There Used to be a Gayborhood in Mt. Vernon

As soon as the Hippo announced its closing in 2015, members of Baltimore’s LGBTQ community began seeing the handwriting on the wall regarding the “gayborhood” in the Mount Vernon area. The state’s largest dance bar and night club closed its doors several months later with the edifice being converted to a CVS store. That was the first piece to fall.

Two years later, as first reported here Don Davis, the owner of the second largest gay club in town, Grand Central, indicated the establishment would be put up for sale. Fast forward to 2020, under new ownership, Grand Central closed its doors this past summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new office complex would reside where the club once stood.

On its website, the Grand Central Management team wrote:

After over 30 years of serving the community, Grand Central sadly has shut its doors. Given the overwhelming challenges created by the pandemic and our beverage-only driven business, the operations were not sustainable as we prepare for the next chapter. We appreciate all of our customers and supporters and thank them for their long-time loyalty; we look forward to celebrating the institution’s legacy in the future development. We strongly believe in the Mt. Vernon community and will always drive to be stewards of quality, growth and retention to ensure the neighborhood’s character stays true to form.

The gut-punch reality of this latest occurrence was jarring with the 30 year-old Grand Central building succumbing to the business end of a wrecking ball. But the memories of this place did not vanish in the rubble of what was once a proud and glorious safe space for the LGBTQ community.

The pulsating beats on the often crowded dance floor were high tempo, driving energy levels sky-high. The needlessly loud music in the saloon area on the weekends, however, rendered attempts at conversation a monumental task.

The famous red, white and black parties where imaginative patrons dressed up in dazzling, clever attire to fit the theme were experiences to savor.

There were fundraisers and other events

for the benefit of the community. Ravens watch parties took place on Sundays. Karaoke, drag shows, go-go dancers, you name it, were part of Grand Central’s grand entertainment. On two occasions piano bar set-ups were tried to create an alternative vibe but those was short-lived.

The upstairs loft in the adjacent but attached building was set aside for lesbians to congregate and socialize, and when the original Eagle closed, that area was inhabited by the leather community.

Who can forget that out-of-control pickup truck that careened into the outside tables and building entrance and splashing a river of white paint on the sidewalk and walls of the bar? And, of course, there were the ongoing public grievances the owner had with a string of mangers that were laid bare on social media.

Grand Central with all its quirkiness and merriment had been a good compliment to the Hippo when they both competed for the attention of our diverse community. But now they are gone.

The smoking ban, the advent of online dating and hookup apps, the increasingly difficult parking situation and a greater willingness of the younger generation to patronize “straight” bars took its financial toll on both the Hippo and Grand Central—the bulwarks of the gayborhood.

However, other developments had an adverse effect on the gayborhood.

Years ago, we lost the iconic LGBTQ Lambda Rising bookstore—another casualty of the internet. The Community Center left its Mount Vernon birthplace and headed to Station North/Old Goucher slightly less than a mile away from the gayborhood in order to provide targeted services to low-income and people of color not prevalent in Mount Vernon. Along with it went the Pride parade and block party, where every year thousands used to pack the intersection of Charles and Eager Streets and surrounding streets to eat, drink and be merry while live entertainment added to the high-energy atmosphere.

Other establishments closed as well. Flavor, a lesbian-owned bar on nearby Centre Street known for its community-oriented fundraisers, dancing and good eating, is no more. After 25 years of operation the City Café, a gay-owned, popular restaurant, which was situated a block away from the Hippo, closed for good in the Spring.  While many LGBTQ folks made a habit of enjoying lunches and dinner there, patrons from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a few blocks away, also partook. With the Symphony closing during the pandemic and the closings of the nearby bars, the impact on the City Café had to be devastating.

We also lost a favorite of mine, the Mount Vernon Stable on Charles Street, another nice, gay-friendly restaurant, which closed its doors after many years.

Remaining are the two oldest gay bars in the gayborhood, The Drinkery and Leon’s, with their own claim to memories over the years. Both are closed now because of the pandemic. It remains to be seen if and when they will re-open.

On the bright side, the gay owners of the chic new LGBTQ-friendly Manor Restaurant and Ultralounge that inhabits the old Brass Elephant restaurant opened a month before COVID hit. Undaunted, they plan to re-open as soon as they are permitted.

