The historic Stonewall Inn in New York City was the site of the famous Stonewall riots of 1969, which have come to symbolize the beginning of the modern gay liberation movement in the United States. Shown here in 1969, it has since been remodeled.

A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities. Gay bars once served as the epicentre of gay culture and were one of the few places people with same-sex orientations and gender-variant identities could openly socialize. Other names used to describe these establishments include boy bar, girl bar, gay club, gay pub, queer bar, lesbian bar, and dyke bar, depending on the niche communities that they served. With the advent of Internet social network services and an increasingly greater acceptance of LGBT people worldwide, the relevance of gay bars in the gay community has somewhat diminished.^[1]

In areas without a gay bar one of the community's more open minded establishments may hold a gay night.

Background[link]

Inside a gay bar, which often contain dance floors and music.

Like most bars and pubs, gay bars range in size from the tiny, five-seat bars of Tokyo to large, multi-story super-clubs with several distinct areas and more than one dance floor. A large venue may be referred to as a nightclub, club, or bar, while smaller venues are typically called bars and sometimes pubs. The only defining characteristic of a gay bar is the nature of its clientele. While many gay bars target the gay and/or lesbian communities, some (usually older and firmly established) gay bars have become gay, as it were, through custom, over a long period of time.

The serving of alcohol is the primary business of gay bars and pubs. Like non-gay establishments they serve as a meeting place and LGBT community focal point, in which conversation, relaxation, and meeting potential romantic and sexual partners is the primary focus of the clientele. Historically and continuing in many communities, gay bars have been valued by patrons as the singular place closeted gay men and lesbians can be open and demonstrative about their sexuality without fear of discovery.

Gay bars have traditionally preferred to remain discreet and virtually unidentifiable outside the gay community, relying exclusively on word of mouth promotion. More recently gay clubs and events are often advertised by handing out eye-catching flyers on the street, in gay or gay-friendly shops and venues, and at other clubs and events. Similar to flyers for predominantly heterosexual venues, these flyers frequently feature provocative images and theme party announcements.

While traditional gay pub-like bars are nearly identical to bars catering to the general public, gay dance venues often feature elaborate lighting design and video projection, fog machines and raised dancing platforms. Hired dancers (called go-go girls or go-go boys) may also feature in decorative cages or on podiums. Gay sports bars are relatively unusual, but it is not unusual for gay bars to sponsor teams in local sports/game leagues, and many otherwise traditional gay pubs are well known for hosting post-game parties—often filling with local gay athletes and their fans on specific nights or when major professional sporting events are broadcast on TV. Some of the longest established gay bars are unofficial hosts of elaborate local 'Royal Court' drag pageants and drag-related social groups.

Gay bars and nightclubs are sometimes segregated by sex. In some establishments, people who are perceived to be of the "wrong" sex (for example, a man attempting to enter a women's club) may be unwelcome or even barred from entry. This may be more common in specialty bars, such as gay male leather fetish or BDSM bars, or bars or clubs which have a strict dress code. It is also common in bars and clubs where sex on the premises is a primary focus of the establishment. On the other hand, gay bars are usually welcoming of transgender and cross-dressed people, and drag shows are a common feature in many gay bars, even men-only spaces.

Some gay bars and clubs which have a predominantly male clientele, as well as some gay bathhouses and other sex clubs, may offer occasional women-only nights.

A few gay bars attempt to restrict entry to only gay or lesbian people, but in practice this is difficult to enforce. Most famously, Melbourne's Peel Hotel was granted an exemption from Australia's Equal Opportunities Act by a state tribunal, on the grounds that the exemption was needed to prevent "sexually-based insults and violence" aimed at the pub's patrons. As a result of the decision, the pub is legally able to advertise as a "gay only" establishment, and door staff can ask people whether they are gay before allowing them inside, and can turn away non-gay people.^[2]

Already categorized as gay or lesbian, many gay bars in larger cities/urban areas take this sub-categorization a step further by appealing to distinct subcultures within the gay community. Some of these sub-cultures are defined by costume and performance. These bars often forge a like-minded community in dozens of cities with leather gay bars, line-dancing gay bars, and drag revues. Other subcultures cater to men who fit a certain type, one that is often defined by age, body type, personality, and musical preference. There are some bars and clubs that cater more to a working class/blue collar crowd and some that cater to a more upscale clientele. There are gay bars that cater to "twinks" (young, smooth-bodied pretty boys) and others that cater to bears (older, larger, hairier, and generally more good-humored alternatives to the well-manicured and fey gay stereotype). There are also gay bars that cater to certain races, such as ones for Asian men "and their admirers", Latin men, or black men.^[3]

History[link]

The White Swan (created by James Cook and Yardley, full name unknown), on Vere Street, in London, England, was raided in 1810 during the so-called Vere Street Coterie. The raid led to the executions of Keith Mangum, and Constanza Beucheat for sodomy. The site was frequently the scene of gay marriages carried out by the Reverend John Church.^[4]

Het Mandje, on Zeedijk 63 in the historic heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands was opened in 1927 by lesbian Bet van Beeren. After her death in 1967, her sister Greet continued the business until it closed in 1982, but the bar and its entire interior was preserved by her ever since and could be visited upon request. Just before her death in August 2007, she took the initiative to have the bar reopened. The bar has been open under management of her daughter Diana since Queen's Day 30 April 2008.

