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Gay bathhouses, also known as (gay) saunas or steam baths (and sometimes called, in gay slang in some regions, "the baths" or "the tubs"), are places where men can go to have sex with other men. Not all men who visit such bathhouses consider themselves gay. Bathhouses for women are much rarer, though some men's bathhouses will occasionally have "lesbian" or "women-only" nights. The initialism LGBT is used to refer collectively to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. ... Queer studies is the study of issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. ... Image File history File links Gay_flag. ... Gender in common usage refers to the sexual distinction between male and female. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Bisexuality is a sexual orientation which refers to the romantic and/or sexual attraction of individuals to other individuals of both their own and the opposite gender or sex. ... Transgender (IPA: , from trans (Latin) and gender (English) ) is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies that diverge from the normative gender role (woman or man) commonly, but not always, assigned at birth, as well as the role traditionally held by society. ... LGBT history refers to the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender cultures around the world, dating back to the first recorded instances of same-sex love and sexuality within ancient civilizations. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Discrimination Violence This box:      This timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history details notable events in the Common Era West. ... Gay Liberation (or Gay Lib) is the name used to describe the radical lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered movement of the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s in North America, Western Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence LGBT social movements share related goals of social acceptance of homosexuality or transgenderism. ... This is a timeline of AIDS, including some discussion of early AIDS cases (especially those before 1980). ... Christopher Street Parade Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures concern the culture, knowledge, and references shared by members of sexual minorities or transgendered people by virtue of their membership in those minorities or their state of being transgendered. ... The idea of a gay community is complex reflecting the diverse nature of the individuals who make up that community. ... Gay pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. ... Coming out of the closet (often shortened to coming out in winking reference to the public introduction of debutantes) describes the voluntary public announcement of ones (primarily homosexual or bisexual) sexual orientation or gender identity. ... Gay slang in linguistics refers to a form of English slang used predominantly among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people. ... A gay village (also gay ghetto or gayborhood) is usually an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual people live. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The word queer has traditionally meant strange or unusual, but it is also currently often used in reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual communities. ... Questioning is a term that can refer to a person who is questioning his or her sexual identity or sexual orientation. ... World laws on homosexuality Legality of same-sex unions in the US. Legality of same-sex unions in Europe. ... See also Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage is a term for a governmentally, socially, or religiously recognized marriage in which two people of the same sex live together as a family. ... As unregistered cohabitation Recognised in some regions Recognised prior to legalisation of same-sex marriage Netherlands (nationwide) (1998) Spain (12 of 17 communities) (1998) South Africa (nationwide) (1999) Belgium (nationwide) (2000) Canada (QC, NS and MB) (2001) Recognition debated See also Same-sex marriage Registered partnership Domestic partnership Common-law... LGBT adoption refers to the adoption of children by lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered people. ... sodomy law is a law that defines certain sexual acts as sex crimes. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This box:      The militaries of the world have a variety of responses to homosexual and bisexual orientations. ... A Jewish cemetery in France after being defaced by Neo-Nazis. ... This list indexes the articles on LGBT rights in each country and significant non-country region (e. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Sauna on the lake Vättern, in Karlsborg Municipality. ... Gay slang in linguistics refers to a form of English slang used predominantly among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people. ... Men who have sex with men (MSM) is a term used to classify men who have sex with men, regardless of whether they self-identify as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Bathhouses vary considerably in size and amenities — from small establishments with ten or twenty rooms and a handful of lockers to multi-storey saunas with a variety of room styles or sizes and several steam baths, jacuzzi tubs and sometimes even swimming pools — but nearly all have at least one steam room (or wet sauna), as well as showers, lockers and small private rooms. Unlike at brothels, customers pay only for the use of the facilities; sexual activity, if it occurs, is not provided as a service by staff of the establishment, but is between customers, and no money is exchanged. Many gay bathhouses explicitly prohibit or discourage prostitution and ban known prostitutes. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution, providing the prostitutes a place to meet and to have sex with the clients. ... Whore redirects here. ...

History

The Bowery "Ten Cent Turkish Bath" New York C.1884

Records of men meeting for sex with other men in bathhouses date back to the 15th century though a tradition of public baths dates back to the 6th century BC and there are many ancient records of homosexual activity in Greece.^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata The_Bowery_-_10_cent_Turkish_Bath. ... Image File history File linksMetadata The_Bowery_-_10_cent_Turkish_Bath. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Same-sex love was an sporadic part of civic life in ancient Greece from the seventh century until the Roman era. ...

Men who identify themselves as gay have been using bathhouses for sex since at least the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the West, a time when homosexual acts were illegal in most Western countries and men who were caught engaging in homosexual acts were often arrested and publicly humiliated. Men began frequenting cruising areas such as bathhouses, public parks, alleys, train and bus stations, movie theaters, public lavatories (cottages or tearooms) and gym changing rooms where they could meet other men for sex. Some bathhouse owners tried to prevent sex between patrons while others, mindful of profits or prepared to risk prosecution, overlooked discreet homosexual activity.^[2] GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ... Cruising for sex, or cruising, describes the act of walking or driving about a locality in pursuit of a partner for (often quick and anonymous) sex. ... A public convenience in a Greenwich Park, the design of which may be the origin of the term Cottaging. Cottaging is a gay slang term for having non-committed casual sex in a public lavatory (a cottage) or for cruising for sex or picking up sexual partners in public lavatories...