Over five years ago on a typical Saturday night, the gayborhood was alive and teeming with crowds ready to party or dine or both. People sat outside of the City Café enjoying their meals. Folks meandered to any combination of the four bars in the immediate vicinity. Lines snaked outside the Hippo; Grand Central was hopping.

Halloweens and New Year’s Eves were incredibly festive.  Pride was absolutely insane—colorful, creative, loud, hot, sassy, messy.

Yes, there used to be a gayborhood in Mount Vernon but no longer. The pile of rubble and debris on the Grand Central site symbolizes the gayborhood’s sad demise.

________

[Photo of Grand Central demolition by Justin Johnson. Other photos by Bob Ford]

The following OUTspoken posts and articles written by me are related to the rise and fall of the 'gayborhood' in Mount Vernon:

No More Smoking in Baltimore's Bars  (April 2007)

Take a Deep Breath...The Smoking Ban is Here  (January 2008)

Jay's on Read Sold but Nothing Will Change  (February 2008)

Cutting it up at Neal's (May 2008)

Club Hippo Celebrates 40 Years  (July 2012)

The Center's Needed Reset (July 2012)

Block Party Concerns Spark Debate  (June 2013)

Mount Vernon's Safety Net (October 2013)

Piano Bar Returns to Grand Central  (December 2013)

Moving Forward: The GLCCB's Relocation signals new hope for the organization  (February 2014)

Mayor Celebrates Birthday at Hippo (March 2014)

2nd Victim in 2012 Shooting Dies (May 2014)

Mount Vernon Businesses Work to Recover from Riots  (May 2015)

An End of an Era: The Hippo is Set to Close  (May, 2015)

Are Gay Bars the Next Dinosaurs?  (May 2015)

The Hippo's Grand Finale (October 2015)

Final Dance Song Played: "It's Raining Men" Video by Bob Ford (October 2015)

The Hippo's Last Call  (October 2015)

Chase Brexton Launches LGBT Health Resource Center (October 2015)

Former Baltimore Pride Coordinator Pleads Guilty to Theft  (April 2016)

Longtime Baltimore Gay Bar Loses Liquor License  (May 2016)

Drinkery Re-opens After Liquor Board Reveral (June 2016)

Baltimore Community Center to Leave Mount Vernon  (July 2016)

Sadness, Resignation Linger One Year After Hippo Closing (October 2016)

Drinkery Owner Sells Business (January 2017)

Baltimore's Grand Central Celebrates 25 Years (March 2017)

Leon's Bar in Baltimore Celebrates 60 Years  (April 2017)

New Gay Bar Set to Open in Baltimore) (April 2017)

Pride Parade to March Out of Mount Vernon -  (April 2017)

Former Owner of The Drinkery Dies (August 2017)

Grand Central in Baltimore is Up for Sale (October 2017)

G.A.Y. Lounge to Close (October 2017)

New LGBTQ-Friendly Establishment Opens in Mount Vernon (February 2020)

OUTspoken’s Top Blog Posts for 2019

The end of the year means another list somewhere, and this blog is no exception. Since this blog is a mix of LGBT, Politics and Arts, the top 5 posts for 2019 according to page views are listed by category below. In addition, I returned to my roots with sports commentary and posted articles during the Washington Nationals’ historic championship run in October.   You may click on the title of each to access the full post.

LGBTQ

1.     Gay Christian Delivers Heavenly Performance on ‘Idol’ (March) -  Son of Christian pastor comes out as gay to national audience during audition for American Idol. Not only was this post the most viewed in the category but it was also the most viewed post of the year.

2.     A Prideful First for Howard County (April) - The first ever Pride celebration in Howard County is set to go.

3.     Straight Pride: Another Way to Mock LGBTQ Folks (June) -  Anti-LGBTQ people think they deserve to hold a “straight pride” event. Why this is wrong.

4.     Howard County H.S.Students to Hold First Rainbow Conference (July) -  First student-led LGBTQ conference in Howard County to be held in May 2020.

5.     Jumel Howard:Leading Howard County to Pride (May) - A profile on the man who started with a vision and helped bring LGBTQ Pride to Howard County for the first time.

Politics

1.     The Resume Myth (December)

Pete Buttigieg has been criticized for his lack of experience but recent elections show that the resume will not necessarily win an election.

2.      Trump’s Shutdown: Another Losing Bet (January) – https://stevecharing.blogspot.com/2019/01/trumps-shutdown-another-losing-bet.html

As had been the case throughout Trump’s career, the government shutdown he brought on his own, is destined to fail politically.

