Less than 10 years ago, Alberta was home to 17 LGBT bars operating simultaneously. Since the end of this past September, Alberta only has 6 LGBT bars still in operation. The dramatic decline of LGBT bars and clubs is a trend that other LGBT communities across North America are also reporting. Some believe we are witnessing the decline of the LGBT community, others think we are in a temporary slump, and yet others think the definition of community may be shifting away from the bar scene.
From August to the end of October last year, GayCalgary Magazine ran the "Alberta Gay Bar Survey" - an online survey designed to help us understand the attitudes of people in Alberta’s LGBT community towards bars, clubs, and some other LGBT community events. It was designed both for people who go out to bars/clubs, and for those who do not.
No prize draws were offered in conjunction with this survey to ensure all respondents were participating purely for the sake of giving their input. The response was the largest we’ve seen of any previous internal survey.
In this article, we share some of the tabulated results and individual responses to open questions. Additional results may be shared privately with partnering bars/clubs and non-profit groups. Note that this survey was conducted prior to the closure of the Calgary Eagle and The Junction in Edmonton, so we have included statistics relating to both bars.
Who took the survey?
Everyone who took the survey answered a collection of questions to help pinpoint their demographic and give us a baseline for their attitudes and opinions:
Q: Which option best describes your gender identity?
A: 66.7% Male, 29% Female, 4.3% Trans-identified
Q: Which terms describe your sexual identity? (Choose any that apply)
A: 63.8% Gay, 18.8% Lesbian, 13.0% Bisexual, 11.6% Queer, 1% Questioning, 2.4% Two-Spirited, 4.8% Straight, 0.5% Asexual, 0.5% None of these
Q: How open are you about your sexuality?
A: 81.2% Open, 17.4% Semi-Closeted, 1.4% Closeted
Q: How old are you?
A: 30.9% aged 18-29, 30% aged 30-39, 21.7% aged 40-49, 11.1% aged 50-59, 6.2% aged 60+
What makes a "gay" bar?
There are many ways to define a gay bar, so we asked respondents to choose what, to them, are the 3 most important distinguishing factors. 90.8% said the majority of clientele in the bar has to be "gay", 61.4% said that the bar has to host regular events for "gay" community groups, and 52.7% said that the bar has to advertise themselves as being a "gay" bar. Other significant answers included: Sponsors "gay" community events (27.1%); Owners are openly gay (24.2%); Promotes other "gay" businesses/groups (18.8%); and Hosts drag shows (13.0%).
How are attitudes toward "straight" bars changing?
When asked, 75.3% indicated that they have visited "straight" bars and clubs in the past year (21.7% frequently, 53.6% rarely). The gap is surprisingly narrow from the 87.9% that indicated they have visited "gay" bars and clubs in the past year (33.3% frequently, 54.6% rarely). This shows that "straight" bars are gaining ground, and further results hint at why.
Some of it boils down to people’s motivation for going out to bars in the first place. 25.8% stated that they go out to bars to hook up, which in most cases does require a "gay" venue. However, the majority of other significant expectations for bars/clubs can be satisfied at straight venues: Socialize (86.1%), Hang out with friends (83.0%), Dance (72.2%), People-watch (68.6%), Consume alcohol (66.0%), and Meet new people (58.2%).
Another question is how comfortable people feel in a "straight" venue. Of the 24.6% of respondents who indicated they never visited a "straight" bar in the past year, their motivations included: I don’t feel I can be myself (62.7%), I don’t feel safe (37.3%), and I feel I have less chance of meeting someone (35.3%). For the rest who have visited a "straight" bar in the past year, 62.8% said they are open about their sexuality if asked; 5.1% said they flaunt their sexuality, and 20.5% use their discretion per establishment.
