With COVID-19  devastating much of the country’s nightlife, many restaurants and bars have been hurting, especially the last standing 15 lesbian bars across America. 

Erica Rose, director and co-founder of the Lesbian Bar Project, February 16, 2021. Photo Courtesy of Erica Rose.

Erica Rose, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, alongside her friend Elina Street banned together to create the Lesbian Bar Project, a four-week fundraiser in the fall of 2020.

“Our goal was to spread the message, spread the word, spread the urgency, and raise money to give some assistance to the bars,” said Rose. 

As a filmmaker, Rose wanted it to be a film project. So she and her team produced a 90-second PSA video to shed light on the significance of these spaces. 

They teamed up with Jägermaester’s #SAVETHENIGHT, an initiative created to support the nightlife community, and gained immense exposure to successfully raise $117,504 to distribute between the 15 bars. 

Well before the pandemic, lesbian bars have been on the decline. According to Rose, this has been an ongoing issue caused heavily by gentrification amid other factors. 

“These spaces are getting devoured by rising rents. They are getting devoured by a client base that is being squashed by heterosexual people. It’s being devoured by now the pandemic,” said Rose. 

It wasn’t until the pandemic acted as a catalyst forcing Rose to take stock of what was most precious to her that she was surprised to learn there were only 15 lesbian bars left. A number nowhere near resemblant of the 8.5 million queer women in the United States. 

“There needs to be space for people to grow, and learn, and experiment. And the fact that there are so few means that we really need to realize how precious those few are,” said Ashley Coia, a New York-based actor.

Along with gentrification bringing in younger generations, it brought with them the world of online dating and a wider acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, lessening the need for queer-centric spaces. However, the importance of these spaces remains crucial, as they offer many a safe place to experiment without unwanted and unwelcome spectators. 

“It was the space that I went the most when I was trying to find myself as a queer woman,” said Coia. “Spaces like Cubbyhole I would go because I just felt so safe there. I could hit on a woman and not worry that a man was going to come up and harass me for it.”

A bar is more than a place to drink in the queer community, it often acts as a creator of community, a place to socialize. 

“What a bar to me is, is a place where you can meet all walks of life,” said Rose. “Walking into Cubbyhole and seeing queer women together and the comradery and the friendship and the community. I was drawn, I was hooked.”

Ali Clayton, a comedian from North Carolina, February 16, 2021. Photo Courtesy of Ali Clayton

For Ali Clayton, a comedian who has been sober since 2018, it was difficult for her to go to social events that involved drinking when she first recovered. But Henrietta Hudson, another lesbian bar in Manhattan offered alternative ways, like trivia nights and dancing, for Clayton to enjoy herself in good company. 

Clayton described the emotions that the atmosphere of queer spaces elicits as “freeing” and “validating.” 

She expressed that exclusive spaces made for lesbians promote a safe place and different energy that allows her to feel confident to hit on a woman without the fear that she might be straight. 

Despite the waning number of lesbian bars, The Lesbian Bar Project’s efforts prove the vitality of the lesbian community, showing that they won’t let their spaces be eradicated.

And as long as things go as planned, The Cubbyhole Bar hopes to reopen in March, and Rose can’t wait to join her friends and her community to celebrate the bar’s rebellion.

“I always believe that queer women are the most loyal audience,” said Rose. “If you give us something…we will show up.”

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“I know many people who watch his rallies or read what he tweeted are angry, but I’m actually just really really scared and sad.” said Gabrielle Thompson, 21, of San Francisco, Calif.. “It just feels dystopian, like it’s so evident he doesn’t care about people, not even his own supporters. He doesn’t care that these rallies can kill people

Gabrielle Thompson22, wears a mask while walking on a San Francisco, California beach. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Thompson.

Earlier this month, journalist Bob Woodward released audio recordings of President Trump discussing as early as February that the COVID-19 pandemic is airborne and “is deadly stuff”. Despite having this knowledge and despite all states taking coronavirus precautions, the president has held several rallies in preparation for the November election. 

“I voted in the last presidential election, but I didn’t know much other than that I didn’t want Trump in office.” said Alexis Parra, 22, who identifies as Latinx, of Coachella Valley, C.A. “Now, I know much more about specific issues and policies I want enacted. Especially when it comes to protecting my community members from COVID.”

 According to a CDC study, the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black and brown communities.