3.     Going on the Offense (May) - https://stevecharing.blogspot.com/2019/05/going-on-offense.html

For Dems to succeed, they must take it to Trump.

 

4.     Trump is Not as ‘Sharpie’ as He Thinks (September) - https://stevecharing.blogspot.com/2019/09/trump-is-not-as-sharpie-as-he-thinks.html

Trump’s use of a sharpie to falsify a hurricane warning demonstrates his profound degree of dishonesty brought attention to his other exaggerations and lies.

5.     Why Not, For Pete’s Sake (April) – https://stevecharing.blogspot.com/2019/04/why-not-for-petes-sake.html A case made for the candidacy for president of Mayor Pete Buttigieg right after he formally announced and his contrasts with President Trump.

Theatre

1.     Curtain Up! Light the Lights! Gypsy Comes Up Roses at Toby’s (February)- “Cathy Mundy’s ... acting is top-notch; full of passion and conviction and portrays the loud, single-minded stage mother to the hilt.”

2.     With Cabaret at Olney, Even the Orchestra is Beautiful (September) - “…An intricately staged, brilliantly costumed spectacle…”

3.     A First Class ‘Pygmalion’ on Display at Spotlighters  (February) - “In a superb presentation at the Spotlighters Theatre, Shaw’s views through Pygmalion come to life with a potent drama laced with razor-sharp wit and humor.”

4.     Hitting the Right Notes More Than ‘Once’ at Olney (February) - “Once is a different type of musical from what we’re accustomed and… features a tender romantic story of looking back at what has been, how to bounce back from despair and to try anew while beautiful songs fill the theater.”

5.     ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame' at Toby’s is a Bell Ringer (April) - “... An extraordinary production that captures your imagination from centuries past while serving as a reminder that many of the same human issues exist today.”

Sports

1.     The Pressure is More on the Dodgers in Game 5 (October 8) -  Facing elimination once again, the LA Dodgers were feeling more pressure than the Nationals.

2.     In Defense of Kershaw (October 10) -  Dodger fans blamed the Game 5 loss on Clayton Kershaw for blowing a lead, but there was plenty of blame to go around.

 

3.     How Sweep It Is (October 16)- The Nats exorcised past demons from the 2012 series with the St. Louis Cardinals to sweep their old nemesis in the 2019 NLCS.

4.     Kings of the Road (October 31) –  The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals set a Major League Record for winning all the away games in a 7-game World Series. Fortunately for the Nats they played one more of those games than the Astros.

5.     Nationals ‘Managed’ Historic Win in Wild Card (October 2) -  Nats manager Davey Martinez pulled all the right strings as the Nats won their first postseason series—the National League one-game Wild Card match over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Blasts from the Past

Besides those popular posts from 2019 (above), below are several posts from previous years still garnering many views in 2019 (in no particular order):

‘Boys Will be Boys’ on Sizzling Atlantis Cruise (February 2009) 

Baltimore LGBT Ally Surprised at‘Ellen Show’ (October 2017) 

‘Everwood’s’ Coming Out Scene Hits the Mark (April 2006) 

From Bally’s to Ballyhoo (July 2009) 

Sadness, Resignation Linger One Year After Hippo’s Closing (October 2016) 

Why Trump’s Purple Heart Comment is the Most Disqualifying(August 2016) 

Sadness, Resignation Linger One Year After Hippo Closing

As the renovated Baltimore Eagle is poised to re-open after being shuttered for four years, there remains a feeling of melancholy and resignation within Baltimore’s LGBT community concerning the Club Hippo’s closing its doors for good. Last October 3, the end of a 43-year icon in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon gayborhood became a reality.

The popular disco and saloon, which had been a must-see Baltimore destination for LGBT and straight people from all over, closed as owner Charles Bowers decided to retire.  The building, which he still owns, has been leased to CVS Health, whose brightly-lit store opened a couple of weeks ago.

Several members of the community expressed nostalgia when it comes to the Hippo but also a feeling of inevitability regarding gay bar closings in general and a concern for the profitability of these establishments.

“For me, the departure of the Hippo from My Vernon signaled what I already knew - that the LGBT community was too well established in Baltimore to not be constrained to just one neighborhood. I can feel comfortable by myself or with my LGBT friends anywhere in town,” explains Mara Drummond, a transwoman who points out she began going to the Hippo in 2006 when she first began her transition.

