They are centers of safety and acceptance in a world that too often is not. Many in the LGBTQ community have stressed the fact that gay clubs have never been just bars and nightclubs as they are for straight people.
“I worked at Express, and sometimes I worried about someone coming into the club and shooting people.” Jarvis was one of the organizers of the Tower District vigil held on June 12 to honor the victims and spread solidarity. That feeling of just how fearful it can to be an LGBT person.”
The shooting at the Pulse club in Orlando where 50 LGBT individuals died just brought it all back. Over the years, as there has been more acceptance, I pushed back that sense of fear. Once inside, there was sanctuary, but it wasn’t uncommon in those days for people to drive by throwing rocks at us. “We used to have to drive around to find a safe space to park. People my age remember going to the old Express gay club near Belmont and Hwy 180,” says Chris Jarvis of Fresno LGBT Community Center. Photo by Hannah Brandt.Įditor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2016 in Community Alliance newspaper:
Photo above: Marchers holding signs demanding equal rights for genderqueer or LGBTQ individuals.