Of those who attended gay bars in the past year, 50.0% think that having "gay" special events in "straight" bars and clubs is a great idea; 35.7% don’t care either way, and 14.3% are opposed. However, 45.9% of all respondents said they have attended such an event and would do it again, and only 5.3% said they wouldn’t do it again (the remaining 48.8% said they haven’t attended such an event).
Perhaps the bottom line is that in the absence of variety in LGBT bars, many people are finding that variety by exploring straight venues.
Why are LGBT Bars losing popularity?
To begin with, respondents identified that compared to 2 years ago, 54.1% are going out less frequently to bars and clubs in general (27.1% are going out the same amount, and 18.8% more frequently). Instead, 55.6% say they frequently drink at home or at house parties rather than at bars.
We also saw a shift of where people live in their respective city, away from downtown (41.1%) more toward the suburbs (56.5%) compared to results from our 2009 reader survey (57.1% Downtown, 39.8% Suburbs), which makes it more difficult and/or costly to arrange transportation to and fro.
In fact, of respondents who stated they are going out to bars less, 48.3% cited the cost of Taxis as having an impact on the frequency of their outings; similarly, 14.3% cited the change in the legal limit for driving as a factor. This shows that transportation is a major hurdle for people going out to bars.
Furthermore, people are also trying to be financially responsible. As above, 50% stated work commitments are limiting their outings, and 21.4% stated that a bad economy is a factor. The majority of those who do not go out to bars at all stated that they cannot afford to go drinking (58.3%).
There is also a strong belief that the bars are mostly a place for singles (27.7%), so as more couples settle down, they are going out to bars less frequently. One respondent even commented: "I find it is impossible to have a relationship if going to the gay bar frequently because people attempt to sabotage it and cause unnecessary and childish drama."
A popular theory has been that electronic services like Grindr and Scruff are rendering gay hangouts unnecessary for meeting people. Of our male respondents, 50% say they use such a service. Within "gay" bars, 46.9% say they have tried them and successfully met people, but only 15.7% say they have seen success using them at straight bars.
After possibly dishing out money for a taxi, a cover charge to get into a bar or club on a regular night is an unwelcome thing for 58.9% of respondents (44.4% dislike it, and 14.5% will go elsewhere if charged).
When asked directly what they believe is happening to the Alberta "gay" bar/club scene, 33.0% said they believe it is declining permanently, but will never fully disappear; 26.4% believe it is declining but will bounce back, 23.6% believe it is falling apart completely, and 14.8% believe it is becoming obsolete.
When asked what directions people wanted to see "gay" community events going, there was no clear winner. 51.2% stated they wanted to see more adult oriented events, 50.2% stated more events open to everyone, and 47.3% said more events targeted to specific demographics (ex. For men, for women, etc.) Only 27.1% were interested in seeing more family friendly events.
What did people have to say?
The survey included two open response questions, the first explaining what they believe is going on with the Alberta "gay" bar scene, and the second as general comments. We received many interesting perspectives and thoughtful answers. Here is a small but varied selection of those responses:
"It appears to me that rather than having exclusive gay clubs like Boyztown, the club owners are not really committed to an exclusive gay club (I think they believe for economic reasons) so they try to be everything for everyone which at the end of the day does not work. Eventually they become a gay bar full of breeders and I have no interest in going. I truly believe we need a men’s club like Boyztown with membership and controlling who is coming into the club. I truly miss that venue."
"I think there are a lot of people that enjoy going out for a drink, but you have to have it open to everyone in the community, not just for the younger ones that get in ahead of others at some bars. We need to get a gay sports bar."
"I think gay bars are dying right now in favour of gay nights at straight clubs. I appreciate that straight bars are willing to do it, but I prefer exclusively gay bars. I hope that will change after a few years (or decades?) of missing gay spaces."
"Too many clubs are just opening their doors and expecting people to dish out cash. They are not focused on the experience, creating an environment that people are driven to go to because it is the best place to be."
"Too much drama with the younger generation! Older clientele prefer more laid back atmosphere. The booming of the music is fine once in awhile but not every time out."
