These artists are preserving the history of a dance style gay men created in ’70s-era L.A.
This is a gallery of two photographs, one taken in a gay bathhouse circa 1970 and the other taken in a gay apartment early in the 2000s. In the 1970s, there was a small scene known as the “Boys Bath.” It was a place for gay men to gather, take care of business, get into drag and meet other gay men.
The space, which has now been shut down, was run by a group of gay men who created a space within their community that they believed was the only gay bathhouse in America.
Today, there is nothing like a gay bathhouse, but at the time the concept was so novel and so groundbreaking, it was a major source of inspiration for gay men all over the country and was a major milestone in the gay rights movement.
In the 2000s, the bathhouse scene was all but forgotten, but the photographs in this exhibition are the result of a recent discovery: a long-lost set of photographs that show the bathhouse scene from the gay community’s perspective.
The most notable difference between the photos and the more recent shots is that gay men wore bikinis and women wore suits.
The first photograph, taken in 1971 at the New York City Bathhouse by photographer Billie Durning, gives a look at the original gay bathhouse.
As noted on the internet, the New York bathhouse was the prototype for the gay bathhouse theme parks that exist today.
In the 1970s, there was a small scene known as the “Boys Bath.” It was a place for gay men to gather, take care of business, get into drag and meet other gay men.
In the 2000s, nothing like a gay bathhouse, but at the time the concept was so novel and so groundbreaking, it was a major source of inspiration for gay men all over the country and was a major milestone in the gay rights movement.
In the 2000s, the bathhouse scene was all but forgotten but the photographs in this exhibition are the result of a recent discovery the photographs give a look at the original gay bathhouse.
By now, you’ve probably heard the story of the L.A. bathhouse scene that led to the current gay bath