Early records

1492 Florence

In Florence, Italy, in 1492 there was a purge against the "vice of sodomy". The places used for homosexual acts were known to be taverns, baths and casini (sheds or houses used for illicit sex and gambling). The Eight of Watch (the city's leading criminal court) issued several decrees associated with sodomy and on April 11, 1492 they warned the managers of bathhouses to keep out "suspect boys" on penalty of a fine. In the short period from April 1492 to February 1494 they convicted 44 men for homosexual relations not involving violence or aggravating circumstances.^[3]

1876 Paris

In France the first recorded police raid on a Parisian bathhouse was in 1876 in the Bains de Gymnase on the Rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière when six men aged 14 to 22 were prosecuted for an offense against public decency and the manager and two employees for facilitating pederasty.^[4]

1903 New York

In the United States on February 21, 1903, New York police conducted the first recorded raid on a gay bathhouse, the Ariston Hotel Baths. 26 men were arrested and 12 brought to trial on sodomy charges; 7 men received sentences ranging from 4 to 20 years in prison.^[5]

Florence (Italian: ) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy. ... Decree is an order that has the force of law. ... François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ... // Parisian is a moderate to upscale U.S. chain of department stores, based in Birmingham, Alabama known for its superior level of personalized service and limited distribution of specialty brands such as Juicy Couture, Karen Kane, BCBG Max Azria, Garfield & Marks, Tahari, Jig Saw, 7 For All Mankind, Diesel, Paper... The term pederasty or paederasty embraces a wide range of erotic practices between adult and adolescents, generally between males. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ...

Early gay bathhouses

In New York City, the Everard (nicknamed the Everhard) was converted from a church to a bathhouse in 1888 and was patronized by gay men before the 1920s and by the 1930s had a reputation as "classiest, safest, and best known of the baths." It was damaged by fire on May 25, 1977 when nine men died and several others were seriously injured. The Everard closed in 1986. ^[6] Also popular in the 1910s were the Produce Exchange Baths and the Lafayette Baths (403-405 Lafayette Street, which from 1916 was managed by Ira & George Gershwin). The Penn Post Baths in a hotel basement (The Penn Post Hotel, 304 West 31st Street) was a popular gay location in the 1920s despite a lack of private rooms and seedy condition.^[7] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

In London, the Jermyn Street Turkish Bath became a favorite spot (opened in 1857 under David Urquhart's direction and survived until the 1970s). The journalist A.J. Langguth wrote: ...[The baths at Jermyn Street] represented a twilight arena for elderly men who came to sweat poisons from their systems and youths who came to strike beguiling poses in Turkish towels... although they were closely overseen by attendants, they provided a discreet place to inspect a young man before offering a cup of tea at Lyons.^[8] Regulars included Rock Hudson.^[9] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Jermyn Street is a street in central London, England, parallel and adjacent to Piccadilly that is famous for its resident shirtmakers. ... David Urquhart (1805 - May 16, 1877) was a British diplomat and writer. ... Joseph Lyons and Co. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In the 1950s the Bermondsey Turkish Baths were rated by Kenneth Williams as "quite fabulous" in his diaries. , Bermondsey is an area of south London in the London Borough of Southwark. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Steambaths in the 1930s: The steambaths that had been well known to me were those of East Ham, Greenwich and Bermondsey. In the first two it was frequently possible to indulge in what the Spartacus Guide coyly describes as 'action', but behaviour at all times had to be reasonably cautious. In the Grange Road baths in Bermondsey, however, all restraint could immediately be discarded with the small towels provided to cover your nakedness.^[10] East Ham is a place in the London Borough of Newham. ... Greenwich is a town, now part of the south-eastern urban sprawl of London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Greenwich. ... The Spartacus International Gay Guide is an international gay travel guidebook published bienially since 1970 by Bruno Gmünder Verlag in Berlin, Germany. ...

– Anthony Aspinall, Gay Times Gay Times is the United Kingdoms leading gay magazine,[1][2] for gay and bisexual men. ...

Modern gay bathhouses

Incognito advert 1989

In the 1950s exclusively gay bathhouses began to open in the United States. Though subject to vice raids these bathhouses were "oases of homosexual camaraderie" and were, as they remain today, "places where it was safe to be gay", whether or not patrons themselves identified as homosexual. The gay baths offered a much safer alternative to sex in other public places.^[2] Image File history File linksMetadata Incognito_sauna. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Incognito_sauna. ... One definition of public space or a public place is a place where anyone has a right to come without paying an entrance or other fee. ...

In the late 1960s and 1970s, gay bathhouses — now primarily gay-owned and operated — became fully-licensed, gay establishments which soon became major gay institutions. These bathhouses served as informal gay meeting places, places where friends could meet and relax. Gay bathhouses frequently threw parties for Pride Day and were usually open on public holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, when some gay men, particularly those who had been rejected by their families, had nowhere to go. Gay pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. ... The First Thanksgiving, painted by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930). ... Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. ...

Another service offered by the baths was voter registration. In the run-up to the 1980 election, the New St. Mark's Baths in New York City, with the assistance of the League of Women Voters, conducted a voter registration drive on its premises.^[2] Voting is a method of decision making wherein a group such as a meeting or an electorate attempts to gauge its opinion—usually as a final step following discussions or debates. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The League of Women Voters is a United States non-partisan political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during a meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. ...

