Many of us, even with connections to the LGBTQ communities in and around Boston, are unaware of our city’s rich and vibrant history when we walk past vacant or gentrified buildings or lots where these establishments once stood, it is easy for us to unconsciously erase important American history from our collective minds. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, many of Boston’s most beloved and important historically queer spaces have been demolished, abandoned, or repurposed. From bars to churches, from libraries to law firms, the importance of physical space to marginalized groups has had an immense impact not only on the ways that Boston’s LGBTQ communities have organized, but how they’ve built culture upon foundations of strong heritage. As Pride month draws to a close, we’re spotlighting some of the historical places in and around Boston that comprise this city’s rich and vibrant LGBTQ culture. The architecture of a community goes far beyond buildings.
