What's Happening to Restaurants and Nightclubs in America's Oldest Gayborhood Boystown
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Date: 2020-05-20
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Comments and reviews: 10
Peter
Very poor first-ever documentary. This is very shallow and pandering. I'm a NYC/Westchester Co. raised kid who completed degrees and made a career in Albany, NY. I'm three hours away from my 'hometown gayborhoods' where I came out in 96. Those businesses are now replaced by more expensive real estate ventures. And I'm still here. I can't imagine being mournfully reminiscent of a NYC club bathroom I visited by learning it is being turned into a restaurant prep kitchen. And I'm still here. Take a breath and try again. Here's an idea for a Boystown documentary. Find out when, how and why Boystown was a beacon. Talk to those who in their youth thought that way, those that did and made it there, folks who did not make it to Boystown, and those who left better or worse off. See a difference? I didn't even study film or journalism. Cheers.
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Very poor first-ever documentary. This is very shallow and pandering. I'm a NYC/Westchester Co. raised kid who completed degrees and made a career in Albany, NY. I'm three hours away from my 'hometown gayborhoods' where I came out in 96. Those businesses are now replaced by more expensive real estate ventures. And I'm still here. I can't imagine being mournfully reminiscent of a NYC club bathroom I visited by learning it is being turned into a restaurant prep kitchen. And I'm still here. Take a breath and try again. Here's an idea for a Boystown documentary. Find out when, how and why Boystown was a beacon. Talk to those who in their youth thought that way, those that did and made it there, folks who did not make it to Boystown, and those who left better or worse off. See a difference? I didn't even study film or journalism. Cheers.
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Penguin619
Very interesting documentary, and from reading the comments it seems like every gay neighborhood (or gayborhood as the narrator describes, I can attest that Houston's Montrose district been going through the same process; originally a gay district that's getting gentrified by the non-gay/LGBT community. I, personally, don't think it's a negative idea that it's gentrifying (and yes, I understand that it absolutely sucks that people are getting pushed out of their homes) I think of it as the step for inclusion of everyone when at a time where y'all were forced into your own segregation and it was wonderful that y'all were able to find a hubble for being able to find refuge but this is what happens when you tear down the wall and bring everyone than having a concentrated community walled off. Again, amazing documentary.
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Very interesting documentary, and from reading the comments it seems like every gay neighborhood (or gayborhood as the narrator describes, I can attest that Houston's Montrose district been going through the same process; originally a gay district that's getting gentrified by the non-gay/LGBT community. I, personally, don't think it's a negative idea that it's gentrifying (and yes, I understand that it absolutely sucks that people are getting pushed out of their homes) I think of it as the step for inclusion of everyone when at a time where y'all were forced into your own segregation and it was wonderful that y'all were able to find a hubble for being able to find refuge but this is what happens when you tear down the wall and bring everyone than having a concentrated community walled off. Again, amazing documentary.
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Kerry
this was really well done. Im an almost 50 year old who lives in California. In the 80s in Boston and the 90s here. Gay clubs were a friendly and fun. space for some of us. BUt. I get this. I get that the concerns. losing the identity of an area. homogenizing the cultures. and. i am a bit concerned about the straight world. consuming gay culture just for fun. That bachelorette party atmosphere freaked me out. It seemed nuts. like. the women were having fun. but it made me uncomfortable. Like they said. Lets go out for a freak show? Or is that me. Over the years. the 10 gay clubs we may have had here. dwindled to almost none. Maybe one night a week at one club. Because of patrons? Because of. hmmm. I have a lot of thoughts after this
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this was really well done. Im an almost 50 year old who lives in California. In the 80s in Boston and the 90s here. Gay clubs were a friendly and fun. space for some of us. BUt. I get this. I get that the concerns. losing the identity of an area. homogenizing the cultures. and. i am a bit concerned about the straight world. consuming gay culture just for fun. That bachelorette party atmosphere freaked me out. It seemed nuts. like. the women were having fun. but it made me uncomfortable. Like they said. Lets go out for a freak show? Or is that me. Over the years. the 10 gay clubs we may have had here. dwindled to almost none. Maybe one night a week at one club. Because of patrons? Because of. hmmm. I have a lot of thoughts after this
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gaydance
That really sucks about the noodle place taking over a gay dance club. That is some of the worst gentrification when we sell out to chain restaurants or generic apartment complexes. It's nearly impossible to break into the nightclub niche because of liquor licenses and dance permits and the liability. So you have only a handful of people who get to run everything in every city. Same promoters and the same owners. Hopefully it changes at some point as it's become too generic and not the exotic club (escape from reality) it could be.
