LGBT culture in Austin, Texas

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Austin, Texas, has one of the most prominent and active LGBT populations in the United States. Austin was acclaimed by The Advocate in 2012 as part of its Gayest Cities in America, and was recognized by Travel and Leisure as one of America's Best Cities for Gay Travel. Much of Austin's gay nightlife scene is clustered around 4th Street. [1] LGBT activism groups Atticus Circle and Equality Texas are headquartered in Austin.

Contents

History

March for Trans Youth, 2022 March for Trans Youth 20220301 134149571.jpg
March for Trans Youth, 2022

Throughout the mid-20th century, Austin had several gay bars, long before its LGBT movement began. These included Apartment, Cabaret, Insomnia Club, Manhattan Club, Pearl Street Warehouse, and Red River Lounge. [2]

The LGBT movement in Austin began in 1970, shortly after the Stonewall riots that sparked LGBT movements across the U.S. This first public meeting was only attended by 25 individuals at University Y. [2] In 1970, Austin also became home to a chapter of the Gay Liberation Front, and local newspapers such as The Rag began supporting the movement. By 1974, the Austin Lesbian Organization and the Gay People of Austin had been established. An event organized by the Gay People of Austin was held in 1974 at Shoal Creek Park and the Student Union Ballroom, which about 300 people attended. [2] These early organizations were subjected to homophobic backlash; In 1975, an Austin Lesbian Organization party was raided by the University of Texas Silver Spurs, and pride floats built for Round Up Weekend were vandalized into the 1980s. [2] In 1976, Mayor Jeff Friedman established a Gay Pride Week to take place annually in June, which included a pride and march to the Texas State Capitol. In response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic which began in Austin in 1983, [3] the pride marches to the capitol building expanded in attendance to about 25,000 people. [2]

By 1980, three more LGBT activism groups — Austin Lambda, Austin Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus, and Gay Community Services — had been established, and six more nightclubs — Austin Country, Friends and Lovers, Hollywood, New Apartment, and Private Cellar. In 1987, LGBT activist and Austin native Glen Maxey, was elected as execute director of the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas, and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1991. The first Gay and Lesbian Pride Fiesta began in 1990. [2]

On February 19, 2015, the first gay marriage in Texas occurred between an Austin couple, Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant. [3]

The Austin History Center has a diverse collection of materials regarding events, organizations, and people related to LGBT history in the local area. [4]

Organizations and Community Institutions

Soon after the HIV/AIDS epidemic hit Austin in the summer of 1983, Paul Clover founded the Waterloo Counseling Center [5] in order to serve the LGBTQ+ community with queer-positive, affordable mental health services. The board of Waterloo later founded the Austin AIDs Project (AAP), which was incorporated as the AIDS Services of Austin (ASA). [3] Both groups still exist today and continue to serve LGBTQ+ people and cisgender, heterosexual people alike.

OutYouth was founded in Austin, Texas in January 1990 by two graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work in order to provide resources for LGBTQ+ youths in the Austin area. [6]

After a three-year transition period of being known as the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) was founded in 1997. It became one of the founding members of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) in 2004, and had representation on the Council of Chambers and Business Organizations from 2008 to 2009 and 2013–present. The AGLCC changed their name in 2017 to the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce in order to include the contributions of bisexual and transgender communities to the overall LGBTQ+ community. [7]

The Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation was founded in 2010 as a 100% volunteer-run non-profit meant to manage and organize Austin's annual PRIDE celebration and Stonewall Rally. [8]

LGBT-Run Businesses

Lick Honest Ice Creams was opened in the fall of 2011 by couple Anthony Sobotik and Chad Palmatier. [9]

La Barbecue was opened in 2012 by wife and wife, LeAnn Mueller and Alison Clem. [10]

Cheer Up Charlies is a vegan bar owned by queer women Tamara Hoover and Maggie Lea. [11]

Husbands Adam Jacoby and Kris Swift own both Jacoby's Restaurant and Mercantile and Grizzeldas. [12] [13]

Mary's Cafe is owned by Kenneth Gambone, who is a member of the LGBT community. [14]

Hustle for the Cause, a social impact production company owned by couple Denise Hernandez and Krista Cottingim.

Still Austin Whiskey Co, was co-founded by Chris Seals, a member of Austin's LGBT community.

