Finding 1

GAYBORHOOD

LGBTQ people of color, women, and transgender people often feel unwelcome and unsafe in Gayborhood spaces.

1A The Gayborhood is a geographical area, which links businesses, non-profit organizations, and places of public accommodation. Although the expectation is a “safe space” for all LGBTQ people, many people of color, women and transgender individuals experience racism, prejudice and discrimination in these spaces.

1B Most Gayborhood businesses are owned by white, cisgendered, males who create preferable environments for white, cisgendered, male patrons.

1C Transwomen of color are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, and physical violence.

  • “Wealthy white gay men see the Gayborhood as a place to start a business and earn revenue, but forget that this is a place that people got to escape homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and yes, even racism to discover that it’s not just alive here, but thriving.” G. Graves
  • “Every bar is owned by a white gay cisman. This is a clear indicator of severely entrenched systemic racism.”
  • “My experience of discrimination in the Gayborhood relates to being a lesbian in settings that mostly cater to gay men (specifically, white gay men). As a woman, my partner and I, our friend, have experienced feeling invisible in bars – specifically at Woody’s and iCandy – and have watched on multiple occasions men who came up to the bar after us, get served before us. This happens so often that if I happen to be out with some gay male friends, we will ask them to order our drinks for us because we know they will get served before we do. Unfortunately, with no lesbian bars remaining in the city right now, lesbian/queer women have to go to places like iCandy and Woody’s if we want to be out in a LGBT “safe” space, though we often do not feel welcome there and experience a different league of service than our gay male friends.” Submitted by Anonymous
  • “I have been out and proud queer woman of color for the last 10 years in this city and in the last few years…blatant discrimination the women like myself have faced. I would like to put on record that I have been passed over many times at both Woody’s and iCandy when purchasing drinks. I have waited at the bar and have watched guys come up after me and get served before me. I have moved different places at the bar with hopes that other bartenders might see me. At Woody’s this has happened so often that at the main bar I like to stand in a certain spot because I know at least one bartender “knows me.” I know he’ll recognize me and I’ll get served in a timely fashion. I have waited over 15 minutes to be served and have seen other men come and go within minutes. There is blatant gender discrimination. ” Submitted by K. Apostol