Gay bathhouse in new york
The American Man: A Sunday Morning at the Bath House
Sunday mornings are for men only at the Russian and Turkish Baths in the East Village, and I’m pretty sure that you know what that means. So I’m nervous in my red swim trunks on this hot August morning because I’m used to passing but, unlike the eyes-averse gym locker rooms I’ve grown accustomed to, I’m also relatively certain that for most dudes who go to a guys-only bathhouse on a Sunday morning, dicks are caring of the whole point.
I’m here because, for me, a straight, bearded, tattooed trans man with a different sort of anatomy, a bathhouse feels thrilling, dangerous even. Everything about me is self-made, hard-won: this hairy stomach, these chest muscles, this carefully trimmed beard—all of it a mosaic that makes my reflection strange but not dissonant, all of it my ticket into this grimy, foul-smelling, sexed-up space.
It’s one thing to risk my body with needles and scalpels and the threat of cancer. It’s quite another to be exposed to a mob of dudes in a dank, dungeon-like basement of steam rooms and a sad-looking po
Gay Saunas in New York City
Introduction to New York City Gay Saunas and Bathhouses
Discovering a gay bathhouse in New York Urban area can feel like navigating a maze, especially when you realize the options seem surprisingly sparse in such a bustling metropolis. This is a frequent puzzle many gay travellers find themselves trying to solve when they verb NYC. In this urban area, the gay sauna culture diverges significantly from what one might find in European capitals like Barcelona, Rome, or Milan.
Why, you might ask? The landscape of gay saunas in New York City has been shaped by its history, particularly during the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic of the s, leading to the closure of many establishments. Yet, the spirit of communal and intimate exploration among gay men has not dwindled. Instead, it has transformed, giving rise to alternative venues and vibrant events that capture the essence of New York's gay scene.
East Side Club, the city's lone traditional gay bathhouse survivor. From massage-based establishments masquerading as spas to the lively world of gay sex parties, N
Everard Baths
History
The legendary Everard Baths, one of the longest durable of New York’s bathhouses, attracted gay men probably since its opening in , but, as documented, from at least World War I until its closing in
The building began as the Free Will Baptist Church in In , it was converted into the New-York Horticultural Society’s Horticultural Hall. It became the Regent Music Hall in , then the Fifth Avenue Music Hall, financed by James Everard. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Everard () came to New York City as a lad, and eventually formed a masonry jobbing business that was successful in receiving a number of major city public works contracts. With his profits, he invested in real estate after , and built up one the country’s largest brewing concerns. (He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.)
After the Music Hall was closed by the City over the sale of beer there, Everard decided to save his investment by turning the facility into a commercial “Russian and Turkish” bathhouse, opened in May at a cost of $, Lushly appointed and with a variety of steam bath
Mt. Morris Baths
History
Located in the basement floor of the Lohengrin apartment house, the Mt. Morris Baths (originally the Mayer Baths) was the first commercial tenant of this space. The establishment, featuring Turkish and Russian baths, catered to a mostly Jewish clientele and in the late 19th century was also known as a hangout for police officers. By , the baths were renamed the Mt. Morris Baths, and by the s and s, African-American patrons began frequenting the baths reflecting changes in the demographics of the neighborhood.
When exactly it began to attract a predominantly gay, African-American clientele is unknown, but it was mostly likely in the s during the Harlem Renaissance. In , Carl Van Vechten, patron of the Harlem Renaissance, noted in his diary that he had visited the baths, which at the time was known for its “rough trade.” In , Countee Cullen left his wife Yolande Du Bois for Harold Jackman, who he had allegedly met at the baths. Lincoln Kirstein characterized the baths as “a rendezvous” for “notorious homosexuals, deviated p