Finding My Way Through the Gayborhood

 Gay bars have been around for what seems like forever. Since it was wrong to be gay, many queer people found solace in bars. It was a place where they could let loose, have a conversation, and not be in fear of being judged because of who they were. Most of the bars were very well hidden, they kept a low profile and could only be found by word of mouth. As time went on and tensions grew…many bars started to get raided. It wasn’t until June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall in Manhattan, New York, when the LGBT community decided to fight back. Since then there has been many strides in gay rights and that day also birthed what we call Pride!

I am originally from a West Texas town called Odessa, or what many refer to as “Slowdeatha”. It is your typical small Texas town where football is life and nothing else matters. If you heard of Friday Night Lights, that is where it started. Except I was from the other school. I had always heard of the gay club that was in town. A couple of people that I went to high school with had gone a couple of times. Not being out at the time, I pretended that I didn’t like it, but secretly I wanted to go to the gay club called Sin City.

When I went to college I went to my first gay club. Club Luxor. My roommate at the time was a bartender there so all the cheerleaders would go. I still wasn’t out, but I definitely enjoyed going. It was actually always a fun time, a place where you could go and not get judged. I eventually came out in college and was able to enjoy the clubs a whole lot more.

I visited Dallas for a cheer competition and went to my first gay bar, The Brick. I walked in acting calm, but on the inside I was really excited and nervous. Walking in it was dimly lit, with the stage right in the center. I remember getting a drink and walking over close to the stage. I am just standing there taking it all in, my friends were still in line getting a drink. All of a sudden as I was standing there awkwardly, I feel a tap on the top of my head…yup…I was tea-bagged by one of the dancers. He must have seen that I was freaked out and jumped down to ask if I was ok...I shrugged it off and he offered to get me a drink. It was probably tragic foreshadowing of what I was in store for when I moved.

Like I said in my last post when I went out in downtown I felt that I didn’t fit in. When I finally went to the Gayborhood, also known as Cedar Springs and also known as the Strip, it was like taking in a breath of fresh air.

Jr's was the first bar I went to when I moved here with my old roommate. The place is very nice with a lot of space to stand around. The upstairs is probably my favorite part; opens to the patio and good place to people watch. Bartenders there are very nice, but it still really didn’t feel like a place I would go to a lot. The people there were never rude, but it was hard to talk to people.

The second place I went to was The Roundup, a gay country bar. If you are ever out on a Friday or Saturday you can always expect that place to be packed. I am not the biggest on country music, but it’s still a go to place of mine. I am not much of a singer but if you are or you don't get embarrassed easily you can always try out their karaoke. One of the best things I like about this place is that you can always find someone you know there and also the bartenders are not too bad to look at either.

My number one place to go to on Cedar Springs is Woody’s Sports Bar. There is enough space to stand around and has a pretty good size upstairs patio. During a warm day or evening it is the perfect place to just sit there and chat with your friends. It is usually the first stop on the Strip for happy hour on a Friday night. It never gets too crowded, I hardly ever have to wait to get a drink and it literally is right down the street from me. Almost everyday of the week you can find a good special going on. I have only been a few times, but on Tuesdays they play show tunes where everyone in the bar sings along. If you have not brushed up on your musicals, you just might want to do that!

My least favorite bar on the strip would probably have to be S4. The venue is very nice. With multiple stories and rooms, the patio is always a place to go and they always have really good djs. It is the one club that stays open after two, don’t worry they stop selling alcohol at 2 AM. The only thing I don’t like is the crowd, it is also one of the places that allows 18 and up on some nights. I might be turning into the old guy, but it is really just not my scene.

Some of the other bars that are on Cedar Springs I don’t go to them often but they are definitely worth mentioning. TMC is a bar/club where you can find your go-go dancers, nothing really bad about this place, it’s just that Woody’s and Round Up are closer. Then there is Alexanders, this is a bar that you can find bartenders that know how to make a good craft cocktail. The place is cute, but a little on the small side. I don’t really call Cedar Springs Tap House a bar, but it is definitely there. If you are looking for a place to watch something on TV, get some good food, and a cocktail this is the place to go. Me and my roommate can definitely be found there during any gymnastics meet that is televised. One place that I have gone to only a handful of times is Sue Ellen’s, to my knowledge maybe the only lesbian bar. Me and some of my co-workers went on a Friday night. The place is pretty spacious and has a great patio. I am not sure if it is every Friday but they had probably one of the best dj’s that night. I don’t remember the last time I danced that hard. Definitely worth visiting. So all in all this is the basic rundown of the Gayborhood and the bars that I like and some that I am not that much of a fan.

If I am being honest…some of my favorite places to go are off the beaten path and away from the Gayborhood. These places may not be the most popular for the majority of the gay community. But for me and my group of friends it is where we have the best of times.

So what are your favorite hangouts when you visit the Gayborhood?