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These police raids and constant harassment continued through the latter half of the 1970s, when an organized and unified gay community became politically active and took their complaints to the courts.
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Establishments that catered to people who were part of what we now call the LGBTQ community were frequently raided, and the owners, employees and patrons were routinely arrested simply because they were there when the place was busted. Their locations were shared on a need-to-know basis, and entering these places was reminiscent of drinkers slipping into unmarked Prohibition-era speakeasies strangers were eyed with suspicion. There had, however, been gay bars in Dallas, dating back to at least the early 1950s (one of the first was Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit, later renamed Villa Fontana). Homosexuals and lesbians were often forced to keep a very low profile, if only for self-preservation. Arrest, loss of one’s job, and social condemnation were very real possibilities to those whose secret was discovered.
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Still, as soul-crushing as news of extreme acts of violence can be, we can’t forget how much progress has been made.īefore the days of political activism, being gay was something one often kept to oneself or shared only with a close circle of friends. In the past few months, the United States has celebrated a few important milestones in the history of civil rights for gay Americans: the designation of the Stonewall Inn in New York City as a National Monument to Gay Rights and the first anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states.īut while there has been undeniable social and political progress in recent memory, there have also been stark reminders of continued hatred and intolerance against LGBTQ individuals by hateful and intolerant people - among them the recent mass shooting in Orlando and, here in Dallas, the ongoing physical attacks in and around Oak Lawn which have prompted Mark Cuban to donate one million dollars to the Dallas Police Department in order to increase patrols and to better protect the city’s LGBTQ community. Apart from the drinks and late-night dancing, you can always catch special events happening, such as touring drag queens, leather parties, or special diva nights honoring famous pop stars.A Photo History of Dallas’ Gay Bars of the 1970s. Sway: One of the biggest gay clubs in the Bible Belt, Sway has been welcoming LGBT customers in Little Rock since 2010.This is the bar your mother warned you about. They also have a mechanical bull, the occasional wet T-shirt contest, pool tables, and big-screen TVs. Electric Cowboy: For the more Southern among us, the Electric Cowboy offers country music (some top 40 is mixed in) and line dancing.Move around between areas for hip-hop, top 40, and Latin hits. It caters to younger crowds and is only open on Saturday nights. Discovery: Once regarded as a gay club, the clientele at Discovery is now much more mixed (although you can still catch a drag show).The club is open on Tuesday and Friday evenings. If you need to loosen up before dancing, enjoy a margarita, caipirinha, mojito, or other tropical cocktails at the bar. If you've always wanted to dance salsa but don't know how, show up when they open for a one-hour lesson. Club 27: Feel out your rhythm dancing to Latin beats at Club 27.