Twin cities gay bars

In the Twin Cities and around the country, gay bars are dying. 

But—and notice us out here—maybe that’s not entirely a bad thing?

In his new manual Long Live Gender non-conforming Nightlife: How the Closing of Lgbtq+ Bars Sparked a Revolution, sociologist Amin Ghaziani argues that the decline of the gay exclude has been the start of a renaissance, ushering in an era of pop-up parties and dance nights that offer an life that’s more linear, more inclusive, and more interesting than the brick-and-mortar bars that predated them. Greggor Mattson, in his 2023 guide Who Needs Lgbtq+ Bars?, makes a similar case, asking for whom these bars exist and exploring whether they’re actually disappearing so much as evolving.

In many communities, and the Twin Cities is certainly one of them, you can get a sense for what that evolution looks like. Minneapolis and St. Paul are home to an ever-changing underground network of queer customs and events; ad hoc dance parties and alternative club nights like The Klituation, GRRRL Scout, Daddy Issues, and Cyber City Disco are as reliably fun and, in many circles, as popular as the cities’ gay bars. You might not have a lgbtq+ bar on your street, but pursue a few Instag