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That really sucks about the noodle place taking over a gay dance club. That is some of the worst gentrification when we sell out to chain restaurants or generic apartment complexes. It's nearly impossible to break into the nightclub niche because of liquor licenses and dance permits and the liability. So you have only a handful of people who get to run everything in every city. Same promoters and the same owners. Hopefully it changes at some point as it's become too generic and not the exotic club (escape from reality) it could be.
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Joe
Great piece Zach! This is definitely a very interesting subject matter. I think boystown will always be boystown but we are also spreading to other neighborhoods like Andersonville which is quickly becoming the second Boystown more focused on restaurants and lounges rather than late night dance clubs. I also feel that being gay is becoming more acceptable, there was a point in my life that I would only ever go to gay bars but now I can go with my partner anywhere in Chicago without feeling uncomfortable.
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Great piece Zach! This is definitely a very interesting subject matter. I think boystown will always be boystown but we are also spreading to other neighborhoods like Andersonville which is quickly becoming the second Boystown more focused on restaurants and lounges rather than late night dance clubs. I also feel that being gay is becoming more acceptable, there was a point in my life that I would only ever go to gay bars but now I can go with my partner anywhere in Chicago without feeling uncomfortable.
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gapg1
The same thing is happening here in London. The gentrification of gay areas is sucking the soul out of the city. The internet generation dont appear to need gay spaces. Ive been in bars where rather than converse and interact the patron are starring down at their phones looking at images and profiles on a screen. The early 1990s London I came to had an edge and energy that is hard to find today.
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The same thing is happening here in London. The gentrification of gay areas is sucking the soul out of the city. The internet generation dont appear to need gay spaces. Ive been in bars where rather than converse and interact the patron are starring down at their phones looking at images and profiles on a screen. The early 1990s London I came to had an edge and energy that is hard to find today.
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RileyRemix
I love how all the attacks and robberies are not mentioned or shown. Maybe that counselor guy can explain to us how to start a conversation with the black and brown youth when they are robbing you or standing in the group of 20 making the sidewalk impossible to cross. Why wasn't anybody from establishments that have been here for 30+ years interviewed? Seems like a one sided view.
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I love how all the attacks and robberies are not mentioned or shown. Maybe that counselor guy can explain to us how to start a conversation with the black and brown youth when they are robbing you or standing in the group of 20 making the sidewalk impossible to cross. Why wasn't anybody from establishments that have been here for 30+ years interviewed? Seems like a one sided view.
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Troy
Brilliant piece thank you. As our neighborhoods change it is hard, but we must remain as a strong community. Seattle and my prior my prior home San Francisco are seeing radical changes to our gayborhoods, but i still love them. I agree wirh his assessment we will always find home for our glitter. i know my husband and I have in the heart of chinatown.
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Brilliant piece thank you. As our neighborhoods change it is hard, but we must remain as a strong community. Seattle and my prior my prior home San Francisco are seeing radical changes to our gayborhoods, but i still love them. I agree wirh his assessment we will always find home for our glitter. i know my husband and I have in the heart of chinatown.
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1hoseeman
The neighborhood is changing because of the uber gentrification of Wrigley Field a few blocks to the west, which will drive up all rents and real estate prices. This film also ignores the street crime problem that occurs 24/7 in this nabe, which becomes way worse between 10 pm and 4 am. The Belmont el is a no-go zone after 9 pm
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The neighborhood is changing because of the uber gentrification of Wrigley Field a few blocks to the west, which will drive up all rents and real estate prices. This film also ignores the street crime problem that occurs 24/7 in this nabe, which becomes way worse between 10 pm and 4 am. The Belmont el is a no-go zone after 9 pm
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Dave
I'm straight but have respect for the gay community, and have been to 'Boystown' many times. I even wanted to see what a 'bath house' was all about when I was there, and stopped off at 'Steamworks'. You may lose some well established places who will sell out to typically 'straight' establishments but I don't think much will change
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I'm straight but have respect for the gay community, and have been to 'Boystown' many times. I even wanted to see what a 'bath house' was all about when I was there, and stopped off at 'Steamworks'. You may lose some well established places who will sell out to typically 'straight' establishments but I don't think much will change
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