Just fifty miles east of Manhattan, Fire Island has been considered a gay village since the 1950s, with the stretch of land between Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove—known as the Meat Rack—being a safe haven for repressed gay men to fully express and experience their sexuality.

In this episode, we’re diving into the island's rich history, tracing its evolution from a secluded getaway for artists and bohemians to a thriving vacation destination for the queer community, and discussing the growing threat it faces from the impacts of climate change.

Additional Resources:

• 24. Gay Villages: Won't You Be My Gaybor? (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/24-gay-villages-wont-you-be-my-gaybor/id1619338054?i=1000580773743)
• Fire Island Facts (https://www.fireislandassociation.org/about/)
• Origin of "Fire Island" (https://www.nps.gov/fiis/learn/historyculture/fireislandorigin.htm#:~:text=Fire%20Island%20Beach%20appeared%20on,autumn%20or%20its%20fiery%20itch)
• A History of Early Sayville by Clarissa Edwards (https://ia802908.us.archive.org/12/items/historyofearlysa00edwa/historyofearlysa00edwa.pdf)
• The Seal Island Legend by Robert H. Spencer (https://www.fireislandassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/the-seal-island-legend.pdf)
• The History of Fire Island (https://www.fireislandassociation.org/fi-history/)
• Once Upon a Time There Was a Place Called Fire Island (https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/once-upon-time-there-was-place-called-fire-island)
• The Very Gay History of Fire Island (https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2021/06/the-very-very-gay-history-of-fire-island.html)
• The Meat Rack on Fire Island Est. 1950’s (https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/the-meat-rack-est-1950s)
• The Botel History Est. 1960 (https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/the-botel-history-est-1960)
• 1968: After Dozens Of Acquittals, Police Forced To End Raids On Gay Haven (https://www.npr.org/2018/12/16/676273744/1968-after-dozens-of-acquittals-police-forced-to-end-raids-on-gay-haven?fbclid=IwAR08pagIpzL7-hikx7GHMaqwMc6YoYRGCk85jFSEY5vMF_aucUG9p3kWYz0)
• Before Stonewall, Cherry Grove: How a Beach Town Became a Gay 'Safe Haven' (https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-life-and-style/stonewall-cherry-grove-fire-island-beach-town-became-gay-safe-haven-rcna934)
• 19. The Queer History of Disco (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/19-the-queer-history-of-disco/id1619338054?i=1000577073123)
• Hidden in a Fire Island House, the Soundtrack of Loss and Love (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/04/29/realestate/fire-island-pines-lost-soundtrack.html#:~:text=In%20the%20early%201980s%2C%20the,as%20the%20years%20went%20on)
• The GMHC Morning Party 1983-1990 (https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/the-gmhc-morning-party-1983-1990)
• Fire Island's LGBTQ Heritage (https://www.nps.gov/fiis/learn/historyculture/fire-island-s-lgbtq-heritage.htm)
• Fire Island National Seashore Action Plan (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/upload/FIIS-CFP-Action-Plan-508Compliant.pdf)

Get Your Merch (https://a-jaded-gay.creator-spring.com/)

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/ajadedgaypod)

Get Your Merch (https://a-jaded-gay.creator-spring.com/)