Binghamton gay bars
Your guide to BU’s lgbtq+ community
By archives -
Some guys like girls and some guys like guys. If you are like me and happen to be in the latter category, this guide is for you.
Coming out
The conclusion to come out is one you have to make on your control . I will admit that while I am almost completely out, there are still people I am not out to yet. Despite this, those who I have come out to have been more accepting than I could have possibly imagined, and I did not miss a single friend as a result of coming out. Besides, many of your friends (especially the girls) are probably already suspicious. Or not. I actually had to reach out to my freshman year suitemates around five or six times before they would believe me. Coming out made me happier and allowed me to develop closer friendships. College, especially Binghamton University, is a relatively unharmed place to come out because you are away from home. If you choose not to arrive out, that is your choice. Just please don’t get into a association with a girl, because it’s not fair to her.
Going Downtown
Merlin’s, located at 201 State St. in Downtown Binghamton (about two blocks past most o
A brief history of Binghamton gay bars
Tucked in a Chenango Street parking lot, Binghamton’s last homosexual bar carries on the tradition of an area once rife with LGBTQ hotspots. Squiggy’s Lock is owned and run by Binghamton community member Jo Strong, a veteran of the Triple Cities’ thriving male lover and lesbian social scenes of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
Originally from Deposit, New York, a town in nearby Delaware County, Solid moved to Binghamton in the mid-‘70s to work at General Electric. While she missed out on a lot of the party scene because she was working while going to blackout school, she still frequented many of the era’s widespread bars. As first as the ‘50s, Binghamton was house to an LGBTQ social scene that became increasingly less covert with the advent of the gay liberation movement.
According to Greene people member Bob Bullock, a bar called Poor George’s beachcomber served as a clandestine meeting place in the adv ‘50s and in advance ‘60s. When it was razed for urban renewal, the owner opened a new bar called the Gaslight Dwelling, and the crowds followed.
In the ’70s, crowds flocked to the Cadillac Block and Grill, which was located at the corner of Court and Front near what i
'My work is done': Merlin's owner to close doors this weekend
This weekend, a nightlife fixture in downtown Binghamton will close its doors, living up to a prediction its owner made when the business opened.
Merlin's Dance Club, Wine Bar and Lounge, at 73 Court St., will contain its final drag show Friday, coinciding with downtown Binghamton's First Friday Art Walk.
Owner Lauren Hering, 49, of Johnson City, opened the establishment as a welcoming space for those in the lesbian, male lover, bisexual and transgender community 11 years ago. At the time, she said, people asked about her hopes for the venture.
"I hope I go out of business," she'd reply. "Then my work will have been done."
Merlin's — named for the dog of former Prism owner, the late Doug Guiles — opened in 2004 at 201 State St. in Binghamton, now the home of Social on State. Hering set out to create an inclusive space at a spot she said distributed a long history with the gay rights movement.
"There was a time when the name of gay bars in any town were known only to the gay community," she said. "People with a history in the Binghamton LGBT community remember what it was like in those days."
Richard Weisenthal, 72, has been
Binghamton LGBTQ City Guide
Binghamton, New York is a friendly, gradual, and diverse municipality situated where the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers meet. It is home to Binghamton University as well as many businesses and corporations, in addition to having a thriving arts and society scene. It is also a urban area full of walkable streets and warm neighborhoods, and no shortage of amiable people, including a vibrant LGBTQ society. If you’re thinking of finding your next home in Binghamton, chances are, you’ll find plenty about it to love.
A Look at Binghamton's History
Binghamton was founded in the early 1800s, and was initially known as “Chenango Point”. It was ultimately named after Philadelphia native William Bingham, who was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress, and a major land speculator. The town grew quickly because of its riverside location, and quickly became an important center for commerce and trade. Today it remains a diverse and thriving municipality with plenty of opportunities and much to see and do for all who call it home.
A Few Pleasurable Facts About Binghamton
- Binghamton is often called “Parlor City,&r