Austin is a city known for many things: bats, music, “weirdness,” liberals. It’s also home to a thriving and jiving queer community – qmmunity if you will. But like many a city, Austin’s queer side is sometimes elusive – where do you go? What do you see? Who’s in the know?
We’re in the know. Whether you’re here for a weekend or settling in to call it home – hell, even if you’ve lived here for years – we’ve got you covered. In fact, we’ve had Austin covered since 2004, when the Chronicle began running a dedicated LGBTQ column and listings. The blog came a few years later, and ever since then, we’ve been documenting queer parties, the rise and fall of gay bars, new festivals, and community members doing awe-inspiring work. In a nutshell, we’re in love with the many facets of Austin’s queer scene(s) and we’re here to help you find your space in this place.
But before diving in, there’s a few things readers should know. For starters, Austin doesn’t house a lesbian bar – the last one closed in 2013 – but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of spaces for queer women. Second, unlike most major cities, there is no “gayborhood,” but we do have Fourth Street, which is home to a handful of gay bars. And while we lack an LGBTQ community center, you’ll find sober spaces and youth spaces along with QTPOC, trans, HIV-support, and LGBTQ resources within city limits. While this list certainly won’t cover everything – how could it? – these major players will serve as an introduction to the greater qmmunity.