In Sydney, Australia, the first gay steam bath was opened in 1967, the Bondi Junction Steam Baths at 109 Oxford Street.^[11] From 1972 through to 1977 the following gay steam baths opened: Ken's (nicknamed "Kandie's", still open in 2007 as "KKK"), No. 253, King Steam, Silhouette American Health Centre, Colt 107 Recreation Centre, Barefoot Boy and Roman Bath (nicknamed "Roman Ruins").^[12]. In Melbourne, Australia, the first gay bathhouse to be opened was "Steamworks" in Latrobe Street, Melbourne in 1979 (still open in 2007). The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4. ... Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ...

In Britain gay saunas were routinely raided by police up until the end of the 1980s (for example raids in May 1988 on Brownies in Streatham, the owner getting a six month jail sentence and a £5,000 fine,^[13][14] and the Brooklyn House Hotel sauna in Manchester).^[15] By the 1990s with increasing scrutiny of the costs of such operations (charges of gross indecency in a sauna normally needing the expense of undercover officers), a reduced likelihood of successful prosecution, concerns of being perceived as homophobic and little public interest in "victimless" crime, gay saunas became free to operate without the risk of being raided by police. Streatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in the United Kingdom . ... This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ... Homophobia is a term used to describe: A culturally determined phobia manifesting as fear, revulsion, or contempt for homosexuality. ...

By then, though, gay bathhouses (or saunas, as they are more commonly known there) were present in most large cities in Australia and New Zealand. As homosexuality was decriminalised in New Zealand and most Australian states during the 1970s and 1980s, there was no criminal conduct occurring on the premises of such "sex on site venues." Such venues also discourage same-sex sex work or prostitution in the same context, given that it would be incongruous to pay for services that would be offered free of charge after paying the entry fee to the venue. A sauna, the wet version also called steam bath, is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet/dry heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities, or the act of using a sauna. ... A sex worker is anyone who earns their living by providing sexual services. ... Whore redirects here. ...

Bathhouses today

Sailors leaflet in 1998

Gay bathhouses today continue to fill much the same function as they did historically, although the community aspect has lessened somewhat in many areas, particularly in Western countries, with the increasing tendency of gay men to come out publicly. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (487x718, 95 KB) Historic interest leaflet from 1998 of Sailors Health Club, a gay sauna in London. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (487x718, 95 KB) Historic interest leaflet from 1998 of Sailors Health Club, a gay sauna in London. ... Coming out of the closet (often shortened to coming out in winking reference to the public introduction of debutantes) describes the voluntary public announcement of ones (primarily homosexual or bisexual) sexual orientation or gender identity. ...

Men still use bathhouses as a convenient, safe place to meet other men for sex, although in some areas where homosexuality is more accepted, safety may no longer be a primary attraction. Certainly bathhouses still offer convenience.

Many bathhouses are open twenty-four hours. There is typically a single customer entrance and exit. After paying at the main wicket, the customer is buzzed through the main door. This system allows establishments to screen potential trouble-makers; many bathhouses refuse entry to those who are visibly intoxicated, as well as to known prostitutes. In some areas, particularly where homosexuality is illegal, considered immoral, or viewed with hostility, this is a necessary safety precaution. For similar reasons, some bathhouses require the presentation of identification, though the majority do not. Drunkenness, in its most common usage, is the state of being intoxicated with alcohol (i. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Sexual encounters at bathhouses are frequently, but not always, anonymous. They sometimes lead to relationships, but most often do not. Bathhouses are still used by men who do not identify as gay or bisexual, but who have sex with men, as well as by those who are closeted and/or in heterosexual relationships and by some men who identify primarily as heterosexual. Bisexuality is a sexual orientation which refers to the romantic and/or sexual attraction of individuals to other individuals of both their own and the opposite gender or sex. ... Men who have sex with men (MSM) is a term used to classify men who have sex with men, regardless of whether they self-identify as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

In many bathhouses the customer has a choice between renting a room or a locker, often for fixed periods of up to twelve hours. A room typically consists of a locker and a single bed (though doubles are sometimes available) with a thin vinyl mat supported on a simple wooden box or frame, an arrangement that facilitates easy cleaning between patrons. In many bathhouses (particularly those outside the United States), some or all of the rooms are freely available to all patrons.

Some men use the baths as a cheaper alternative to hotels, despite their limitations:

• They tend to be noisy, with piped music, pornography, and the activity of other patrons
• The rooms tend to be small (little more than a lockable windowless cubicle containing a locker, a simple bed and a small dustbin) and rather spartan. While a towel and a bedsheet are normally included, blankets or bedcovers are most often not provided. Even a simple electrical outlet may not be available in-room; many bathhouses provide only small lockable cubicles
• In most cases, there are no "in and out privileges"/"passouts", ability to leave the venue and return within a short period: leaving the club means relinquishing one's room or locker and reentering requires paying again

Entrance to Babylonia bathhouse in Prague, 2006

Bathhouses are not always identifiable as such from the outside. Some bathhouses are clearly marked and well lit, others have no marking other than a street address on the door. Bathhouses sometimes display the rainbow flag, which is commonly flown by businesses to identify themselves as gay-run or gay-friendly places. Bathhouses commonly advertise widely in the gay press and sometimes advertise in mainstream newspapers and other media. In 2003 Australia began airing possibly the world's first television advertisements for a gay bathhouse when advertisements on commercial television in Melbourne promoted Wet on Wellington, a sauna in Wellington Street, Collingwood. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 295 KB) Used on the Gay bathhouse as an example of what the outside of a typical fairly anonymous bathhouse really looks like. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 295 KB) Used on the Gay bathhouse as an example of what the outside of a typical fairly anonymous bathhouse really looks like. ... Nickname: Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae Location within the Czech Republic Coordinates: , Country Czech Republic Region Capital City of Prague Founded 9th century Government  - Mayor Pavel Bém Area  - City 496 km²  (191. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ... Collingwood is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...

