Layla Brown-Clark, Culture Writer
Only 36 lesbian bars remain in the United States, contrasted by the 800 plus LGBTQ+ and gay bars in the nation.
According to VICE, over the past 100 years, women have pursued the company of other women at speakeasies, apartment parties, butch-femme dives, lesbian separatist lounges and queer dance nights.
Before the 1920s, lesbian socializing was limited to parties and gatherings in private homes and was only possible for rich women and prostitutes. After the 20s, it would be decades before lesbians could gather, and in turn, men and women in the community needed each other to pretend to mingle among themselves while the place was raided.
After the Stonewall Riots in 1969, many lesbian spaces began to thrive in the 70s and 80s but they began to dissolve almost as soon as they materialized.
Though queer spaces continue to exist and form, lesbian bars have been a dedicated space centered around the sapphic experience. According to the Lesbian Bar Project, there are currently 36 lesbian bars still in existence today.
Historically, women faced financial difficulties whether it be opening credit cards or securing loans. This also included the ability to efficiently secure liquor licenses without male signatures, which hindered the progress for a longer term establishment.
Currently, the pay gap between women and men also poses an issue. According to Pay Scale, in 2026, the uncontrolled gender pay gap is 82 cents, meaning that women collectively earn 18% less than men based on how they’re paid for jobs they have now. The gap has widened from 83 cents in 2024 when it was 17%. This is one of the reasons why legacy sapphic spaces tend not to exist to this day.
What has also contributed to the decline of lesbian bars is the modern culture around queerness, dating, and socializing. Queerness has become more accepted in mainstream and modern day culture as many countries have passed the right for same sex couples to marry and federal employment protection from discrimination or firing under the Civil Rights Act.
Mariam Lobjanidze frequents lesbian bars in New York. Even with the rise of online dating and partaking in that culture, she feels lesbian bars are a great way to connect in-person with other women rather than over message.
“I think lesbian bars can be a way to build a community and meet like-minded people which helps to build a sense of identity and confidence in queer people,” Mariam Lobjanidze said.
Online dating has become more prevalent for everyone to find who they are looking for. In turn, it has changed and in ways have expanded the sphere of safe spaces sapphic individuals look for to meet and connect with other sapphic individuals. Though Tinder and Bumble are a download away, there’s still the instant human connection that is missing from in real life interactions.
To this point, Lobjanidze said, “If you didn’t have that sort of community growing up, lesbian bars can become a space where you explore that part of yourself better. Walking into a lesbian bar can be the first time you see a room full of people like yourself which can be empowering and makes you feel less alone.”
Sapphic spaces pave the way for in real life connection for women who love women, and even with the existence of new spaces for lesbians to explore, these bars will forever hold a space for women to gather and meet other women before the dating apps or social acceptability.
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