New York’s Gay Bars Fear They Won’t Survive the Pandemic
What Does It Mean to ‘Center Black People’?
June 19, 2020Voguing for Our Lives. Again.
June 20, 2020This post was originally published on this site
Protesters have returned to the Stonewall Inn again and again in recent weeks to demand an end to police brutality, raising their fists, taking a knee and holding moments of silence on the same ground where a riot in 1969 helped sparked the modern gay rights movement.
But public health restrictions have kept the Greenwich Village bar — which its owners describe as a watering hole, community center and “gay church” — closed since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. The lights are out, the doors are locked and the metaphorical pews are empty. But the bills — rent, insurance, utilities and more — keep piling up.
“If Stonewall, the most iconic L.G.B.T.Q. bar in the world, is facing an uncertain future, then think about everybody else,” said Stacy Lentz, who co-owns the bar and runs its philanthropic arm, the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. “It is just horrific. Stonewall is one of our original safe spaces.”
Gay bars in New York City face the same challenges as other bars and restaurants shuttered in recent months — high rents, thin profit margins, and now little-to no-income — but for L.G.B.T.Q. establishments, the shutdown has been more than a business dilemma. It has struck at the heart of a community whose culture and history are passed down through generations of people who are not blood-related, and who depend on spaces like bars both to find safety and to meet their peers.
Gay culture and activism have long been woven into the fabric of New York City life, making it a magnet for people across the country and around the world, from the “fairy resorts” on the Bowery in the 1890s to the West Side piers in the 1980s.
The financial pain is particularly acute during June, which is Pride Month, often the most lucrative time of year for L.G.B.T.Q. establishments. Millions of people attended Pride events in New York last year, including the parade, which passed the Stonewall Inn.
“We had hundreds of thousands of people inside and outside our door last year,” Ms. Lentz said. “A good number of them were lined up to get into our bar, and now that’s just not happening.”
The Stonewall Inn and its environs have been designated a city landmark, a state historical site and a national monument. Its owners say it will not reopen until the risk of large gatherings has passed. That could be a long time.
“The bar could theoretically close and ‘Stonewall’ would just be a name on a plaque on the wall,” Ms. Lentz said. She said the bar had asked corporations that sponsor the Pride March or sell rainbow merchandise each June to “put your money where your mouth is and help us preserve this legacy.”
The bar was set to begin selling to-go cocktails on Friday, but that is unlikely to cover its bills, Ms. Lentz said. As of Friday, it had raised nearly $16,000 on GoFundMe to support its staff.
“For most small businesses and L.G.B.T.Q. bars in New York, because the rent is so high, our margins are razor thin,” she said. “One or two months of no income — we don’t have a ton of cash in reserve. None of that exists.”
Similar pressure is being felt at L.G.B.T.Q. establishments across the city. Some have tried to keep their heads above water by selling to-go cocktails, turning to digital fund-raising or holding online events to keep the spirit of their establishments alive. And most have laid off or furloughed their employees.
Alibi Lounge, which opened in 2016 and describes itself as the first and only black-owned L.G.B.T.Q. bar in Harlem, has done all of that. It has raised more than $105,000 on GoFundMe, but the return on its drink sales “is not anything like what it used to be,” said Alexi Minko, its owner. “One night we made $10.”
“If Alibi closes its doors, I am afraid it will send the message to other black men and women that people of color who open an L.G.B.T. business in New York are doomed to fail,” added Mr. Minko, who kept one employee, paid from his personal savings, on staff to help with drink sales.
The bar has also attracted a growing number of straight patrons who began going there as a show of support after rainbow flags in front of the bar were burned in two separate incidents last year, Mr. Minko said. But he describes the bar as primarily an L.G.B.T.Q. community space, and he worries about the impact of the shutdown on patrons who had found a sense of belonging there.
“As gay people, we don’t have a community like straight families have — they’re married, they have children, and then those children have friends and those friends have parents, and that all creates a sense of community,” Mr. Minko said. “Our sense of community is going out. If I don’t go to a gay club or L.G.B.T. establishment, who will I talk to? How will I meet people who understand me as if we were family?”
Maintaining a sense of community during the pandemic has been keenly important to lesbian bars, whose numbers across the country have sharply dropped in recent years to little more than a dozen. Before the shutdown, only a handful remained in New York City.
Henrietta Hudson, a West Village bar that opened in 1991, has put on free Zoom events to cheer up its regulars, including DJ nights from Thursday to Sunday, its owner, Lisa Cannistraci, said.
“We want people to know we are still here and we still have their backs,” she said.
Ms. Cannistraci describes the establishment as “a lesbian-centric queer human bar,” and says that she thinks it has survived because it welcomes people of any sexuality or gender identity.
“We are a reflection of the queer community as a whole,” she said. “Whatever it takes, I will reopen this bar.”
But Henrietta Hudson may not reopen until next spring, she said. In the meantime, she has been busy working to keep it afloat. That has included renegotiating the rent, talking about the bar’s challenges to L.G.B.T.Q. media organizations and raising money from supporters, including more than $32,000 on GoFundMe. She said there had been “an outpouring of support.”
“It’s different for queer people, because all we have is each other,” Ms. Cannistraci said. “Like, I got an email from a stripper who I have never even met: ‘Listen, I am going to do a strip show and donate everything to Henrietta’s.’ It’s incredible.”
Frequently Asked Questions and Advice
Updated June 16, 2020
I’ve heard about a treatment called dexamethasone. Does it work?
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
What is pandemic paid leave?
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
How does blood type influence coronavirus?
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
Will protests set off a second viral wave of coronavirus?
Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
My state is reopening. Is it safe to go out?
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
How can I protect myself while flying?
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
How do I take my temperature?
Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
Should I wear a mask?
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
What should I do if I feel sick?
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
How do I get tested?
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.
The question of when to reopen is a complex one for many gay bars, which often house stages, dance floors and areas where groups — sometimes as large as a wedding reception — can meet.
Eric Sosa, the owner of C’mon Everybody, a club in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, said his establishment would not reopen for months because dance parties, live music and other types of performance were key to its business model.
“We really want to be safe and that kind of means being one of the last spaces to open,” Mr. Sosa said. The club, whose rent of $9,500 per month has gone unpaid since April, has raised more than $20,000 on GoFundMe.
But a new bar he is opening in Park Slope, Brooklyn — its planned April start date was delayed by the pandemic — will likely open next month because it is a smaller space.
“People are really excited to go out, even if it’s in a limited capacity or it’s a little more restricted,” he said. “I think people are sort of yearning for their spaces and their community again.”
These community spaces may remain imperiled for years, though, because of the continuing threat of the coronavirus.
Brenda Breathnach, who owns the Phoenix in the East Village and 3 Dollar Bill in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, said she expected both establishments to open in July.
She renegotiated the rent for her Manhattan bar down from $19,500 to $12,000, but the monthly bills for the Brooklyn club are usually $40,000.
She said she was eager to get back on firm financial footing, but also “afraid of what is to come.”
“Everyone is in the same boat,” she said. “One person can destroy all of this again. One person going out with the virus who gives it to 10 people, and then those 10 people give it to another 10 people.”
