OPEN DOOR: “I think the beauty here that it feels like it is safe for people of all genders and there’s an actual generosity of spirit,” says one Good Judy patron. (Courtesy Good Judy)
BROOKLYN—Gay bars have long been an essential space for queer New Yorkers to meet and build community.
Now a combination of factors, ranging from wider cultural acceptance to rising commercial rents, have led to a decrease in the number of these venues.
In 1991, Outweek magazine counted 64 gay bars across New York. In recent years, that number has dwindled to 49.
Pete Tomao filed this audio report from Good Judy, one of two queer bars in Park Slope, a welcoming space that has bucked the trend.