Alexis Parra, 22, stands in her front yard in the Coachella Valley in California. She is not supportive of the Trump rallies. Photo courtesy of Alexis Parra.

But his supporters feel that, although the virus has struck 7 million Americans,  Trump has done a fine job handling a once in  a lifetime pandemic.

“The lockdowns and shutdowns are just creating more Trump supporters who are eager to see him in person,”  said Joshua Newman, 34, who currently resides in Bali, Indonesia. “Democrats are using this as an election game and want to keep things shut down and are destroying more and more cities.”

When Trump held his latest rally in Fayetteville, many of his supporters who attended chanted “four more years” and “fill that seat” in regards to the recent death and subsequent Supreme Court seat vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

When asked directly about the safety and repercussions of holding indoor rallies during a pandemic, Trump responded “I’m on a stage, and it’s very far away.”

To some of his supporters attending a rally is no different than attending a protest.

John York, 26, flies a “2020 Keep America Great” Trump flag while kayaking with his dog in Texas. Photo courtesy of John York.

“I view the rallies as a peaceful protest.” said John York, 26, of Dallas, Texas “Why are people at the Black Lives Matter protests allowed to gather and actually destroy property, but we can’t go to an arena and watch our president speak?”

Meanwhile voters have to accept that Trump rallies will continue, despite the mounting death toll, until the campaign season ends

“Trump will do whatever it takes to have the loudest supporters in the room, even if he has to sacrifice lives to get there.” said Parra.

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“This is quintessential Trump,” said Kelly Conklin, a Data Engineering Manager based in Brooklyn. “He is here to protect himself and protect himself only.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, Trump has downplayed the severity of the virus and made contradictory claims against public health officials guidelines. Since the outbreak, virus deaths have surpassed 200,000 . 

Robert Hitchner, a moderate from Pennsylvania, said he believes Trump is holding indoor rallies likely at the request of his supporters and because we’re on the cusp of the presidential election. And while he believes indoor rallies are a bad idea, he doesn’t think we’re focusing our attention in the right place. 

“Are the protests that have sprung up around this country a good thing? No,” said Hitchner. “Somehow, the people who are protesting are accepted and admired. They are gathering in large groups, rioting, burning buildings, they’re destroying small businesses. And we’re worried about Trump getting together for a rally? I think we’re worried about the wrong things.”

Hitchner said he wasn’t shocked to hear Trump knew the virus was deadly because he felt it was obvious. He stocked up on groceries back in February when the numbers spiked in Italy. 

“I don’t think he was holding a great secret,” Hitchner said. “When he heard about it from China, Trump shut down travel to the country. And you don’t want to panic everyone, right? But you do want to take steps and try to make the right decisions. It’s a difficult situation.”

Dan Shorts, Director of Government Affairs for the National Confectioners Association, acknowledged how troubling Trump’s comments are as quoted in Woodward’s book, but questioned the amount of information available at the time Trump made his comments to Woodward.

 “They don’t make it completely clear how much the President knew about the virus in February,
said Shorts. “I think it’s premature to say there was enough information available at that time to President Trump (or anyone) to know precisely how deadly the virus was, let alone all of the drastic and sweeping measures necessary to combat the virus.” 

But Jaqueline Carey, a published novelist and self identified social media warrior of the Montclair Democrats, holds only disdain for Trump’s indoor rallies.

“I found it disgusting that Trump continued to hold indoor rallies when he was aware that COVID-19 was easily transmitted through the air,” said Carey. “I don’t find it surprising. Trump is a bundle of nerve ends, impulses, demons, and neediness.”

Carey said Trump rallies are driven by his ego.

“I suspect that rallies are the only time when Trump has felt alive through his whole political experience,” Carey said. “He wouldn’t make a distinction between indoor and outdoor. He wouldn’t care if all the attendees died. He has no sense that other people are real.”

Trump is widely known to hold a bold and fiery campaign style, one of which has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shorts said his decision to hold indoor rallies could be an act of defiance against his critics. 

“I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that he replaced his campaign manager after turnout was less than expected at his last indoor rally in June, in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Shorts said. “I think returning to the indoor format is an attempt to portray a resurgence in enthusiasm from his supporters that the optics of his Tulsa rally failed to translate.”

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Paul Person, a flower farmer from Fredericksburg, Texas, and a Trump supporter said that while he does not believe that the coronavirus is a hoax, many people have blown it out of proportion. 

