing loans, credit cards, and liquor licenses without male signatures, hindering their ability to establish and sustain lesbian-owned businesses. The pay gap is also an issue, women earn only 87 cents for every dollar earned by the “typical worker”, non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, and two-spirit individuals earn 70 cents, and trans women earn 60 cents. This combination of economic constraints has made it increasingly challenging for lesbian bars to remain viable.

The culture around queerness, dating, and socializing has also affected lesbian bars. As mainstream society becomes more accepting of queer people and relationships, and online dating becomes prevalent, the traditional role of lesbian bars as safe spaces for gathering and meeting potential romantic partners has evolved. Some argue that the demand for separatist spaces, exclusively for lesbians or queer men, is dwindling among younger generations who embrace more fluid gender and sexuality labels. However, others, like Erica Rose of the Lesbian Bar Project, emphasize the importance of these spaces, “It’s a loss of history. It’s a loss of inter-generational dialogue. It’s a loss for queer friendship,” said Rose. Lesbian bars remain vital to preserve lesbian history and foster inter-generational dialogue within the queer community.

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