Philadelphia’s last lesbian bar just died, as did DC’s, and San Francisco’s is on its way out. At just four bars, New York now has the most lesbian bars of anywhere in the country.
That leaves just two jukeboxes and eight public bathrooms for all of New York’s barhopping lesbians. Despite this fact, there are currently only four active lesbian bars left in New York - Henrietta Hudson, The Cubbyhole, Ginger’s Bar, and Bum-Bum Bar. I was born in 1983, and am active at a time when “Jell-o shots are $10,” and more women identify as queer than ever before.
Jerre was born in 1918, and was active during the 1940s, a time when “drinks were 10 cents” and police conducted raids on New York’s LGBT bars. I worry that my generation disappoints her. When I was growing up, there were so many.” I feel bad telling Jerre this news. When I tell her that there are only four remaining lesbian bars in New York, she literally drops her rice cake. Jerre Kalbas is a lifelong New Yorker and a 97-year-old lesbian. Lola RocknRolla and her band Megababe at Meow Mix bar, late nineties.
