Gay Discos
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Gay disco started out in New York City at the legendary private party The Loft in 1970. At the same time gay disco culture spread to the Pines and Cherry Grove, Fire Island.
Gay disco was predominately found in major U.S. cities throughout the early 1970's. Gay disco went mainstream with the opening of Studio 54 in 1977.
Disco culture suffered from the anti-AIDS fear of the 1980s with many people associating gay disco culture with promiscuity and a hedonistic lifestyle. At that point in time disco started being called "dance music" and discos, "dance clubs".
Among the most popular gay discos throughout cities across the United States were:
Atlanta, Georgia
Boston, Massachusetts
Chicago, Illinois
Fire Island, NY
Fresno, CA
Honolulu, Hawaii
Key West, Florida
Laguna Beach, California
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
- The Copa, The Warehouse VIII, Ambassador III, Keith's Cruise Room, The Poop Deck (at the Marlin Beach Hotel)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York City, New York
- Club Casablanca, The Flamingo, The Limelight, The Loft, The Nickel Bar,Omega, The Saint, Sanctuary, Studio 54, Tamburlaine
Oakland, California
Orlando, Florida
Palm Springs, California
Provincetown, Massachusetts
San Francisco, California
Seattle, Washington