Gay bars have long served as vital safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people, especially during times when society was openly hostile. In this video, we’re diving into a hidden chapter of queer history, when the Mafia owned and operated many gay bars in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.

Looking at the Mafia’s control of New York City gay bars, including the Stonewall Inn, reveals a complicated reality of survival, exploitation, and protection that shaped early queer nightlife and community life.

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Listen to the full podcast episode: https://www.ajadedgay.com/17-mobsters-mos-how-the-mafia-owned-gay-nightlife/

Read more on the topic in my blog: https://www.ajadedgay.com/blog/the-mafias-control-of-new-yorks-gay-bars-a-hidden-chapter-in-lgbtq-history/

Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ajadedgay

Sources:
Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets: https://www.amazon.com/Stonewall-Riots-Coming-Out-Streets/dp/1419737201

Stonewall Uprising: Why Did the Mafia Own the Bar?: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-why-did-mafia-own-bar/

How the Mob Helped Establish NYC’s Gay Bar Scene: https://www.history.com/news/how-the-mob-helped-establish-nycs-gay-bar-scene

The Italian Mafia Played a Pivotal Role in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising – But Don’t Call Them Allies: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/27/mafia-stonewall-inn-riots-lgbt-rights-pride-new-york-gay-bars/

How the Mafia Once Controlled the New York Gay Scene: https://www.vice.com/en/article/gqmym3/how-the-mafia-once-controlled-the-new-york-gay-scene-616

#AJadedGay #gayhistory #mafia #lgbtqhistory #queerhistory