The advent of the internet has made it significantly easier to find lovers and casual sex partners, and some men who used to frequent the baths may be using internet personals instead. However, for many men the baths offer other attractions: the opportunity for group sex or sex with several partners, public sex, the fantasy areas, convenience and safety, and the use of steam saunas and jacuzzis and other amenities. A personal or personal ad is an item or notice traditionally in the newspaper, similar to a classified ad but personal in nature. ... Public sex is a term to describe sex in a public environment. ... For other uses, see Jacuzzi (disambiguation). ...

Layout and typical amenities

On being buzzed in, the customer receives a towel and the key for his room or locker. Many bathhouses also provide free condoms and lubricant. Some establishments require a piece of identification or an item of value to be left with the front desk on entry. Homosexualities^[16] emphasized the importance of the towel: A standard latex condom still rolled up This article is about the contraceptive device. ... A lubricant (colloquially, lube, although this may also refer to personal lubricants) is a substance (usually a liquid) introduced between two moving surfaces to reduce the friction and wear between them. ...

Visiting a downtown gay bath was in many ways like revisiting a high-school gym - everyone wearing the same towel, in the same color, on the same part of the body. There was no status consciousness in the social-stratification sense; the towel or loincloth created a sort of equal-status social group.

– an ethnographer, Homosexualities, p239, 1979

Bathhouses are usually dimly lit, and pipe in music via a sound system. They are usually laid out in a circular fashion, or in such a way as to allow or encourage customers to wander throughout the establishment. Rooms are usually grouped together, as are lockers. Bathhouses are frequently decorated with posters of nude or semi-nude men, and sometimes explicit depictions of sex. It is not uncommon to see pornographic movies playing on wall-mounted televisions throughout the bathhouse.

Most men typically just wear the towel provided. Some bathhouses are clothing optional and some encourage total nudity. In some bathhouses nudity is forbidden in the common areas of the establishments. While some men may wear underwear or fetish-wear, in most bathhouses it is unusual for customers to remain fully or even partially dressed in street clothes. Barefeet are customary, though some men prefer to wear flip flops or sandals, mostly for foot protection. The room or locker key is usually suspended from an elastic band which can be worn around the wrist or ankle. Fetish clothing includes any type of clothing and clothing material which is commonly fetishized. ... Healthy feet and ideal footprints of a girl who regularly goes barefoot Going barefoot is the practice of walking without shoes or socks. ... In footwear and fashion, flip-flops are a kind of flat, backless sandal that consist of simple soles held on the foot by a V-shaped strap that passes between the toes and around either side of the foot, attached to the sole at three points. ... Sandal (or Sandals) may refer to: Sandal (footwear) are an open type of footwear. ...

Some bathhouses require customers to purchase yearly memberships and many offer special entry rates to members or to students or other groups. In some countries, bathhouses can restrict entrance to men of certain age ranges (apart from the general requirement of being an adult) or physical types, although in other places this would be considered illegal discrimination. Some bathhouses hold occasional "leather", "underwear" or other theme nights. This article is about discrimination in the social science context. ...

The customer undresses; storing his clothing in the locker provided, and is then free to wander throughout the public areas of the bathhouse, which may include:

In the 1970s bathhouses began to install "fantasy environments" which recreated erotic situations that were illegal or dangerous:^[2] For television series episodes entitled Hot Tub, see Hot Tub (Drawn Together episode) or The Hot Tub (Seinfeld episode). ... For the photography term, please see: Darkroom A darkroom or dark room is a darkened room, sometimes located in a nightclub, gay bathhouse or sex club, where sexual activity can take place. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Porn redirects here. ... Image:Tanningbooth large. ...

Orgy rooms . . . encouraged group sex, while glory holes recreated (public) toilets, and mazes took the place of bushes and undergrowth (in public parks). Steam rooms and gyms were reminiscent of the cruisy YMCAs, while video rooms recreated the balconies and back rows of movie theaters. A popular Chicago bathhouse called Man‘s Country provided a full-size model of an Everlast truck where visitors could have sex in the cab or in the rear, which served as an orgy room . . . Man's Country also offered a . . . fake prison cell made of rubber bars. This article is about the association. ... Nickname: Motto: “Urbs in Horto” (Latin: “City in a Garden”), “I Will” Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country United States State Illinois Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ...

– Eddie Coronado, The history of gay bathhouses

Many bathhouses have small shops selling such items as food and drinks, cigarettes, pornography, sex toys, latex gloves, massage oils and lubricants, razors and shaving cream, aftershave and cologne, toothbrushes, hair products, and related items. Some also sell condoms, shower gel, shampoo and hair conditioner, but these are usually provided free. Porn redirects here. ... A sex toy is a term for any object or device that is primarily used in facilitating human sexual pleasure. ... Shower gel is the general term for liquid soap, which is used for cleaning the body while showering. ... Shampoo is a common hair care product used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair. ... Hair conditioners, sometimes called cream rinse, are often used in hair care alongside shampoo, to improve the texture and appearance of human hair. ...