The Black Cat Bar in San Francisco was the focus of one of the earliest victories of the homophile movement. In 1951 the California Supreme Court affirmed the right of homosexuals to assemble in a case brought by the heterosexual owner of the bar.

In New York City, the modern gay bar dates to Julius Bar, founded by local socialite Matthew Nicol, where the Mattachine Society staged a "Sip-In" on 21 April 1966 challenging a New York State Liquor Authority rule prohibited serving alcohol to gays on the basis that they were considered disorderly. The court ruling in the case that gays could peacefully assemble at bars would lead to the opening of the Stonewall Inn a block southwest in 1967 which in turn led to the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Julius is New York City's oldest continuously operating gay bar and is possibly the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the world.^[5]

The Double Header in Seattle's Pioneer Square is acknowledged as the oldest gay bar on the North American West Coast, operating since 1933.^[6]

Music[link]

Music, either live or, more commonly, mixed by a DJ or DJs, is often a prominent feature of gay bars. Typically, the music in gay bars include pop, dance, contemporary R&B, house, trance, and techno. In larger North American cities and in Australia, one or more gay bars with a country music theme and line dancing are also common, as are bars known for retro 60's pop and "Motown Sound."

Notable gay bars[link]

Cafe Odeon, in Zürich, Switzerland where Albert Einstein was a regular patron.^[7]

Canada[link]

• Woody's, Toronto

Denmark[link]

• Pan Club Copenhagen (closed 2007)

Ireland[link]

• The George, Dublin

Spain[link]

• Dark Berlin, Barcelona

Thailand[link]

• Sunee Plaza, a close collection of gay bars

United Kingdom[link]

• Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London
• G-A-Y, London Inc G-A-Y Bar and G-A-Y Late
• The Black Cap, London
• The Coleherne, London
• Candy Bar, London
• KU Bar, London
• Heaven (Nightclub), London
• G-A-Y Bar, Manchester
• Cruz 101, Manchester
• Planet Out, Edinburgh
• The New Penny, Leeds

United States[link]

• Black Cat Bar, San Francisco (closed)
• Club Universe, San Francisco (closed)
• Black Cat Tavern, Silverlake, Los Angeles, California (closed)
• The Abbey, West Hollywood, California
• Down the Street, Asbury Park, New Jersey (closed)
• Paddock Club, Greenville, North Carolina (closed)
• Scandals, Asheville, North Carolina
• Phase 1, Washington, DC
• Ziegfeld's, Washington, DC
• Velvet Nation at Nation, Washington, DC (closed)
• South Beach, Houston, Texas
• Stonewall Inn, New York City
• Julius, New York City
• Backstreet, Atlanta (closed)

See also[link]

• Lloyd G. Davies, Los Angeles City Council member, 1943–51, fought against "undesirable" bars in Hollywood, California

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Cante, Richard C. (2009). Gay Men and the Forms of Contemporary US Culture. London: Ashgate Publishing. OCLC 173218594. 

External links[link]

• gayScout – International gay guide with addresses of gay venues
• GayBarMaps - US Lesbian and Gay Bar, Restaurant, Lodging, Pride Event, Business Maps

