I like to think the exclusionary attitudes you describe were more prominent in my generation than for mellenials, as we see much more adoption of general queer identity, but I know there also remain entrenched camps. Look at the TERFS hatred of trend women, for Fuck sake.

@PalacinkyPDX Nicole is not making this stuff up. Perhaps it doesn't happen in the USA, but there's a whole world that exists outside of America, you know.

I know of three men only bars, in Manchester (UK) alone: Company Bar, Eagle Bar and REM Bar are all strictly men only. The first two, I believe, are men only all of the time, and the last one after 7pm most evenings.

Vanilla, the lesbian bar (also Manchester UK) used to be women only, but is open to all these days.

So seriously, think about the possibility that you might be wrong, before calling anyone a liar.

@taichifan correct. New Orleans is something of a queer haven in the Deep South (though Pensacola also has its plusses). I lived in New Orleans for 19 years. One personal quibble: Not being at all interested in alcohol, myself, it has rather annoyed me that gay social scenes in The Big Easy(male, at any rate) seem pathetically dependent on bars. So much for culture! ? I did find an LGBT book club a few Years back and joined for conversation and social networking. Of course, it was started and run by lesbians. We males were a tiny minority, because apparently gay men don't read?? ? that book club folded after about a year.

@MikeInBatonRouge there is a new book club group now. This one is mostly male. And the LGBTQ community center has events that are not alcohol focused however this is not to say that the the emphasis on alcohol in the community is diminished. There are now just some more options that don't include it.

@PalacinkyPDX Dang, someone else that knows about the Upstairs arson attack

@Ubergooroo very good to hear. I think the new,community center opened after I moved to Baton Rouge. I had checked out the old one a few years ago and could never find anything happening.
Oh, I just now remembered that there is a senior oriented LGBT support group called NoAge.

@MikeInBatonRouge speaking of Baton Rouge, when I came out in the early 1990s there was only one lesbian bar I knew of and that was called the Hideaway Lounge I think was the name. I know that can't be there any longer but it was a safe space. There were some gay dance club close to LSU too. Are there any gay bars in BR now?

@PalacinkyPDX I am convinced there will always be hateful, even violent, homophobes. However, that was 1973, when homosexuality, not to even mention transgender, was completely taboo. That treatment back in '73 is certainly not an indicator of exactly how things are now in New Orleans.

@PalacinkyPDX, @Ubergooroo I am absolutely not the authority on Baton Rouge gay bars. I moved here in 2017, and I haven't been to any (I don't drink), though I did look up gay bars and found Charlie's Place, which is downtown off Government. I was told it is still in business. Sorry, but that's all I "know"