Recreation

Pride flags at the gay bar Oilcan Harry's Gay bars with high-rises (3654484908).jpg
Pride flags at the gay bar Oilcan Harry's
Austin Pride, 2012 Austin Pride Parade Banner (8017801774).jpg
Austin Pride, 2012

Most of Austin's gay bars and nightclubs are clustered around 4th Street, or the Warehouse District. [1] There are few establishments, but most are well-attended, and all are small in size. These bars include Oilcan Harry's, Highland Lounge, Rain on 4th, The Iron Bear, and Cheer Up Charlie's, which has repeatedly won "Best LGBTQ Nightclub" in Austin. [15]

Austin also has a gay sunbathing area located at Hippie Hollow Park. [16]

The annual Austin Pride Parade and Festival is organized by the Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation. It is typically held in August. [17]

Queerbomb is a free, all-ages, anti-corporate sponsorship event that is held annually in June. The event begins with a rally featuring entertainment and speeches. The rally is followed by a procession through downtown Austin. Afterwards, there is a celebration at the rally site. Queerbomb was created as an alternative to the Pride Festival which charges for admission and for organizations to have outreach tables, and enforces a dress-code. [18]

There are a plethora of LGBT recreational sports leagues in Austin, including a basketball league, [19] cycling group, kickball league, and many others. [20] Austinites can learn more about these leagues in person at an annual gAyTX sports fair. [21] There is also a chapter of the Texas Gay Rodeo Association in Austin. [22]

There is an annual Austin Black Pride event celebrating black gay culture and community. [23]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay village</span> Geographical area within a city that is inhabited or frequented by LGBT people

A gay village, also known as a gayborhood, is a geographical area with generally recognized boundaries that is inhabited or frequented by many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) people. Gay villages often contain a number of gay-oriented establishments, such as gay bars and pubs, nightclubs, bathhouses, restaurants, boutiques, and bookstores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT community</span> Community and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT activists and sociologists see LGBT community-building as a counterweight to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexualism, and conformist pressures that exist in the larger society. The term pride or sometimes gay pride expresses the LGBT community's identity and collective strength; pride parades provide both a prime example of the use and a demonstration of the general meaning of the term. The LGBT community is diverse in political affiliation. Not all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender consider themselves part of the LGBT community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall Democrats</span> LGBT caucus within the Democratic Party

Stonewall Democrats, also known in some states as LGBT Democrats, is a caucus within the Democratic Party that advocates for issues that are relevant to LGBT Americans. The caucus primarily operates through individual chapters or political clubs supporting LGBT rights and affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Cristina E. Martinez is a nationally recognized community activist, business owner and non-profit volunteer and the CEO of Mad Clik, Inc., a corporation in Texas. Openly lesbian, she is the owner and publisher of Gay & Lesbian Rainbow Pages, President of "MD Marketing & Advertising", and co-owner of Rainbow Graphics, a graphic design firm whose focus is to produce effective ad campaigns that cater to and target the LGBT community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National LGBTQ Task Force</span> US gay rights organization

The National LGBTQ Task Force is an American social justice advocacy non-profit organizing the grassroots power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Also known as The Task Force, the organization supports action and activism on behalf of LGBTQ people and advances a progressive vision of liberation. The past executive director was Rea Carey from 2008-2021 and the current executive director is Kierra Johnson, who took over the position in 2021 to become the first Black woman to head the organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati Pride</span> Festival and celebration in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival is a week-long celebration of the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other identities ([LGBTQ+]) community. The festivities are typically held annually at the end of June but have happened as early as April and as late as July in various locations of Cincinnati, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Philadelphia</span>

The development of LGBT culture in Philadelphia can be traced back to the early 20th century. It exists in current times as a dynamic, diverse, and philanthropically active culture with establishments and events held to promote LGBT culture and rights in Philadelphia and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Boston</span>

Boston is a hub of LGBT culture and LGBT activism in the United States, with a rich history dating back to the election of the nation's first openly gay state representative, Elaine Noble, in 1974. The city is home to notable organizations like GLAD and Fenway Health, and it played a pivotal role in the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. Various neighborhoods, including the South End, are known for their sizable LGBT populations, while numerous LGBT bars and entertainment venues offer spaces for community gatherings. Boston hosts an annual Pride Parade, and despite challenges, it continues to be a prominent event. Noteworthy organizations like The Welcoming Committee and the Boston Gay Men's Chorus contribute to the city's vibrant LGBT community, while The History Project preserves its rich history through an extensive LGBTQ archive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon</span>

LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon is an important part of Pacific Northwest culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in San Francisco</span> Culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in San Francisco, United States

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in San Francisco is one of the largest and most prominent LGBT communities in the United States, and is one of the most important in the history of American LGBT rights and activism alongside New York City. The city itself has been described as "the original 'gay-friendly city'". LGBT culture is also active within companies that are based in Silicon Valley, which is located within the southern San Francisco Bay Area.

Throughout Dallas–Fort Worth, there is a large lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Since 2005, DFW has constituted one of the largest LGBT communities in Texas.

The LGBT community in Tokyo is one of the largest in Asia. While Japan does not assign as much moral or social weight to sexuality as in the West, it is still difficult for Japanese people to come out in society as being LGBT; the community reportedly experiences homophobia even amongst those in the community. Only 5% of Japanese people report they know somebody who is LGBT.