The grand disco finale on September 25, 2015     Photo: Bob Ford

“The decline of Mount Vernon as the hub of the LGBT community is both sad and joyous,” she says.  “The community has lost some of its self-identity but at the same time has blended comfortably into a much larger community.”

Don Davis the owner of Grand Central, which is situated diagonally across from the building where the Hippo had stood, notes the migration of LGBT folks to other areas and also sees the predictability of gay bars closing because the culture is changing.

“It’s sure a different world. So much of the change with the Internet’s hook up sites and apps, gays are now feeling comfortable with hanging out with their straight friends at the straight places,” says Davis, who had been the Hippo’s bar manager for a brief stint in the seventies.  “It breaks my heart to see the Hippo of 43 years and 27 other gay bars close in the 30 years that I have been in business.”

Davis believes this cultural shift as well as other challenges associated with owning a bar has made such businesses unprofitable.  “I am off almost $25,000 from the same period that I had done last year,” Davis states.  “And this is with the Hippo closing.”

Shawnna Alexander, a drag personality who had performed at the Hippo on and off for 20 years and a former Miss Hippo, is resigned to the bar’s closing but is still sad when is reminded of it.  “It's strange because just as I’m getting over it as everything must change, a Facebook memory will pop up 😞😞and I get a little sad,” Alexander says. “A bigger part of me says it was a smart business move and wish Mr. Bowers nothing but the best.”

The final last call - 1:40 a.m., October 4, 2015

Many drag performers launched their careers at the Hippo yet feel the loss of the bar has not impacted them too negatively.  Danny Carbo, a former employee and a drag performer who goes by the drag name Pamela de la Cruz, says, “The Hippo was not only my place of employment and favorite spot for a night out, it was also Baltimore’s best drag venue. In the year since its closing, we’ve seen several venues, new and old, step up to keep the party going.”

Carbo offers an example. “The standout queen, Brooklyn Heights, has worked tirelessly to keep drag alive in Charm City and has brought new shows to Steampunk Alley, The Depot, and a new drag brunch at Points South Latin Kitchen. Ottobar and The Crown continue to regularly include female illusion in their eclectic events as well.”

Still, Thomas Groves, another former employee, laments the Hippo’s closing.  “This past year had been all about going after my goals and dreams in life. The bar’s closing definitely left a hole in the gay community in Baltimore.”

He adds, “Without the Hippo the community has had a huge void in somewhere to go and unwind, enjoy a show or just hang with friends.”

The Hippo's Last Last Call

When the lights were turned on at 1:40 a.m. on October 4, 2015, there weren’t wails or shrieks or moans or cheers.  It was a rather subdued reaction considering the curtain was finally falling down on the Hippo.  People hugged, finished their drinks and headed for the door just like any other night.  Alas, there will be no returning to the Hippo unlike all those other nights spanning its 43-year history.  This was it.

The last call moment

On this night, the saloon and Karaoke areas were packed with folks who wanted one last good-bye and enjoy one of the largest alcohol clearance sales in memory.  Patrons reminisced with one another; some who had performed drag at the club were teary-eyed; others repeated the mantra “I can’t believe it”; a few were talking about the potential re-emergence of the Baltimore Eagle; and some of the staff were melancholy but carried out their duties professionally as always.  

Yet, the sadness wasn’t as widespread as I anticipated.  True, the Hippo’s closing had been announced five months ago, and people had the opportunity to adjust to this reality.  I broke the story of the Hippo’s closing in the Washington Blade in May, which received a record-breaking number of online views demonstrating that interest in the Hippo went beyond Baltimore but also throughout the U.S. and internationally.

I also wrote about the final large fundraiser at the bar that benefitted AIDS Action Baltimore when it was also announced that the intersection of Eager and Charles Streets was re-named “Chuck Bowers Way”, the scheduled closing dates and, of course, the grand finale spectacle.  As such, I was honored to chronicle this developing story for the “LGBT Paper of Record”.  

Soon to be a CVS Photo: Bob Ford

The final night at the saloon lacked the electric atmosphere that characterized the “Grand Finale Dance Party” the previous Saturday.  Of course, dancing is far more dynamic than simply hanging around at a pub, so naturally it’s not comparable. The dance side was already being dismantled prior to this event in preparation for a spanking new CVS pharmacy poised to occupy this fabled landmark and principal destination in Mount Vernon’s “gayborhood”. 