Some bathhouses provide non-sexual services such as massage and reflexology. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This is an example of a reflexology chart, correlating areas of the feet with organs in the zones of the body. ...

Etiquette

Customers typically divide their time between the showers/saunas/jacuzzis and the main areas of the establishment. Customers who have rented rooms may choose to rest there from time to time, while those who have rented lockers must rest in the public areas such as the café or lounge.

Customers who have rooms may leave their room doors open to signal that they are available for sex. An open door can also be an invitation for others to watch or join in sexual activity that is already occurring. In these situations, a partially open door often means that observation from outside the room is desired, but entry into the room is not wanted. A door that is completely open however, usually signifies that anyone is welcome to join in the activity inside the room. In all situations, it is considered poor etiquette to simply walk into a room without some form of invitation by the occupant. When a room is occupied only by a single person, some men will position themselves to suggest what they might like from someone joining them in the room: those who would like to be penetrated anally ("bottoms") will sometimes lie face down on the bed with the door open, while those who prefer to penetrate others ("tops") or to engage in fellatio might lie face up. Roman men having anal sex. ... Fellatio is oral sex performed upon the male human penis. ...

In the past, the baths served as community spaces for gay men. Even now, some men choose to go to the baths with their friends (even though they may not necessarily have sex with each other). While many men talk to each other at the baths, even forming long-lasting friendships or relationships, many others do not, preferring, for various reasons, anonymity.

But I’ve been to a sauna recently in New Zealand, where everyone just chatted away, which I found very strange. Um, but you know, that’s because I guess it was a smaller city and people generally knew each other.^[17]

– "S Alfred", The Social Construction of Sexual Practice (PhD Thesis, Juliet Richters)

Interested men will usually look at each other; in this highly sexualized environment a look is frequently enough to express interest. A nod signals interest, while looking away or shaking the head is usually enough to signal a lack of interest, though sometimes people misunderstand or refuse to take the hint. Such men are called trolls. In darkened areas of the establishment including the mazes, video rooms, group sex areas, and the saunas or hot tubs (but not generally in the showers, toilets, hallways, gyms, café areas and lounges), men are usually free to touch other patrons; it is expected and usually — but not always — welcomed. A shake of the head, or pushing away the other's hand, means that the attention is not welcomed. Troll can have several different meanings: A Troll is a fictitious, mythological creature. ...

I normally find people with groping don’t go away. You really have to as they grope your crotch area grab their hand and push it away and there have been times when I’ve had to do that three, two or three or four times before they actually get the message. There’s also been times when I actually just had to say to them to f*** off.^[17]

– "Richard", The Social Construction of Sexual Practice (PhD Thesis, Juliet Richters)

Some establishments allow or encourage sex in public areas (albeit usually excluding the hallways, toilets, cafés, gyms and lounges) while others do not; in some jurisdictions such activity is prohibited, and sex must be confined to private rooms. In such areas individual bathhouses enforce these rules to varying degrees, often at their own legal risk. Some forbid sex in pools for hygiene reasons. Customers are usually free to watch others masturbating or having sex in public areas, and also to join in, providing none of the participants objects.

Gay bathhouses and risky behaviour

Spreading sexually transmitted diseases

From the mid-1980s onwards there was lobbying against gay bathhouses blaming them for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), in particular HIV, and this forced their closure in some jurisdictions (see Legal issues, below).^[18][19] Sociologist Stephen O. Murray, writes that, "there was never any evidence presented that going to bathhouses was a risk-factor for contracting AIDS."^[20] A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an illness caused by an infectious pathogen that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. ... Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ...

In some countries, fears about the spread of STDs have prompted the closing of bathhouses — with their private rooms — in favour of sex clubs, in which all sexual activity takes place in the open, and can be observed by monitors whose job it is to enforce safe-sex practices. However, proponents of bathhouses point out that closing these facilities does not prevent people from engaging in unsafe sex. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Neither the claim that bathhouses are responsible for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, nor the claim that they are not, has been conclusively proved, but it is known that STDs are spread via unprotected sex, and as part of their membership agreement, or as a condition of entry, some bathhouses now require customers to affirm in writing that they will only practice safe sex on the premises, and venues frequently provide free condoms, latex gloves and lubrication (and/or have them available for purchase). In New Zealand and Australia, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and constituent members of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations provide safe sex information for sex on site venue users [1] Safe sex (also called safer sex or protected sex) is a set of practices that are designed to reduce the risk of infection during sexual intercourse to avoid developing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). ... A condom is a device, usually made of latex, or more recently polyurethane, that is used during sexual intercourse. ... A blue nitrile medical glove. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Safe sex (also called safer sex or protected sex) is a set of practices that are designed to reduce the risk of infection during sexual intercourse to avoid developing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). ...

Some anti-bathhouse activists argue that these measures are not enough, especially given that it is virtually impossible to monitor sexual activity in a bathhouse; however, while they acknowledge that closing gay bathhouses may force some men into unsafe or illegal situations in public parks and lavatories, they point out that they may be less likely to engage in anal or multipartner sex — both of which put participants at risk for contracting STDs — in such situations.^[21] Cruising for sex, or cruising, describes the act of walking or driving about a locality in pursuit of a partner for (often quick and anonymous) sex. ... A public convenience in a Greenwich Park, the design of which may be the origin of the term Cottaging. Cottaging is a gay slang term for having non-committed casual sex in a public lavatory (a cottage) or for cruising for sex or picking up sexual partners in public lavatories...

