Austin is recognized as one of the most queer-friendly cities in the United States, yet it surprisingly lacks any lesbian bars. Theo Snow, curious about this phenomenon, sought insights from KUT’s ATXplained project.
Snow questioned the absence of lesbian bars, noting that while they have existed in the past, they have not managed to thrive in the city’s evolving landscape.
According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, only San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, surpass Austin in terms of LGBTQ+ population density.
Austin boasts a rich and vibrant queer history, and at one time, lesbian bars played a significant role in that narrative. Researching at the Austin History Center, KUT uncovered what is believed to be Austin’s very first lesbian bar. This establishment, The Hollywood, opened in the mid-1970s on West Fourth Street, proudly identifying itself as “Austin’s only women’s bar.”
Described in vintage gay magazines as a
image source from：kut
