Two new article on the gay baths have appeared on-line the last few days. But they seem to be at the opposite ends of the spectrum. One writes that gay baths are here to stay (in vogue). While the other article says that the baths are on the way out! (passe)
Christopher White of the SF Weekly has written an article entitled – Is a Bathhouse Revival in Our Future?
We are long overdue for the resurgence of bathhouses in the City by the Bay that is still known, globally, as a mecca for LGBTQ people. Imagine walking into a space where friends welcome you affectionately. You find a perch on the edge of the pool to share a story and a laugh. You meet a new friend and decide to head upstairs to a dark corner or maybe a sling for a fuck. Or maybe you’d rather find a room full of men jerking off together. A while later, you wander down to a café for a bite or a drink and settle in to watch a drag show. I don’t know about you, but it sounds like a perfect Sunday afternoon or evening, a brief respite before facing the world again the next week. We are long overdue for a bathhouse revival in San Francisco!
While Bryan Keating of Instinct Magazine has a piece called Are Bathhouses Meant To Stay In The Past?
Now, in 2018, I cannot help but wonder if bathhouses may potentially may a comeback. While we need to educate and protect ourselves, Prep has made us more confident and the stigma of being HIV-Undetectable is slowly losing it’s fear within the LGBTQ community. I strongly believe that the political climate we’re in has made the community more united. I am finding it hard to discover ruthless, aggressive, touchy men in dance clubs. Are we further progressing as a community? Instead of heading to a bar to be surrounded by Bachelorette parties or a new era of uprising gays, would it be easier to visit an updated bathhouse? I think if someone would advertise a new bathhouse as a place to socialize – and play – they could definitely create a new vibe to attract men of all colors, shapes, and sizes within our gay spectrum. An area for fun and play – come on, that sounds wonderful!
So in vogue or passe? Why not read the articles yourself and make your decision!
Meanwhile you can read the history of the gay baths in this short blog post entitled A Peek Under the Towel: Inside the 500-Year History of Gay Bathhouses
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