Chicago has long had a gay neighborhood. Beginning in the 1920s there was active homosexual nightlife in Towertown, adjacent to the Water Tower. Increasing rents forced gay-friendly establishments steadily northwards, moving through Old Town and Lincoln Park along Clark Street and on to Boys Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Miami</span>

Miami has one of the largest and most prominent LGBTQ communities in the United States. Miami has had a gay nightlife scene as early as the 1930s. Miami has a current status as a gay mecca that attracts more than 1 million LGBT visitors a year. The Miami area as a whole has been gay-friendly for decades and is one of the few places where the LGBTQ community has its own chamber of commerce, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC). As of 2005, Miami was home to an estimated 15,277 self-identifying gay and bisexual individuals. The Miami metropolitan area had an estimated 183,346 self-identifying LGBT residents.

LGBT culture in St. Louis is characterized by a long history of progressive activism as well as racial divisions and the city/county divide. St. Louis city is relatively liberal with multiple gayborhoods and several LGBT organizations. In 2019, Realtor.com dubbed St. Louis the 8th most LGBT-friendly city. Due to hostile legislation at the state level, however, it has become common for LGBT residents to relocate to Illinois for better protections and healthcare access.

The National LGBTQ Wall of Honor is a memorial wall in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, dedicated to LGBTQ "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes". Located inside the Stonewall Inn, the wall is part of the Stonewall National Monument, the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to the country's LGBTQ rights and history. The first fifty nominees were announced in June 2019, and the wall was unveiled on June 27, 2019, as a part of Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019 events. Five honorees will be added annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community</span> Impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ+ community

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted inequities experienced by marginalized populations, and has had a significant impact on the LGBT community. Gay pride events were cancelled or postponed worldwide. More than 220 gay pride celebrations around the world were canceled or postponed in 2020, and in response a Global Pride event was hosted online. LGBTQ+ people also tend to be more likely to have pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma, HIV/AIDS, cancer, or obesity, that would worsen their chances of survival if they became infected with COVID-19. They are also more likely to smoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Washington, D.C.</span>

In Washington, D.C., LGBT culture is heavily influenced by the U.S. federal government and the many nonprofit organizations headquartered in the city.

Lesbian Visibility Week is an annual observance in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries dedicated to increasing the awareness of lesbian women and their issues. It was originally celebrated in July in 1990 in California, and more recently in April, starting with Lesbian Visibility Day on April 26. It has been celebrated in England and Wales.

References

  1. 1 2 Matus, Douglas. "Gay-Friendly Texas Cities". USA Today. No. Travel Tips. USA Today. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Barnes, Michael (August 27, 2015). "Austin's LGBT Community Began Organizing in 1970 and Launched Official Austin Pride Events in 1990". My Statesman. No. Special: 25 Years of Pride. My Statesman. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "History - AIDS Services of Austin". Archived from the original on 2017-12-15. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  4. ↑ Hoffman, Scott; Hamblin, Tim. "LGBT Resource Guide: Sources of Information Relating to the Austin and Travis County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community" (PDF). Austin History Center. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Waterloo Counseling Center". Waterloo Counseling Center. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  6. ↑ "2020 Holiday Card". Out Youth. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  7. ↑ "History - Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, TX". www.austinlgbtchamber.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30.
  8. ↑ "About". Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  9. ↑ "Lick Honest Ice Creams: Homemade Local Texas Goodness". lickhonesticecreams. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  10. ↑ "la Barbecue". la Barbecue. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  11. ↑ "Cheer Up Charlies" . Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  12. ↑ "Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile Austin, TX" . Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  13. ↑ "Grizzeldas ATX MEX | Austin Tex-Mex" . Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  14. ↑ "Mary's Café". Mary's Café. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  15. ↑ "Best Best LGBTQ Club: Cheer Up Charlies". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  16. ↑ Collins, Andrew. "Austin Gay Bars Guide - Best Austin Texas Gay Nightlife". About Travel. About. Archived from the original on August 13, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  17. ↑ "About". Austin Pride. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Overview". Queerbomb. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Austin Gay Basketball League (AGBL)". www.agbl.org. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  20. ↑ "Guide to Gay Austin Sports – therepubliq". www.therepubliq.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06.
  21. ↑ "2018 gAyTX Sports Fair". therepubliq. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  22. ↑ "TGRA - Responsive - vr. 1.0.0". tgra.org. Archived from the original on 2015-02-27.
  23. ↑ "Austin Black Pride | Educate, Celebrate, & Empower". austin-black-pride. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  24. ↑ "Austin artist Xavier Schipani is exactly who the world needs right now" . Retrieved 2021-07-09.
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