Others counter these claims by pointing out that bathhouses are a major source of safer sex information — they provide pamphlets and post safer sex posters prominently (often on the walls of each room as well as in the common areas), provide free condoms and lubricants, and often require patrons to affirm that they will only have safer sex on the premises. In cities with larger gay populations, STD and HIV testing and counseling may be offered on-site for no charge.

Taking drugs and drinking

A related issue is that of drug and alcohol consumption. In some countries, most bathhouses are prohibited from selling alcohol, but in other countries, such as Japan, they are not. (In Canada, where some bathhouses serve alcohol, a bathhouse holding a liquor license may be required to submit to liquor inspections, which activists claim are often a pretext for regulating gay sexual activity.) Many bathhouses deny entry to those who are visibly intoxicated but do not — or cannot — regulate the consumption of drugs (typically alcohol, marijuana, poppers, ecstasy and cocaine) by their patrons. This is a problem because the use of drugs and alcohol may make people more likely to engage in unsafe sex. Intravenous drug users may be more likely to share needles, considered a very high risk activity, while under the effects of narcotics. Sex clubs, which have no private areas, find it easier to regulate consumption of drugs on their premises. Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events... Functional group of an alcohol molecule. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ... Variety of popper brands Poppers is the street term for various alkyl nitrites taken for recreational purposes through direct inhalation, particularly amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite. ... MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), most commonly known by the street names ecstasy or XTC (for more names see the full list), is a synthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family, whose primary effect is believed to be the stimulation of secretion as well as inhibition of re-uptake of large amounts... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... An intravenous drug (IV drug) is a drug administered intravenously, either by an intravenous drip or a syringe. ...

The use of Crystal meth is also known to lead to riskier sexual behaviour, but since gay Crystal users tend to seek out other users to engage in sexual activity, they often prefer to make such arrangements via the Internet; for more information, see Crystal and sex. Methamphetamine (methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine), popularly shortened to meth, is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. ... Crystal d-methamphetamine hydrochloride (commonly known as Crystal meth, Crystal, or meth) is the crystalline form of methamphetamine, a powerfully addictive stimulant drug often used recreationally as a party drug. ...

Legal issues

Canada

Toronto bathhouse raids of 1981

On February 5, 1981, 150 police raided four gay bathhouses in Toronto, Ontario: the Club Baths, the Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, the Richmond Street Health Emporium, and The Barracks. The Richmond Health Emporium was so badly damaged in the raid that it never reopened. Nicknamed Operation Soap, the raid resulted in the arrests of 268 men who were charged as found-ins ("found in a bawdy house") and 19 others who were charged as "keepers of a common bawdy house". There was an immediate and angry response from both the gay and lesbian community and others who condemned the raids as unconstitutional, and over 3000 people gathered in downtown streets in protest. Over 1400 people joined the "Right to Privacy Committee" to set up a defense campaign for those charged in the raids and to organize a second demonstration which took place on February 20, and included over 4000 people who gathered at Queen's Park and marched to Metro Toronto Police's 52 Division (9). See 1981 Toronto bathhouse raids for more information.

Raid on Pussy Palace

In 2000, Toronto police raided Pussy Palace, a women's night at a bathhouse called Club Toronto. Police, almost all of them male, entered the establishment and walked around, taking the names and addresses of some 10 women. The raid caused much anger.

Canadian filmmaker and actor Sky Gilbert argued that the women had a right to privacy and the police had violated that right: "What happened at Club Toronto last Friday night is that these women were raped; not physically, but morally, emotionally and spiritually. They had established a haven - a safe, private space to explore their sexuality (which is still held in contempt by most of society) - and these police officers violated it."^[22]

Raid on Goliath's

In December 2002, Calgary police raided Goliath's, one of the city's oldest baths, resulting in charges against 19 men. Fifteen men were arrested in the raid. Thirteen customers were charged as "found-ins" (found in a common bawdy house without a legal excuse) and two staff members were charged with the more serious offense of keeping a common bawdy house. The customers faced up to two years in prison. In addition, the owners of the bathhouse and a third staff member were later charged with keeping a common bawdy house. The Canadian media declined to publish the names of the men.^[23]

At issue is the bawdy house section of the Criminal Code, a law that was created in Victorian times to regulate prostitution. The code defines a bawdy house as a place where prostitution and/or indecent acts occur. Lawyers for the defense argued that since police were not alleging any prostitution took place at Goliath's, they were thus arguing that gay sex was by definition indecent.

On May 27, 2004, a judge ruled that the police had reasonable justification to raid Goliath's. Defense lawyers countered that none of the anonymous information the police acted upon — for example that live sex shows were being staged and drugs sold on the premises — featured in the charges made against the seventeen men. They also pointed out that the police failed to call in the force's gay community liaison officer.

Goliath's reopened a little more than a month after the raid and remains open.

In November 2004, the Crown stayed the found-in charge against the last remaining patron, saying it was no longer in the public interest to pursue the case. The case against the owners and managers of Goliath's, however, was expected to come to trial in February of 2005, with the defendants having to prove that the activity that the police allegedly witnessed at Goliath's was not indecent.

