Who really owns the places we once called safe?

For decades, LGBTQ venues were built as sanctuaries—safe spaces when the world outside wasn’t welcoming. But in 2025, if our community can drink and dance almost anywhere, do we still need “Gay Bars”?

If more and more LGBTQ venues are now owned and managed by non-LGBTQ community members, are we still supporting “our” spaces—or just funding businesses that see us as customers, not community?

Do these venues still employ LGBTQ staff, support Pride, and donate to our charities? Or are they simply cashing in on rainbow branding while giving little back?

Do we even know who owns the bars and clubs where we gather each weekend? Are we being tricked into paying high prices for spaces that no longer truly belong to us?

Are we celebrating our community—or fueling businesses that hijack our culture, our history, and our safe spaces for profit?

The question is clear: in 2025, does the LGBTQ community still control its own spaces—or have we handed them over to outsiders chasing the pink dollar?