Gay club madison
An LGBTQ+ student’s guide to Madison
Madison has been named among the gayest cities in the United States for its progressive atmosphere and rich queer history.
But for many incoming Homosexual students seeking community at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, starting the search can be an overwhelming task. To kick off Celebration Month, The Daily Cardinal compiled a list of activities and locations in Madison for queer people to experience community.
Campus organizations
Gender and Sexuality Campus Center: Located in the Red Gym, UW-Madison’s Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) provides education, advocacy and resources to foster a welcoming environment for Diverse students and allies. The GSCC is known for hosting popular welcome events such as Drag Bingo and offering scholarships to new students. Students can drop by during GSCC hours to peruse a collection of queer books, eat snacks or utilize free printing services.
The Self-acceptance Society: Founded in 1983 upon the passage of Wisconsin’s gay rights legislation, The Pride Society is best known for its annual “Pride Prom” with unique themes and flamboyant performance artists. The Lgbtq+ fest Society also hosts movie
Rod's bar became a male lover icon and legend among gay men in the 1980's and 1990's Madison. Opened by entrepreneur Rodney Scheel and located in the lower level (basement) of the Hotel Washington building just west of downtown Madison (which Rodney owned with his brother Greg), the bar had a decidedly leather/levi type ambiance. Early on, "Rod's" took on a "tradition" of the bartenders holding surprise "spot checks" for men wearing underwear- which, if found, were promptly removed (cut off) and hung over the pipes on the ceiling of the bar. In no time the pipes running in the main block room were draped with countless cut-off underwear. The bar became an extremely popular destination for men throughout Wisconsin and even from northern Illinois.
Over moment, the bar opened additional rooms in the endorse, one of which showed adult male (i.e. homosexual porn) videos. (On the seedier side, Rod's "men's room" had its retain little tradition: on occasion one might find, along the walls holding the urinals, someone kneeling: aficionados of "water sports" were to be found that night!)
An outdoor patio was a very popular addition. Opened outside/ upstairs, the patio was popular spring, summer and fall eveni
The Club 5 Complex was opened by Ed Grunewald as a replacement for his 'Manoeuvres' bar, which needed more room for expansion. He created a large complex of several separate serving bars, a restaurant, and outside territory for volleyball etc. From the beginning, the business had three separate identities within the building, specifically:
Club 5 restaurant and Bar: The major portion of the space was a DJ area and big dance floor area with a couple of bars. The "full service restaurant... serves lunch, dinner and Fri./Sat. after hours".
Barracks: Men's bar, rustic setting. A place for the Levi/Leather community, Unicorns of Madison meetings and club nights, special events, etc. Always had many guys in jeans and t-shirts, or often shirtless. At times showed X-rated/ 'Adult' movies.
Planet Q Video Dance Bar: with pool tables, dart boards, etc.
Early ads also mentioned a "Q Present Shop". And in April 1999, Ed added The Fox Hole womyn's prevent to the building.
Club 5 came about largely to fulfill a desperate want. During the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, the main LGBTQ bars in the Madison area were Rod's (levi/ leather bar), the New Bar (dance ba
30+ LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses in Madison
LGBTQ+ pride is a year-round thing in Madison.
Opting for openness over “us vs. them” and kindness over competition, we’re a metropolis known for its progressiveness. We’re proud that Gay owned-and-operated businesses (and Homosexual friendly businesses) continue to flourish here.
Though the vast pride event in Madison isn’t until August, we’ve got more than 30 LGBTQ+ businesses to back while you’re eating, drinking and traveling your way through Madison.
From coffee shops to brunch, take a day (or two! or more!) to check these spots out. Looking for more LGBTQ+ culture in Madison? Check out what our friends Joey Amato from Pride Journeys and Maartje Hensen said about their visits to Madison.
Jump around to find LGBTQ+ owned businesses by category:
Coffee and Cafes
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Restaurants and Bars
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Clubs and Lounges
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Shops and Bookstores
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Breweries and Wine
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Attractions and Nonprofits
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Find other LGBTQ+ friendly businesses in Destination Ma
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