But in the 1970s, ’80s and even into the ’90s, they existed in shadowy, cloak-and-dagger secretiveness, boarded-up taverns with blacked-out windows and inconspicuous entrances. Historically, the gay bar has been a safe haven and gathering place for people to mingle without fear. Artificial smoke clouds the air, heavy beats pulse that air, and a bespectacled 20-something puts on airs as he enthusiastically evaluates the posteriors of passing patrons.
