The bar has operated continuously since the 1930s, counting luminaries such as Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote among the many thousands in both its old location (the historic structure that now houses Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop) and its current space on Bourbon Street. In true New Orleans fashion, Cafe’ Lafitte in Exile is dripping with history and may be home to a few ghosts. But no matter how big the space has gotten, its patrons continue to form a tight-knit and welcoming community, where you can grab a beer with friends, listen to blues bands, or catch a football game (this is Texas, after all!).
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Her presence, plus the lack of options for lesbians, have buoyed Sue Ellen’s popularity so much that the bar has expanded four times throughout its history. In Texas, Sue Ellen’s has been a gathering place for women in Dallas and the surrounding towns since 1989, anchored by charismatic owner Kathy Jack.
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This year, as more people feel comfortable gathering and celebrations start to return to pre-pandemic levels of fun, there’s no better way to celebrate Pride than to pay a visit to one of these community stalwarts across the country, where you can reflect on the past while toasting to a more inclusive future.Īccording to The Lesbian Bar Project, there are fewer than 21 lesbian bars remaining in the United States. But there is one silver lining, says Lisa Cannistraci, the owner of Henrietta Hudson, the longest-running lesbian bar in the country: “Queer spaces have become more inclusive - the community is uniting now more than ever.” For generations of LGBTQ people, bars and restaurants have served as community pillars, as places to organize, gather, mourn, and celebrate.Įven before the pandemic, queer bars and restaurants were disappearing - and the fallout from COVID-19 has sped up that trend, prompting the creation of campaigns such as The Lesbian Bar Project to advocate for their preservation.
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In the era of Pride when rainbows adorn city streets and shop windows for major retailers, it’s easy to forget that today’s visibility is possible in part thanks to the LGBTQ spaces that bravely served as sanctuaries for queer people when being out publicly was unheard of, unsafe, and in some cases, even illegal.