Terry Haldane, the only "found-in" patron who was actively fighting the charge against him, accused the Crown of dropping the charge because Haldane and his lawyers had given notice of their plan to challenge the bawdy house law all the way to the Supreme Court. Haldane has stated that he will continue his fight, though he will now have to mount a new legal challenge.

In February 2005, all remaining charges in the case were dropped. The court cited a lack of community support and evidence (from a poll) that the community supported the existence of gay bathhouses by a small margin.^[24]

Raid on Hamilton's Warehouse Spa

On 3 August 2004, Hamilton's Warehouse Spa and Bath was "inspected" by a task force of officers from the police, public health, the city's building and licensing department, the fire department and the alcohol and gaming commission. Two men were arrested and charged with committing indecent acts.^[25][26]

is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Gay bathhouses, also known as (gay) saunas or steam baths (and sometimes called, in gay slang in some regions, the baths or the tubs), are places where men can go to have sex with other men. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Discrimination Violence This box:      The 1981 Toronto bathhouse raids marked a major turning point in the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community in Canada. ... Sky Gilbert is a Canadian writer, actor and drag performer. ... Nickname: Motto: Onward Location of Calgary in Alberta Coordinates: , Country  Canada Province  Alberta Region Calgary Region Census division 6 Established 1875 Incorporated 1884 (town)   1894 (city) Government [1]  - Mayor Dave Bronconnier (Past mayors)  - Governing body Calgary City Council  - Manager Owen A. Tobert  - MPs List of MPs Diane Ablonczy Rob Anders... A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution, providing the prostitutes a place to meet and to have sex with the clients. ... A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Together Aspire - Together Achieve Location in the province of Ontario, Canada Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Incorporated June 9, 1846[1] Government  - Mayor Fred Eisenberger  - City Council Hamilton City Council  - Representatives 5 MPs and 5 MPPs Area [2]  - City 1,138. ...

United States

In California the "Consenting Adult Sex Bill," passed in January 1976, made gay bathhouses and the sex that took place within them legal for the first time. In 1978 a group of police officers raided the Liberty Baths in San Francisco and arrested three patrons for "lewd conduct in a public place," but the District Attorney's office soon dropped the charges against them.^[2] In 1984, however, fear of AIDS caused the San Francisco Health Department, with the support of some gay activists, and against the opposition of other gay activists, to ask the courts to close gay bathhouses in the city. The court, under Judge Roy Wonder instead issued a court order that limited sexual practices and disallowed renting of private rooms in bathhouses, so that sexual activity could be monitored, as a public health measure. Some of the bathhouses tried to live within the strict rules of this court order, but many of them felt they could not easily do business under the new rules and closed. Eventually, the few remaining actual bathhouses succumbed to either economic pressures or the continuing legal pressures of the city and finally closed. Several sex clubs, which were not officially bathhouses, continued to operate indefinitely and operate to this day, though following strict rules under the court order and city regulations. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ...

The following year the New York City Health Department ordered that city's gay bathhouses closed; as an unintended consequence, heterosexual sex clubs such as the notorious Plato's Retreat had to shut down as well because the city had just passed a gay rights ordinance, and allowing the heterosexual clubs to remain open while closing the gay establishments would have been a violation of the newly-approved law. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Platos Retreat was a sex club in New York City, owned by Larry Levenson, that catered to heterosexual couples. ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also...

Famous bathhouse regulars

Charles Demuth Bathhouse and Self Portrait 1918

Truman Capote

The American writer Truman Capote (1924–1984) was a regular at the baths in the 1970s and in particular the sauna at West 58th Street.^[27]

Charles Demuth

American precisionist painter Charles Demuth (1883-1935) used the Lafayette Baths as his favourite haunt. His 1918 homoerotic self portrait set in a Turkish Bathhouse is likely to be set there.^[7]

Charles Griffes

The American composer Charles Griffes (1884-1920) wrote in his diaries about his gay life including visits to the New York bathhouses and the YMCA. His biography states: So great was his need to be with boys, that though his home contained two pianos, he chose to practice at an instrument at the Y, and his favorite time was when the players were coming and going from their games.^[28]

When a friend with “little experience but great desire” confided his homosexual longings to Charles Griffes in 1916, Griffes took him to the Lafayette so that he could meet other gay men and explore his sexual interests in a supportive environment: the friend was “astounded and fascinated” by what he saw there. The baths also encouraged more advanced forms of sexual experimentation. Griffes himself had had his first encounter with a man interested in sadomasochism at the Lafayette two years earlier (he found the man “interesting” but the experience unappealing), and several men interviewed in the mid-1930s referred to experimenting in the baths and learning of new pleasures.^[5] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (652x836, 78 KB) Charles Demuth (1883-1935), Turkish Bath with Self Portrait Date: (1918) ÄŒesky | Deutsch | English | Ελληνικά | Español | فارسی | Français | עברית | Indonesian | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Magyar | Nederlands | Polski | Português | RomânÇŽ | Русский | Slovenščina | Српски | Sunda | 简体中文 | 正體中文 | Türkçe | Русский | Українська +/- File links The following pages... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (652x836, 78 KB) Charles Demuth (1883-1935), Turkish Bath with Self Portrait Date: (1918) ÄŒesky | Deutsch | English | Ελληνικά | Español | فارسی | Français | עברית | Indonesian | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Magyar | Nederlands | Polski | Português | RomânÇŽ | Русский | Slovenščina | Српски | Sunda | 简体中文 | 正體中文 | Türkçe | Русский | Українська +/- File links The following pages... Charles Demuth (November 9, 1883 - October 23, 1935) was an American precisionist painter. ... Truman Capote (pronounced ) (30 September 1924 – 25 August 1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffanys (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a non-fiction novel. ... Charles Demuth (November 9, 1883 - October 23, 1935) was an American precisionist painter. ... Charles Tomlinson Griffes (Elmira, New York September 17, 1884 – April 8, 1920 in New York City} was an American composer. ... NY redirects here. ... This article is about the association. ... This article is about the association. ... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ...

