The Wandering Queer
The Wandering Queer
35 Bars, One Map
After learning about the Lesbian Bar Project, lesbianbarproject.com, I was struck by the voices it had collected. I had unexpectedly stumbled into a living archive. The Project’s portraits and oral histories made each space feel like a character in a larger story—places where people found refuge, flirtation, overcame challenges, and shared collective joy. I kept returning to one question: had anyone ever visited every single bar on that list?
The question was less about a checklist and more about the transformation that comes through shared experience. I immediately mapped all 35 locations. It felt urgent and necessary. One bar listed on the Project's website had already closed, a quiet reminder that lesbian/queer spaces can be fragile and sometimes fleeting. I made a plan and built this website. Over the next year, I'll be hitting the road to meet the people who keep these spaces alive, listen, learn, and share their stories along the way.
The Wandering Queer was born out of curiosity, love, and a desire to celebrate our community, one stop at a time.
The Bar Map
Here are the 35 lesbian/queer bars across the United States who create safety, community, and, let's face it, know how to have a good time. We'll visit all of them and discover the people, places, and stories along the way!