Therefore, with all the hype and five months to digest the inevitable outcome, people may have developed Hippo closing fatigue.  One person, for instance, griped on Facebook, “The Hippo has been 'closing' now for how long?  Gimme a break and close already!”  Nice.  He may be in the minority, however; everyone I know will definitely miss what has to be described as an LGBT institution in Baltimore.

The Hippo felt as comfortable to me as a pair of old, broken-in shoes.  Other bars do as well, such as Leon’s and Grand Central. Yet, the Hippo had been a special place for Bob and I for so many years. It wasn’t the venue I came out as others did.  It wasn’t the venue where I met Bob (Leon’s).  It didn’t provide a landmark in my life’s journey as was the case for others. 

Photo: Bob Ford

Instead, the Hippo was our Saturday night go-to place to socialize, to meet up with friends old and new and have a blast.  We danced, we hung out, and we enjoyed the staff and especially bartenders Dave, “Josie” and Gary.    

For younger folks, the Hippo was a safe haven and a place to let loose; for us it was a sanctuary in a social setting as the battle for LGBT rights was waging on, and the Hippo was in the center of it with their support for so many worthwhile endeavors. 

The Hippo’s owner, Chuck Bowers, was not there on this night, and it was reported that he was too emotional to make this final curtain.  As people routinely filed out of the bar at closing, I stopped and hugged Jess, the manager, who had been a fixture at the door for years.  We both had tears in our eyes realizing the finality of this occasion. 

It was that kind of night.

The Hippo's Grand Finale

An enthusiastic throng was amassing just prior to the 9 p.m. opening of the Club Hippo’s dance side for what was billed as “The Grand Finale Dance” on September 26.  The first dancers hit the floor almost immediately, and a half hour later, the dance floor was crammed to the sound of Rick Astley’s “Together Forever”.  At 12:40 a.m.  Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” mix played to an ear-splitting roar from the crowd with an hour still left to go.

Photo: Bob Ford

DJ Farrell Maddox, who first worked at the Hippo in the mid-1980s and then returned in 1997, explained, “I want the final moment to be energetic and exciting.  That is how I want people to remember the Hippo.” 

Maddox had myriad choices for the final song at closing; he eventually settled on The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men” following a brief tribute to Hippo owner Charles “Chuck” Bowers.  



A video of that number shot by Bob Ford appears below. Describing Bowers as a good friend, Maddox was touched and honored when he chose him to deejay the grand finale event.  He saluted the venerable Hippo’s past with eclectic music spanning five decades.  At its conclusion, the patrons cheered and hugged one another.

After 43 years as a focal point of Baltimore’s LGBT community, a series of “last” events that stretched out over the Hippo’s final days—Last Bingo, Last Hip-Hop Night, Last Women’s Night, Last Dance Party and Last Drag Show—lowered the curtain on Baltimore’s largest and most iconic gay bar.  These special occasions on the dance side afforded opportunities for people to bid their final farewells.  The saloon and karaoke areas will close on October 3.  

Chuck Bowers (center) waving after tribute Photo: Bob Ford

To the dismay and disappointment of many in the community, the building is being leased to CVS Health as Bowers, 70, is retiring.  On this night, the multi-generational patrons and the employees reflected the paradoxical mood: celebratory yet somber with many either in denial or the truth hadn’t quite sunk in yet.

The Hippo, which opened on July 7, 1972 and was founded by Kenny Elbert and Don Endbinder, featured one of the largest dance floors in the state, a saloon and a video/karaoke bar.  During disco’s heyday, the Hippo flourished with packed crowds dancing to the beats of vintage and newer disco hits on its spacious, sunken, rectangular floor with an overhead disco ball, bathed in glimmering, colorful lights and fog effects. Many of the disco divas performed live throughout the eighties.

As musical tastes changed in succeeding years, so did the music and the Hippo’s deejays kept up.  DJ Rosie Hicks, who played the music on Hip Hop Night on Thursdays, said, “As a DJ at Club Hippo for eleven and a half years, I know firsthand that losing this venue is an emotional blow to many of us in the community. So many memories have been made inside those walls, and despite our gratitude to Chuck for sharing it with us for so long, we will all miss it terribly.”

