Greetings from the Gayborhood!
by ilcorago
After World War II, LGBT identified enclaves sprung up in cities all across America. These enclaves were urban spaces where middle class lesbians, gay men and trans people could begin to live open, public lives. In this blog, using photos, newspapers and interviews, I’ll tell how Philadelphia’s Gayborhood, honored by the city with 36 rainbow street signs in 2007, grew and flourished along with the community that built it. I’ll deal mostly with locations, especially those that are still LGBT identified today, but I’ll cover other interesting stories in the Gayborhood through a series of short posts called “Straight Snapshots.” This blog would not have been possible without the groundbreaking work of Marc Stein and his City of Sisterly & Brotherly Loves, still the only major work on Philadelphia LGBT history.
In October of 2013, the Gayborhood Guru was mentioned in The Guardian in a column called “Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia: best blogs for travelers” :
Please feel free to share your memories of any of these spaces; I’d be glad to post them!
Thank you so much for this amazingly informative site! I’ve been in Philadelphia for 12 years, and have only been able to piece together what friends have told me here and there. Keep up the great work!
Best Regards, Mike Sweeney
Mike, thanks so much for the kind words. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the information here. There are some great stories!
As a 28-year-old native-born Philadelphian who is 100% for full LGBT rights & also loves personal history stories, I have to say this is one of the best sites I have come across in ages! I found your site by looking for info on the Parker-Spruce hotel.
I’ve been coming to the Gaybourhood for only about a decade now & so I wonder intensely how it came to be & evolved. Many fun hours of reading & learning to be done here, all thanks to you! :-)
Very well done! Thanks!
Ivy – thanks so much for your kind words.