AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[KevinFromTexas]

Actually, I don't know why they don't paint crosswalks yellow. White seems like the wrong color since yellow means "use caution".

"Dirty rainbow" - oh boy. lol

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

you don't say? ..... well, I guess that means I must be too! LOL!

Yeah, there might have been more tasteful ways to do it. But what the hell. Not sure how well it will wear before it's a "dirty rainbow"....... but again.... what the hell.... I guess that has it's own metaphor as well! LOL!

I think the best part is the ( indirect) acknowledgement that it was the gay bars that started the revival of the warehouse district when few others wanted to go there.... Save the one African American bar called "Fire and Ice" that actually pre-dated Oil Cans.... and the small theatre ( Capitol City Playhouse) that was where "Fado" is now.
A brief History FYI. in the mid 80s. "Franks" was the "Boat house". The space accross the street that was most recently "kiss and fly" was "Halls" ( the 80s glass brick that just came down was part of the original "Halls" re-do. There was another gay bar that was next to the former "SIX". All of these predated Oil Cans.... and the bars spaces we see today.
The other FYI: 7th and Red River was the other "gay bar district". The original "Chain Drive" was in the "side bar" space. "THe Crossing" was in "Barbarella". Halcyon was one of the first gay dance clubs in Austin in the 70s. (don;t know the name.. A former lighting design professor of mine at UT told me of doing the light system there and when they went in there were still small rooms in the Attic from it's bordello days!) There were also bars in the "Plush" and "red 7" spaces.... and I'm sure I'm forgetting some.!

You need to teach a queer nightlife class at UT STAT!!!

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

lol ok? I can have my opinion that it's tacky.

Except that most people are going to assume you think it's tacky precisely because it's associated with the LGBT population. You need to be very clear when making statements that can potentially be read as being very uncouth and perhaps even bigoted. Next time, try saying something like this instead:

I think having non-standard crosswalks is not appropriate.

That way, everyone will be fine with what you're saying.

[JoninATX]

While I'm not gay, I'm in full support for the proposed rainbow color crosswalks.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Except that most people are going to assume you think it's tacky precisely because it's associated with the LGBT population. You need to be very clear when making statements that can potentially be read as being very uncouth and perhaps even bigoted. Next time, try saying something like this instead:



That way, everyone will be fine with what you're saying.

Don't tell me how to post. It's tacky.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Don't tell me how to post. It's tacky.

Well don't tell essentially gay people that we should go back into the closet and not claim our own public spaces. It's tacky.

[austlar1]

Well, I am also gay, and I think the Rainbow crosswalks are not needed. I would rather see some historical signage placed in the area that explains why 4th St. is significant to the gay and lesbian community in Austin. From the early 1990s forward (and possibly earlier), there was always a mix of gay and straight venues in that area, and more recently the area is home to mostly straight venues. Austin has never had a real gay neighborhood or even a completely gay nightlife district. That was one of the first things I realized about Austin when I finally settled here almost 20 years ago. At first it kind of bothered me, but I came to realize that gays and straights actually mixed it up in Austin in a pretty harmonious way. I had lived in older and larger cities both on the East and West coasts where gay life was actually quite segregated with separate residential neighborhoods, shopping districts, bars, and restaurants. There has never been much of that in Austin. Rainbow crosswalks here seem to be commemorating something that never quite existed. BTW, I bet few people realize that the old Boathouse (one of the first gay venues in the Warehouse District. was owned by a very famous and very accomplished pro football player who never officially came out but died from AIDs back in 1985. His name was Jerry Smith and he was a star tight end for the Washington Redskins. He lived in Austin part-time after retiring from football. Dave Kopay, another less accomplished Redskin and the first openly gay NFL player, was also an investor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_...an_football%29

[Jdawgboy]

I think it's going to be pretty cool, I've seen the ones in West Hollywood and always thought that would look cool here.

By the way, what is it with us gay men and the apparent interest in big tall buildings? Lol

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Well, I am also gay, and I think the Rainbow crosswalks are not needed. I would rather see some historical signage placed in the area that explains why 4th St. is significant to the gay and lesbian community in Austin. From the early 1990s forward (and possibly earlier), there was always a mix of gay and straight venues in that area, and more recently the area is home to mostly straight venues. Austin has never had a real gay neighborhood or even a completely gay nightlife district. That was one of the first things I realized about Austin when I finally settled here almost 20 years ago. At first it kind of bothered me, but I came to realize that gays and straights actually mixed it up in Austin in a pretty harmonious way. I had lived in older and larger cities both on the East and West coasts where gay life was actually quite segregated with separate residential neighborhoods, shopping districts, bars, and restaurants. There has never been much of that in Austin. Rainbow crosswalks here seem to be commemorating something that never quite existed. BTW, I bet few people realize that the old Boathouse (one of the first gay venues in the Warehouse District. was owned by a very famous and very accomplished pro football player who never officially came out but died from AIDs back in 1985. His name was Jerry Smith and he was a star tight end for the Washington Redskins. He lived in Austin part-time after retiring from football. Dave Kopay, another less accomplished Redskin and the first openly gay NFL player, was also an investor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_...an_football%29

I actually disagree with this. Although Austin has never had the kind of gay ghetto that places like SF, LA, and NYC had, Austin's 4th street is way better and with a much longer gay history than anywhere else in the south save for Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

[MichaelB]

Well didn't we just have a big coming out party! LOL!