For some, the Hippo was a life changer. Paul Hummel, the karaoke host from 2010 to 2012 as well as a customer, stated, “It was the happiest job I’ve ever had. It’s where I went when I first came out. It’s where I learned to be comfortable and proud to be me.  It’s where I met the love of my life. If any one place sums up my gay experience, it will always be the Hippo. That place changed my life.” 

Photo: Bob Ford

The club’s historic significance is not overlooked.  “The Hippo is the only bar in Baltimore that gave space and support events as varied as lesbian musical theatre, drag pageants, leather contests, fundraisers for LGBT organizations, AIDS service providers, Pride festivals and the Baltimore Justice Campaign’s civil rights triumphs,” said Louise Parker Kelley, author of the recently released pictorial chronicle “LGBT Baltimore”.

Indeed, Bowers, who bought the Hippo in 1978 and the building itself in 2005, had donated sizable amounts of money to LGBT non-profits, and he allowed other organizations, such as Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS, to hold fundraising events at the club.  Early in the 1980s when the AIDS crisis began, Bowers was one of the first in Baltimore to help raise money to fight the disease.

Operating under the motto, “Where Everyone is Welcome,” the Hippo’s major lure was that of a social and entertainment venue, which had been enjoyed by tens of thousands of people—gay and straight—including fans of drag and leather.  Numerous contests and pageants were held there; its closing elicits profound sadness but fond memories.

Drag performer and comedian Shawnna Alexander, who was Miss Hippo 2014 and had performed on the Hippo’s stage at various times for over 20 years, said, “I’m very sad to see it closing and very happy I wasn’t born yesterday and had missed the chance to experience being part of an era that was great in Baltimore City.”

Sue Nami, Miss Hippo 2008 and Miss Gay Maryland 2009, said, “The Hippo is where I started and growing in my career in this art form of female impersonator. I call this place my home and will always stay in my heart forever.”


'Chuck Bowers Way' Photo: Bob Ford

Paul Liller, a.k.a. Dimitria Blackwell, Miss Hippo 2015, found the Hippo to be an integral part of his life’s journey. “Never would I imagine that I would eventually become not only a Miss Hippo, but the last one ever.  As the doors close, I feel like a part of me will be left inside those walls. Fortunately, I walk away with memories that will last a lifetime and a love for a place I was lucky enough to call home.”

The leather community has been grateful for the many events that took place at the Hippo but noted the benefits were enjoyed beyond that community. “By allowing the leather community to hold events like Mr. Maryland and the 12 Day of Christmas, the Hippo had a hand in helping to raise thousands of dollars for charity,” said Greg King, Mr. Maryland Leather 2015.  “Chuck Bowers has left a legacy.”

Nearby businesses and even competitors recognize the impact the Hippo had as it was the primary destination in Mount Vernon’s “gayborhood.” Don Davis, owner of by Grand Central, which is located diagonally across from the Hippo, acknowledges that he and Bowers may have had their differences over the years.  However, he emphatically states that “we have always been there with support of each other.”

Davis praised the way Bowers ran the club. “Chuck has always operated a first class business and his heart has always been there for everyone. He has had the most loyal staff and customers; so many who have been there since the beginning.”

To honor Bowers and the Hippo, city officials recently named the intersection of Charles and Eager Streets where the Hippo is located, “Chuck Bowers Way.”

“The closing of the Hippo is like the closing of a spectacular Broadway show,” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said, “The performers take their last bow, the curtain comes down, and the audience departs. Thanks Chuck Bowers, staff members and patrons for making this iconic venue such a vibrant part of Baltimore’s rich history.”

In reflecting on these past decades, Bowers is gripped with much emotion. “For 37 years this has been my home, it’s been my family,” he said.  “Now that the Hippo is closing it has been an extremely emotional time for me because of all the friendships I’ve made here over these many years.  I will miss this place.”

So will many others. 

The very last event at the Hippo on Oct. 3-4, 2015 is chronicled here.

Me on that historic night

Are We Victims of Our Own Success?

When we first learned that the Hippo planned to close later this year, many in the community attributed that development to a cultural transformation.  Gay bars, according to these folks, aren’t as important as they once were, and with the growing acceptance of LGBT people by society as a whole, more gay people are finding their entertainment and social networking at straight establishments or online. 

This acceptance, although far from universal, has always been a goal of LGBT advocates who do not want to be considered second class citizens by the larger straight community.  In effect, one could point to this shift as a success, and if the trend continues, we could be seeing the end of gay bars and similar businesses—the results of this success—though I maintain they are still needed and have a place in our society.   

