Gay beach laguna
The rise and plunge of Laguna Beach, a gay California hotspot
Standing on the beach steps with a verboten Zima bottle in hand, I looked up at the great white building above, thumping with melody, colored lights flashing from the windows, scared and praying I could become inside.
I was 18, I was terrified, and I wanted to go into my first queer club, the Boom Boom Room in Laguna Beach, California, a seaside town that, before its rise to prominence via an MTV reality series and Bravo’s inaugural Real Housewives series, was known as a queer-friendly enclave in Orange County. It was an oasis for the LGBTQ residents of a county with the unfortunate tagline “Behind the orange curtain” due to its political conservatism.
I knew that AIDS/HIV affected the regulars inside the packed venue—as well as the city’s population—but not to what extent. I knew that, only two years before, a football player at a nearby high institution had nearly lost a gay male to death on this beach, in one of several local hate crimes aimed at lgbtq+ men. And I knew that the recently procured artificial driver’s license in my wallet looked nothing like me.
What I didn’t comprehend was that, a decade later, the city that was once known
The City eventually made Main Beach a public park, also famous as the ‘Window to the Sea.’ The gay culture eventually migrated to the 1400 block of South Coast Highway, which was home to The Coast Inn, Boom Boom Room and a gay dinner house. This became the hub and heart of same-sex attracted culture for the next several decades.
It was in 1982, that Laguna Beach made national news by electing the first openly gay mayor in Orange County, Bob Gentry. The city continued to be a haven and amiable place for the local LGBTQ community
During the day crowds flock to WEST STREET, the unofficial gay beach.
On May 9, 2017, the City of Laguna Beach presented the LGBT Heritage and Culture Committee with a proclamation recognizing the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Double attraction & Transgender Heritage and Society Month in Laguna Beach. Be sure to celebrate Gay Identity festival month with us every tardy May/early June.
PRIDE MONTH:
Celebrate Pride in Laguna Beach by enjoying events:
LAGUNA BEACH PRIDE 365
While the town has settled down some in recent years from its heyday in the 60s, Laguna Beach remains to be a vibrant pull for the LGBTQ community and their families. Events, art galleries, hotels, boutique
Laguna Beach, CA – A Longtime LGBTQ Destination
Laguna Beach is a attractive coastal city in Orange County, California, that has a long history of celebrating the LGBTQ collective and is known for its many art galleries, beaches, and beautiful spontaneous habitats. It is an eclectic, diverse community that loves nature, the arts, and that celebrates the wide variety of diverse residents and neighborhoods that make it wonderful.
A Watch at Laguna Beach History
Laguna Beach was initially part of a land grant from Mexico in 1837, and was initially named Lagona, which is a variation of the Spanish word meaning “lagoon“ because of the two lagoons at the entrance to Laguna Canyon. In 1904 it was renamed Laguna Beach. Known for its gorgeous cliffs, canyons, and coves it quickly developed as a coastal resort, and is still a city that draws millions of visitors each year. It is also established for its vibrant arts scene including many art festivals which are held throughout the year. It is also a metropolis of stunning natural beauty including several wilderness parks and nature preserves, in addition to its attractive beaches.
A Few Fun Proof About Laguna Beach
- Laguna Beach has mor
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