– George Chauncey, Gay New York 1995

Michel Foucault

The influencial 20th century French Philosopher Michel Foucault (1926–1984) visited bathhouses in California in the 1970s. He died of AIDS-related causes in 1984.

Justin Fashanu

The first openly gay British footballer Justin Fashanu (1961–1998) spent his last night in Chariots Roman Spa. His suicide was due to press reports that the US authorities were planning to extradite him and charge him with sexual assault (there was in fact no warrant). His suicide note claimed that the sexual encounter had been consensual and that the youth contacted police only after Fashanu refused to pay him blackmail.

Mikhail Kuzmin

Russian poet, novelist and composer Mikhail Kuzmin (1872–1936) is known to have patronized bathhouses. Some of the bathhouses in St. Petersburg at the time became known as friendly to gay men and provided "attendants," who might provide sexual services for a fee. In his diary, Kuzmin writes of one bathhouse visit: the evening I had the urge to go to a bathhouse simply to be stylish, for the fun of it, for cleanliness.^[29]

Rudolf Nureyev

The Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993) was known to frequent the baths in New York^[27]

Michel Foucault (IPA pronunciation: ) (October 15, 1926 – June 25, 1984) was a French philosopher and historian. ... Justinus Soni Fashanu (February 19, 1961 – May 2, 1998) was an English footballer. ... Mikhail Alekseevich Kuzmin (Михаил Алексеевич Кузмин, 1872 - 1936) was a Russian reincarnation of Andre Gide. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Celebrities and the Continental Baths

Main article: Continental Baths

Singer Bette Midler is well-known for getting her start at the famous Continental Baths in New York City the early 1970s, where she earned the nickname Bathhouse Betty. It was there, accompanied by pianist Barry Manilow (who, like the bathhouse patrons, sometimes wore only a white towel^[2]) that she created her stage persona "the Divine Miss M." Early Continental Baths advert In the late 1960s, Steve Ostrow opened the famous Continental Baths in the basement of the landmark 1903 Ansonia Hotel, New York City. ... Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known to her fans as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. ... Early Continental Baths advert In the late 1960s, Steve Ostrow opened the famous Continental Baths in the basement of the landmark 1903 Ansonia Hotel, New York City. ... Barry Manilow is an American singer and songwriter best known for his recordings I Write the Songs, Mandy and Copacabana. His career achievements include selling more than 75 million records worldwide. ...

On getting her start in bathhouses, Midler has remarked:

Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days [when I got my start singing at the gay bathhouses]. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride.^[30]

Other famous performers who appeared at the Continental include Melba Moore, Labelle, Peter Allen, Cab Calloway, The Manhattan Transfer, John Davidson, and Wayland Flowers. Melba Moore (born Melba Hill, 29 October 1945, in New York City) is an American R&B singer and actress. ... Labelle (with the b written in small caps, while the spelling LaBelle exclusively refers to the stage surname of the groups lead vocalist, Patti LaBelle) was an American R&B/soul group, who successfully melded disco with funk and glam rock, resulting in such memorable songs as Lady Marmalade... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Cab Calloway, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1933 Cab Calloway (December 25, 1907–November 18, 1994) was a famous American jazz singer and bandleader. ... The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal group that was established in New York City in 1972. ... Wayland Flowers (November 26, 1939 - October 11, 1988) was a ventriloquist. ...

Footnotes

is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

References

For the 2004 movie about Alfred Kinsey see Kinsey . ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... fab is a Canadian gay magazine, which publishes biweekly in Toronto, Ontario. ... fab is a Canadian gay magazine, which publishes biweekly in Toronto, Ontario. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ...

See also

• List of gay-related topics
• Bath house
• Continental Baths
• Portal:Sexuality, Public sex
• Hall-Carpenter Archives

A bath house is a place where people bathe. ... Early Continental Baths advert In the late 1960s, Steve Ostrow opened the famous Continental Baths in the basement of the landmark 1903 Ansonia Hotel, New York City. ... Public sex is a term to describe sex in a public environment. ... Hall-Carpenter Archives logo The Hall-Carpenter Archives are named after the authors Marguerite Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943) and Edward Carpenter (1844-1929). ...

External links

Bathhouse Lists

• BathhouseAddict.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
• BathHouseGuide.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
• International Gay Sauna and Bathhouse Register. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
• Scene-OUT.com sauna reviews. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
• Squirt.org Worldwide Sauna Listings along with user generated comments and reviews.

Particularly noteworthy bathhouses

• Centurian Sauna. Retrieved on 2006-12-27. sauna in Auckland, NZ
• Chariots Health Clubs. Retrieved on 2006-12-27. sauna chain in London
• The New Denmark. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. Newly rebuilt sauna in Brighton & Hove.

History

• VictorianTurkishBath.org. Retrieved on 2006-12-27. historical directory of British Baths