One such achievement that is causing financial problems for LGBT organizations is marriage equality.  For over a decade, same-sex marriage proponents have made the quest for marriage equality the centerpiece of the movement, which would bestow the over 1,100 benefits, rights and responsibilities that are conferred upon heterosexual married couples. 

While not every gay and lesbian considered marriage to a same-sex partner something they personally coveted, they still had that option should such nuptials become legal. It was a worthy goal, to be sure, and those organizations at the forefront of the battles in the state legislatures and governors’ offices reaped the benefits of this movement that gathered steam after same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts in 2003.

Whether or not gay or lesbian individuals were partnered, many bought into the marriage equality movement, and combined with supportive allies, wrote out checks to those organizations leading the way.  Locally, that organization had been Equality Maryland, which fought hard to push a bill through an overwhelmingly Democratic but politically timid legislature and an unyielding Governor Ehrlich followed by a vacillating Governor O’Malley who finally threw his support for the measure in 2011 after advocating for civil unions.

Despite the uphill climb, Equality Maryland prevailed, and along with others, succeeded in persuading the legislature to pass the bill, which O’Malley signed into law in 2012.  Equality Maryland joined other groups under the auspices of Marylanders for Marriage Equality to defeat a referendum put forth by marriage equality opponents including Maryland’s Catholic Archdiocese.

Just four days after the June 26 historic Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states, the chairs of Equality Maryland’s two boards released a statement warning of the organization’s potential demise. 

“Funding from individuals and major donor sources dropped significantly after securing marriage equality,” the statement read.  “The Board believes passionately that Equality Maryland ought to continue to play a critical, central role in the coming years for our community, but is facing one of two possibilities for the future: drastically scaling down operations, with a reduced capacity to serve its many constituencies across the state, or suspending operations entirely.

“Unless and until we secure adequate revenue to sustain the organization, the important services, oversight and advocacy it has consistently provided to the Maryland LGBT community will cease to be.”  

Carrie Evans, its executive director, had been let go because of the financial crisis.

It was always my impression that Equality Maryland was never awash in cash.  The organization nearly imploded a few years ago over financial matters and a lack of oversight by their board.  Morgan Meneses-Sheets, the executive director at the time, was fired in an ugly controversial mess. 

Equality Maryland’s finances had historically been held close to the vest.  Indeed, when the Washington Blade recently conducted a survey of national and local LGBT organizations concerning their financial status and the salaries of the respective executive directors, Equality Maryland did not respond to multiple requests to provide such information.  I always believed that organizations that raise money from the community ought to be more transparent regarding how the funds are being spent, but that was not the case with this one.

Clearly, the success of marriage equality here and nationally has removed the largest and most appealing magnet from which to raise money, and organizations like Equality Maryland could fall victim.  It would be a shame if that comes to pass. 

There is so much work ahead especially efforts to address bullying in schools, suicides among LGBT youth, homelessness whereby LGBT youth are disproportionately at risk, LGBT youth in the foster care and the juvenile justice system, the continuing fight to address discrimination and violence directed towards transgender individuals, banning conversion therapy, combating an increase in HIV infections in the African-American community in addition to the seemingly endless fight nationally to secure a Federal all-inclusive non-discrimination law.

Many of these issues require legislation, and Equality Maryland is in the best position to work its political acumen to achieve results.  However, they are not sexy issues as marriage equality was and, therefore, not likely to build their fundraising efforts around them.

Realizing that this was a real possibility, I strongly advocated for Equality Maryland to re-tool its mission and use its expertise to help launch local organizations in various parts of the state.  These “Balkanized” iterations of Equality Maryland would be in the best position to deal with local brush fires in schools, businesses, law enforcement and other areas where neighbors could have more of an impact than a central organization.

It’s something that Equality Maryland should still consider if it’s not too late.  Selling that idea to a public who helped financially to secure marriage equality is do-able.  Unless that happens, Equality Maryland as well as all of us will have been victims of our own success.

Are Gay Bars the Next Dinasours?

When the Hippo announced its impending closing, there was a lot of collective hand-wringing.   Many in Baltimore’s LGBT communities saw this as a disaster and perhaps the final nail in the coffin for LGBT identity.  They feel the gay bar will go the way of the phone booth, record stores, and liberal Republicans.