[KevinFromTexas]

There are a lot of gay forumers on SSP actually. It's why when it was mentioned in one thread, I think in the Current Events section of the forum, that only 2% of the US population is gay that I was kind of shocked the number is so small.

Anyway, I sort of agree with austlar1. I don't mind the crosswalks one bit, but I get what he's saying about how designations can sometimes make it seem that we're deciding to set aside a space for a certain segment of the population to enjoy and to either keep that segment confined to that space, or to keep others out. I would rather have it be that we're encouraged to get along by seeing how someone else lives. Besides, it's not like there's any secret that the warehouse district has traditionally been Austin's gay bar district. I guess it'll help the out-of-towners, though. I like the plaque idea, too, mostly because I'm a history nerd.

[austlar1]

OK. I know this gay topic might be getting out of hand, but somebody here might be able to answer my question. In 1969 (I know, prehistoric times, but still...) I briefly attended grad school at UT. There was a small gay (mostly lesbian actually) bar at the far north end of The Drag. Does anybody know what this bar was called? Also there was a fairly large dance club called (I think) the Pearl Street Warehouse. Does anybody know where this was actually located? As far as I know, these were the only two gay venues in Austin at that time. Austin was still a town that could sell beer only or set-ups for those who brought their own bottle. Closing time was midnight with maybe a 1AM closing on weekends. I don't think there were any gay places downtown. 6th St. was still mostly a skid row. This all changed in the early 70s with liquor by the drink sales allowed and later closing hours, paving the way for the night life explosion that took place later in that decade.

Kevin, is it time to move the rainbow/gay crosswalk topic to a separate thread? It might prove to be a pretty lively topic.

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Also there was a fairly large dance club called (I think) the Pearl Street Warehouse. Does anybody know where this was actually located?

I googled Pearl Street Warehouse. Apparently it was located at 18th and Lavaca.

Life at the Cha-Cha Palace
Back in the Day, Austin Boogied to a Different Beat
By Stephen MacMillan Moser,
Austin Chronicle
Fri., Jan. 26, 2001

I believe the Kiss N Fly was previously called the 404, and before that Hall's, and before that Tex's Colorado Street Bar.

Other defunct gay/gay-friendly bars I remember were the Apartment Lounge (later Dirty Sally's) Austin Country, The Forum, Auntie Mame's, Buckles, Rainbow Cattle Connection, Private Cellar and Fifth Street Station.

There was a straight bar called The Verandah at 13th & Lavaca and that later became Uncle Charlie's and then just Charlie's.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by austlar1

Kevin, is it time to move the rainbow/gay crosswalk topic to a separate thread? It might prove to be a pretty lively topic.

Agreed. It went past 30 posts.

Maybe someone else has a better name for this thread. I'm no good with names.

By the way, this is now a "sticky topic" - so it will always stay on top.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

I googled Pearl Street Warehouse. Apparently it was located at 18th and Lavaca.

Life at the Cha-Cha Palace
Back in the Day, Austin Boogied to a Different Beat
By Stephen MacMillan Moser,
Austin Chronicle
Fri., Jan. 26, 2001

I believe the Kiss N Fly was previously called the 404, and before that Hall's, and before that Tex's Colorado Street Bar.

Other defunct gay/gay-friendly bars I remember were the Apartment Lounge (later Dirty Sally's) Austin Country, The Forum, Auntie Mame's, Buckles, Rainbow Cattle Connection, Private Cellar and Fifth Street Station.

There was a straight bar called The Verandah at 13th & Lavaca and that later became Uncle Charlie's and then just Charlie's.

You have better Google skills than me. I have looked in the past with no results. 18th and Lavaca is kind of what I remember, but I have never been able to locate the building. Guess it is long gone. The bar on The Drag was probably The Apartment Lounge and later Dirty Sally's. I think the building is still there and operates as a neighborhood (UT) drinking hole.

[austlar1]

I found this link to a Chronicle article that has histories of many of the early Austin gay bars. There was as much action in the Sixth St/Red River area as there was initially on W 4th St. http://www.austinchronicle.com/featu...-06-05/790090/

[austlar1]

Kevin, the name assigned to this new thread kind of feels like the topic got put into the closet.

[KevinFromTexas]

Should I just make it into a topic about gay culture in Austin then? That would be alright, but we could still use an off topic thread for idle chat. Whatever you guys want is cool with me.

[the Genral]

Just a quick chime in, the crosswalks look cool, but they make the streets look drab...the whole area needs more color, art, statues, plants, trees, ect...doesn't have to look like a carnival is going on, but then...what the heck?

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Should I just make it into a topic about gay culture in Austin then? That would be alright, but we could still use an off topic thread for idle chat. Whatever you guys want is cool with me.

I guess, if there is a demand for it, a gay culture thread might be nice, but probably the "Rainbow Crosswalk" topic has pretty much run out of steam. I was just kind of messing with you about the name of the thread.