Key West—where are the gays?

You're in Florida. DeSantis country. What self-respecting gay man would give their money to anyone in that godforsaken shithole state in 2023?

The gays are elsewhere.

All the ones I knew are here

There’s 1-2 sad drag bars left, but otherwise, Key West is yet another casualty caused by straight people.

It was revived by gays, of course, and then the straight tourists went nuts for it.

I pray the same doesn’t happen to PTown. Last time I went to PTown, I did see far more straights than usual

When the cruise ships stared arriving with Joe and Mary Sixpack descending on Key West, that was the end of Key West being a gay destination. There used to be multiple gay-owned B and B's which are long gone. The cruise ships ruined Key West

Kanye West?

As a gen z, I always remember key West as Chandler Bings dialogue in friends

Key West is now a playground for straight white men in middle management jobs and their wives/gfs.

Rows of bars with live music. T shirt shops. Marijuana shops. No sense of magic whatsoever.

There was once magic—the Hemingway House and the Tennessee Williams Museum shows what once was.

I even recall going 30 years ago and being amazed by Key West. A more recent trip showed that I never have to go back again.

Sadly the “gay” bars on Duval Street are filled with straight people.

It’s just a performance now.

Key West seem to cater to right wingers—with T shirt shops prominently displaying pro-Trump, anti-Biden shirts.

What happened to the place???!

I assume the gays are at that Key West gay resort.

When I went to Key West, every now and again, I’d see steroided eldergays walking around the Main Street.

While they would make sense in a gay area, they looked ridiculous in a straight area

Key West is ridiculously expensive. I was there for three nights at a pretty basic hotel and spent $2000 for housing alone. The problem is “resort fee,” which I assume is a tax that almost doubles what is quoted when you first reserve the hotel room. They don’t tell you about the resort fee until you get there.

Key West is the only place I’ve ever seen even simple store cashiers (like at a T-shirt shop) have a tip jar and a tip screen.

My partner stupidly tipped someone $10 for ringing up his t-shirt purchases.

One thing I will give Key West over PTown is the food is far far better in Key West. I wish PTown had some more nice cafes but it’s hard when you only make money 3-4 months a year

[quote] Key West seem to cater to right wingers—with T shirt shops prominently displaying pro-Trump, anti-Biden shirts. What happened to the place???!

IT

IS

F L O R I D A

We're all on Duval St fucking without condoms.

I used to visit regularly in the '90's as I had gay friends who lived there. At that time it was still very gay. But, one by one, my friends all eventually moved to the Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Broward County area.

Isn't this what you guys wanted? Assimilation, tolerance, to be just like them? Well you got it.

Is the Castro still ours?

[Quote] Isn't this what you guys wanted? Assimilation, tolerance, to be just like them? Well you got it.

This is being priced out

Don’t see that many gays in Key West or Chelsea anymore.

I’m questioning what’s going to happen to PTown over the next decade. Even Palm Springs is at risk as a gay mecca

R18, nope, Castro is mainly a tourist attraction now

Key West is a place I've always wanted to visit. However, I won't be entering the state of Florida anytime soon. But if the homo magic was ruined by heterosexuals...what's the point anyway?

I left Key West two years ago, I had lived there for 5 years. The gay life is completely abysmal - the gays that live there all have substance abuse issues. Key West used to be very charming and as posters above said, it’s a drunken straight party now and totally trashy.

As stated above, Key West should be the P-Town of the south. But when they embraced the Carnival Cruise crowd and the Hooters and Hard Rocks moved onto Duval, all the charm was devastated.

They’re trying to undo that damage but you can’t unring that bell so easily.

It truly is the Caribbean on US soil. Tragic what they allowed for a quick buck.

Go to Island House. Tons of gay fun.

[quote]It was revived by gays, of course, and then the straight tourists went nuts for it.

And that is what has happened to gayborhoods all over. However, rather than reviving new rundown areas, gays are moving to the suburbs.

[quote]This is being priced out

TBH Now you know how minorities feel when gays have gentrified a neighborhood. I'm actually all for gentrification, but there is a cost.

AlDS killed Key West, perhaps more so than in mainland areas.

NYC used to be a gay destination. Not so much anymore.

More and more, former gayborhoods have been taken over by straight yuppies. Women have crowded into gay bars, because they don’t want the harassment they get from straight bros.

Gay men aren’t as much of a presence anymore, except in Palm Springs and Ft. Lauderdale. And Ptown, though that’s more seasonal.

I went to Key West and all I got was this lousy T-shirt and a raging case of anal warts!

You guys really don't know your Florida history.

[quote] The gay life is completely abysmal - the gays that live there all have substance abuse issues.

Everyone who lives in Key West has substance abuse issues. EVERYONE.

The reason people went to live in the Keys (historically) was because they were 1. committing crimes (rum running) 2. escaping prosecution 3. working for the military (before the base closed down)

The island fever gets to you.

I took a bus tour of Key West. We drove right by the pretty major AIDS Memorial next to the beach and not a word was said about it.

Not one word

I went to Key West about 30 years ago and it had such a cool vibe.

I went again last year—it was a shit tourist destinations with bars and t shirt shops.

Wow, it really sucked