The soon-to-close Hippo

To be sure, we have witnessed the closing of local gay bars with The Eagle in 2012 and the Quest in 2014.  The Hippo’s last dance is expected later in 2015, Grand Central may be up for sale in 2016, while another bar south of the city is teetering on closing in the very near future.  Jay’s on Read, while not technically a gay bar but popular among LGBT folks, faces an uncertain future.

Bars shut down for a variety of reasons, but for the most part it’s because of financial considerations resulting from a falloff in patronage.  The most popular reason discussed is that younger gay people are frequenting straight bars with their straight friends.  Baltimore icon John Waters believes that tendency is why gay bars are eventually going to vanish. 

“The coolest gay kids today don’t want to go to a gay bar.  They want to go to a hip bar where straights and gays are mixing,” Waters said during a recent WYPR interview . 

Grand Central owner Don Davis agrees. In that same interview Davis observed that gay people are feeling more comfortable with going with straight friends to a straight bar.  He feels the change in “demographics” will sustain this trend.

There are other factors in play.  Men don’t cruise at the bars as they once did, using phone apps and the Internet to replace hooking up through personal contact at bars.  It’s cheaper since less alcohol is consumed (or needed) and rejection is less painful.  Still others are bored by the bar scene and prefer alternative sources of amusement.

However, The Baltimore Eagle didn’t close because leather men and leather women took flight to straight establishments.  The previous owner passed away and the estate sold the bar.  If the new ownership of The Baltimore Eagle fails to have a controversial Liquor Board ruling overturned, the bar will remain closed.

The mixing of straights and gays at bars became more evident during the period when there was a Guerilla Gay Bar movement between 2009 and 2011.  To provide an alternative to the gay bar scene, monthly outings consisting of an “invasion” of gays at selected straight bars and clubs around Baltimore were scheduled with prior notice given to the bar’s management and staff.  



The Baltimore Eagle is already closed but for how long?

With one exception, because of a failure to communicate effectively, these events were hugely successful with no incidents or any other ostensible problems.  The bars’ staffs were eager to take in our money and the other patrons enjoyed or at least put up with our presence, which often numbered in the hundreds.
  

The following year marriage equality passed by referendum in Maryland confirming the increased acceptance by the straight folks.  Nationally, polls indicate that same-sex marriage is favored by a 3 to 2 margin.  Yet, even if those results are accurate, there are still 2 out of 5 who oppose marriage equality.  That’s a significant number, if not the majority.

Therefore, by no means is our acceptance universal or complete.  A gay couple in Chelsea in NYC can attest to the fact that there are haters out there who would do us harm as they were brutally attacked.  The Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, if favorable as it appears likely, will cause a backlash among many groups.  And the Republican candidates in the presidential clown car are falling all over each other in an effort to appeal to their bigoted base by raising the temperature on strident anti-gay marriage rhetoric. 

I don’t believe that the gay bar will become a dinosaur any time too soon.  Sure, younger gays and lesbians may be frequenting straight establishments.  But do male couples actually dance at these places, holds hands, or are affectionate? I certainly would not feel comfortable or safe dancing or being affectionate with my husband at a straight club.  Or, will these guys dance with their female friends as closeted gay men once did in the past while out in public? 

A gay bar does provide a secure space where one can be him or herself.  You’re with folks with more common interests, and that’s a boost towards the social benefits.  If you’re holding the hand of your gay or lesbian partner or spouse in a gay bar, you don’t have to look around to be sure the person behind you won’t break a bottle over your head.  Of course, it can happen but much less likely in a gay bar.

Regardless, existing gay bars need to step it up. Though there will be fewer gay bars around, those remaining should do well at least in the near term.  It would behoove bar owners to be more innovative and creative to keep the customers entertained and interested in patronizing their establishments.   They ought to listen to their customers to see what they would like.

As Don Davis noted on WYPR, Grand Central offers special events to keep things interesting and exciting in order for him to compete.  He unapologetically encourages a straight crowd to join in the festivities and stresses that Grand Central is an “alternative bar” and not a gay bar per se.

It is apparent that further acceptance by society fueled by the younger generation may ultimately obviate the need for gay bars or even LGBT organizations.  That would be a tangible sign of progress though we still have a ways to go.  Until then the gay bar will continue to be an integral part of LGBT social life and will not vanish altogether, at least not yet.