Gay bathhouses in san francisco

Why San Francisco Needs a Gay Bathhouse

Bathhouses, a staple in gay communities worldwide, have been glaringly absent from San Francisco since 1984.

I made a modern friend recently. He just moved here from New York. Having tried to visit the Eagle but finding it closed, he texted me one evening. “Does SF shut down at enjoy, 11pm? I’m used to NYC where we don’t even start going out until then.” 

Oh honey. “We’re not favor you East Coasters lol. Though I wish we were sometimes. The dearth of late-nite options here is staggering.”

“Wtf? This is a city, isn’t it?”

I’m tired of confronting the fact that, for being a high-profile gay destination, San Francisco is surprisingly prudish.

It’s understandable that my acquaintance was let down by SF’s characteristic sleepiness. If only there were a twenty-four-hour destination for him and other gay men to meet and form friends. A bathhouse, also known as a sauna, traditionally steps in for our kind at this point. At one time, San Franciso hosted over sixty gay bathhouses. But now the city is bath-less, and has been since 1984, so my buddy walked home and deposit away his leather gear. 

Navigating SF for the gay transplant is an article for a differ

POWERHOUSE BAR San Francisco

For events and hours, visit the Powerhouse facebook page at this link

 


 

 


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Dore Streetway Sunday:

 

 

 


 


 

Powerhouse Bar
1347 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94103

 

Visit the Powerhouse facebook page at this link



Pride parades are a major feature of LGBTQ+ celebrations across the world and they began as politically motivated complain marches demanding activity on a host of issues appreciate social and religious prejudice, civil rights, homophobia and discrimination. San Francisco, with its Bohemian cultural fabric, emerged as an early epicentre of the same-sex attracted movement in the USA.

On 27 June 1970, 20 to 30 people took part in a Gay Liberation Protest, followed by a gathering at the Golden Gate Park the following evening, which was promptly raided and dispersed by the police who took seven people into custody. Notwithstanding, in the decade of the 70s the movement gathered pace – the celebration of the June 1970 events gradually grew into the San Francisco Gay Pride.

The parade has been held every year since 1972 (only interrupted by the COVID pandemic), taking place during the last weekend of June to honour the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Each year has a particular theme, which is reflected in publicity material, merchandise and memorabilia related to the event.

Two interesting pieces related to the San Francisco Male lover Pride were gifted to the Heberden Coin Room in 2010 by Stephen Album (HCR1153

San Francisco supervisors want to expedite gay bathhouse revival

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SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES: A rainbow flag raises above Castro, the gay and lesbian neighborhood in San Francisco (Photo credit should read HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images)

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SAN FRANCISCO - Gay bathhouses in San Francisco could see a revival under new legislation spearheaded by District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. 

Mandelman, whose district includes the Castro neighborhood, is looking to repeal a section of the police code that puts the burden on the police department for permitting new gay bathhouses. 

The ordinance would also repeal outdated and unnecessary regulations that require the bathhouses to maintain a daily register of patrons and "confusing language regarding the permissibility of locked rooms," according to the supervisor's statement. 

Mandelman introduced the legislation targeting SFPD's Article 26 on Tuesday. It's because of this article, he says, that SFPD has been unable to issue permits to potential bathhouse operators who have spent months trying to unseal their businesses. 

"We’ve come a long way on the w