“COVID is a political football orchestrated by the higher-ups,” he said.“A whole lot of people like Fauci and Woodward are making a lot of money from this. “Although almost 200,000 people have died from it, that’s less than the people who died from the flu last year. There are approximately 330 million people in this country. Do the math on that.”

Person said that he questioned famed investigative reporter, Bob Woodward’s, credibility.

“Woodward is just a writer who wants to sell more books and put a dollar in his pocket,” said Person. “He didn’t catch Trump in a lie like he thinks he did. Trump did all he could do. He shut down the entire economy during the pandemic to save the American people.”

Not everyone agrees that Woodward was wrong in the way he disseminated the news to the public.

Funbi Abolarin, a student in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said that Woodward released his book detailing his conversations with President Trump at the right time.

“…Writing a book like that on a trending topic like the coronavirus, and tying a prominent political figure to it is a perfect strategy,” said Abolarin. “Of course, he might also have political motives for delaying the release of the book up until now to make Trump look like a less favorable candidate to indecisive voters, but that’s what makes it even more brilliant.”

The widening schism between Trump supporters and non-Trump supporters is all too apparent in recent times, especially as they relate to his recent rallies.

Dorathy Sule-Aerga, a professor in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, said that she was not surprised that President Trump would rally around the country without following the CDC’s precautionary guidelines.

“Given his past history, I am also not surprised that he chose not to tell the general public what was happening. The fault is not entirely his, though. People are adult enough to take responsibility and make smart choices,” said Sule-Aerga. “The fact that he continues to hold rallies does not mean that they have to engage.”

While the coronavirus has dramatically affected some lives, others say that they have not been affected.

Ross Sietsema, an entrepreneur and business owner in Allendale, Michigan, said that the coronavirus has not affected him or anyone he knows.

“It’s tough for me to say that I buy into the coronavirus stuff,” said Sietsema. “I don’t wear a mask unless I have to. I wear it at work, but that’s as far as it gets.”

Sietsema had a different perspective on Woodward’s recent revelations.

“If Bob Woodward is tied to the democrats, then it makes sense that he would try to make Trump look bad,” he said. “Donald Trump is a reasonable businessman first. If he truly knew something like the coronavirus would affect the economy, he would have shared it sooner rather than later. I find the whole thing hard to believe.”

But other people have a different opinion.

Ikenna Njoku, a research assistant in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said that Trump’s refusal to share the information about the virus with the people points to his lack of presidential experience.

“While I understand that he was trying to prevent panic, it was not the right move to try to prevent panic by downplaying the virus when people were obviously dying,” he said. “For one, it begs to question his credibility as a leader. It was unwise, unsafe, and unnecessary.”

 Njoku said that Trump was capitalizing on his following by holding the rallies.

“He has successfully gathered a strong following of supporters that listen to him, even when he is being openly deceptive,” said Njoku. “COVID-19 has been politicized, and turned into a blame game; when things like this happen, people tend to see things through the lens of “us vs. them,” and they rally around the political candidate that aligns most with their views. In this case, that candidate is Donald Trump.”

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Led by Nevin Perkins from the Jersey City based, Black Men United Coalition and Jersey City Anti Violence Coalition, marchers called for the end of police brutality as they chanted names of Black Americans who have been killed by police.

“No Justice, No peace!” “George! Floyd!” the crowd chanted in unison. “Ahmaud Arbery!” “Breonna! Taylor!”

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for several minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.

Floyd’s death has sparked protests over 700 cities and towns across all 50 states, according to USA Today. 

Many rallies had turned violent, with people setting police vehicles on fire, smashing windows and looting.

Demonstrations in Jersey City remained peaceful. Officers did not directly engage the crowd during the rallies.

Protesters holding up signs to call for justice for George Floyd. Photo by Shiyu Xu

“No Justice, No peace!” the crowd chanted in unison. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Protesters holding up signs to call for justice for George Floyd. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Police stood at the balcony of the city hall during the rallies. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Protesters holding up signs to call for justice for George Floyd. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Jersey City’s local residents painted “Black Lives Matter” on the ground. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Protester holding a sign to demonstrate justice to end racism. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Hundreds of protesters convened outside of Jersey City’s City Hall on June 6 to demand justice for George Floyd. Photo by Shiyu Xu

Protesters holding up signs to call for justice for George Floyd. Photo by Shiyu Xu

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