T here must be a rhyme or reason as to why lesbian bars are closing up shop, right? How is it that safe zones for lesbian nightlife are shuttering when we, as a collective, are so clearly seeking to create community and camaraderie in spaces that are catered to our needs of safety, identity, and recognition? Endless explanations could be offered. Why is it so difficult to find a clearly defined lesbian bar? We aren’t all running back into the closet, are we? While reading reviews of these bars, I noticed a lot of comments from lesbian and queer women patrons denouncing the idea that these are lesbian-specific spaces.
To my dismay, a deeper look revealed that the majority of links that turned up in my search results were actually straight bars offering “ lesbian nights ,” listed as “great” for lesbians, or gay bars that are not true lesbian- dedicated spaces.
My initial research seemed to promote the idea that lesbian bars were widespread across the nation. We can go back and forth on what constitutes a lesbian bar, but for the sake of this article, I’m discussing bars that are exclusively founded with the intention of catering to the lesbian community. Cubby Hole in New York Jolene’s in San Francisco Lipstick Lounge in Nashville Gossip Grill in San Diego Wildrose in Seattle My Sister’s Room in Atlanta and lastly ( but most imperatively), Pearl Bar in Houston. You read me right : Sue Ellen’s in Dallas Henrietta Hudson in New York League of Her Own in D.C. After scouring the Internet, I could only confidently identify 10 bars in the entire United States (now don’t crucify me if I’ve missed one ) that were demarcated as lesbian bars. This is not just a regional issue, but a ubiquitous, nationwide setback. There is an obvious lack of safe lesbian bars and queer nightlife spots for femmes and lesbians in Houston. Lesbians, pull your chairs closer and keep your jaw s snapped shut, because I have a feeling they might just fall open. Okay, readers, here is where I lay down some shocking news that I myself only recently discovered over a crisp Lone Star (we are in Texas, after all!).