v t e Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) topics   Academic fields Discourse LGBT topics in education Gender studies Lavender linguistics Lesbian feminism LGBT literature LGBT/Queer studies Queer theory Transfeminism   Community Culture Anthems Bars Bisexual community Coming out Community center Drag king Drag queen Gay friendly Icons Lesbian utopia Literature Music Neighborhoods Organizations Periodicals Pride Pride parade Religious groups Rodeos Same-sex relationships Slang List of slang Slogans Symbols Tourism Category:LGBT culture   Gender identities Sexual identities Gender identities Male Female Androgyne Bigender Boi Cisgender Genderqueer Girlfag and guydyke Intersex Pangender Transgender Womyn Third sex / Third gender Akava'ine Eunuch Fa'afafine Fakaleiti Femminiello Hijra Kathoey Khanith Mahu Mukhannathun Muxe Bissu Two-Spirit Hermaphrodite Sexual orientation identities Sexual orientations Asexual Bisexual Heterosexual Homosexual Ex-gay Ex-ex-gay Pansexual Polyamorous Banjee Gay Lesbian Queer Same gender loving Non-heterosexual Object sexuality Questioning Related Gender roles Human female sexuality Human male sexuality Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures   History LGBT history History of lesbianism LGBT History Timeline Social movements History of Christianity and homosexuality History of same-sex unions Pederasty Category:LGBT history Pre-modern era Adelphopoiesis Homosexuality in ancient Greece Homosexuality in ancient Rome Homosexuality in ancient Egypt Homosexuality in ancient Peru Homosexuality in medieval Europe 16th to 19th century Mollies Urnings 20th century Gay Liberation Homosexuals in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust Inversion Sea queens Stonewall riots Festival of Light action White Night riots Queer theory 21st century Same-sex marriage Post-Queer Theory   Rights Legal issues LGBT rights by country or territory Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania List of LGBT rights articles by region LGBT rights topics Adoption Civil unions and partnerships Hate crime laws Legal aspects of transsexualism Military service Parenting Same-sex marriage (Status Timeline) Socialism Sodomy laws United Nations/Yogyakarta Principles LGBT rights movements Gay Liberation LGBT rights groups LGBT rights activists   Sexual orientations – Medicine, science and sexology Biology Birth order Demographics Environment Heterosexual–homosexual continuum Homosexuality and psychology Kinsey scale Klein Grid Mental roots Neuroscience Prenatal hormones Sexual orientation change efforts Sexual orientation identity Timeline of sexual orientation and medicine   Social attitudes Prejudice Violence Social attitudes Anti-LGBT slogans Heteronormativity Gay panic LGBT rights opposition LGBT stereotypes Religion and homosexuality Transgenderism and religion Prejudice & Discrimination AIDS stigma Biphobia Heterosexism Homophobia Internalized homophobia Lesbophobia Riddle scale Transphobia Violence against LGBT people Corrective rape Gay bashing History of violence in the UK History of violence in the US Significant acts of violence against LGBT people Trans-bashing Unlawfully killed transgender people LGBT suicides Category:LGBT LGBT portal

Joel Veitch at ROFLCon II in 2010

Joel Veitch (born March 28, 1974) is a British web animator, singer-songwriter, and member of the humour website B3ta. Veitch is owner of the web site RatherGood where he showcases many of his animations. Joel has also created the Mr. Stabby animations in collaboration with Jonti Picking, and his early work includes several installments of Tales of the Blode.

Joel's working pseudonyms include "Crab Bloke" (which is the name of his user account on B3ta), "The Crab of Ineffable Wisdom" (used on his website), and "Stallion Explosion" (as lead singer of the band 7 Seconds of Love which he promotes heavily on his site by making music videos for them).

Veitch was once threatened with legal action by Gullane Entertainment Inc. for uploading a flash cartoon which parodied Thomas the Tank Engine. As a result, Veitch removed the animation from the site. Although the link is still present, it now points to an explanation of why the animation was removed.

Several of Veitch's movies, including one featuring a remake of Destiny Child's Independent Woman by Elbow, are played and sung by kittens, similar to the Crusha adverts which Veitch also created.

Some of Veitch's other movies feature actual songs by artists such as Madonna, with either slightly edited lyrics, and/or with modified subtitles, and always with fitting, and sometimes mildly disturbing, animations.

In December 2006, Veitch and his band 7 Seconds of Love produced their own version of the "12 Days of Christmas" song, in support of the charity Tommy's.

In January 2007, Veitch reached a settlement with Coca-Cola after they used music and video very similar to 7 Seconds of Love's song 'Ninja' on one of their adverts in Argentina without permission.^[1]

Commercial work[link]

Veitch is responsible for many adverts and other spots on both British and US TV.

• Switch/Maestro adverts featuring singing penguins.
• Crusha adverts featuring singing kittens.
• Quizno's Subs advertised by the Spongmonkeys (through the song "We love the subs", based upon "We like tha Moon").
• Virgin Trains viral online ads at www.littlerbritain.co.uk, featuring only-barely double entendres about large things wreaking havoc on a "Smaller Britain"
• VH1 promo spots featuring singing kittens with songs such as "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses and "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett.
• The television programme Rathergood Videos featuring his own and others music videos, which aired early in the morning on Channel 4.
• Various animations of his were featured on the Channel 4 music programme Born Sloppy.
• Written and composed songs for the CiTV series Jim Jam & Sunny.
• Joel now regularly appears as the "Internet go-to guy" for Nuts TV, and appears on Sky News and BBC News as an internet savvy guest.

Charity work[link]

• "12 Days of Christmas" fundraising song and animation for Tommy's the Baby Charity

Awards[link]

Veitch has received 3 Webby Awards, a Webbys People's Choice Award and a further Webby nomination for rathergood.com

References[link]

1. ^ "Ninja kitten band win Coke bottle". BBC News. 2007-01-23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6289933.stm. Retrieved 2007-01-23. 

External links[link]

• B3ta interview and making animations with Joel – prior to his worldwide kitten success.
• RatherGood.com