"...If a bar had really good interior decorating, a lot of character and kept up with the times in terms of style and culture, had quality entertainment, creative ways of getting strangers to meet who might be interested in one another then I feel that would get me interested in going out more. I definitely don’t like having to go to bars that have no creativity in them in terms of decoration, character and style. Just go to Europe (or Montreal) and you’ll get my meaning. How about a roof top terrace? How about walls that aren’t just painted black? Bars with different rooms and themes would be interesting too. Just more imagination would be nice. And a clean, crisp look, unless the theme IS a garage, then it would be fitting. ..."
"While there is more social acceptance and a wider use of technology to meet people - which I think has hurt the bars - I believe straight bars are still not safe places for gay couples to frequent if they show any signs of romantic interest in each other."
"As society becomes more accepting, it’s likely more queer folks will simply be open about themselves at straight/unlabeled bars. But there will always be a market for a place where you can be more certain potential partners are queer. As a trans woman, I hang with a crowd of cis-gender straight and queer women, and we simply take over whatever bar space we’re in, whether it’s gay or straight, and have the numbers to feel safe expressing our sexuality."
"Several bars are closing due to neighborhood changes or building loss. As bars close people will adapt and open new businesses to fit the new needed niche."
"I think meeting people at bars is becoming a thing of the past, partly due to online dating, therefore, gay bars serve little more purpose than a straight bar, if all anyone does there is dance, or hang out with friends. Why need a gay bar, when a straight bar can have better music, better facilities, better drink prices, etc."
"The very limited selection of gay clubs is the biggest reason why I do not go clubbing very often these days. In Calgary, the only club I relate with is Twisted Element, but I get bored with the idea of going there and only there. I feel that once the economy rebounds, more gay-friendly or gay-oriented bars/clubs will open and everything will turn around."
"It comes and goes in any city or province - it is cyclical. It is also related to economics and the cost of living/drinking."
"I’d love to see some options that are not exclusively bar/club focused. Victoria’s, Money Pennies, The Verge, were all wonderful because they were restaurants as well. I supported those places in the past, and would absolutely patronize a mixed queer restaurant space regularly."
"Clubs should clean their act regarding drug [use]. I see too many staff doing drugs while on shift, tolerating the sale of drugs on premises and I even noticed bar staff suggesting names of dealers to clients."
"It feels like I’m right back in High School with the cliques, the backstabbing BS, the cruel rumors, and the hate... Who would ever want to be a part of that?"
"Every city and community goes through a process of renewal and rebirth when an older generation stops going to the bars and hanging out, and the newer generation starts to discover it. I think it is typical of any community to go through the ebb and flow of time. I do feel that the bar scene and social scene in Calgary is going through major changes and am disappointed that there are not as many gay bars that cater to the gay community as a whole, or specific parts of the community. BoyzTown is surely missed, and the Eagle will be too!"
"Over all I think that many gay people no longer identify with the bar scene whether straight or gay. In my opinion there are great changes in lifestyle choices with more emphasis on healthy balanced life style. Gay bars in my opinion do not fit that paradigm, which is why I tend to avoid them. I would much rather save my cash and go travel, host a dinner party or attend a play."
"It’s not particularly welcoming at all, to be honest. Almost half the time, guys think you’re beneath them and won’t talk to you if you approach them in a bar. Almost all of the other half, they’ll be nice to your face, then gossip about you when you go get a drink - they’re catty bitches. The tiny sliver of the time that remains, you’ll actually get a decent conversation...then you just have to understand that in the majority of those instances, they’re simply going to try to take you home. If you don’t want to sleep with them, return to the first outcome and watch them ignore you."
"The degree of healthy socialization, emotional adjustment and self-respect of individuals is pivotal to the future of the real-world gay community. The younger members are - and generally have been for at least twenty years - mentally and emotionally better adjusted and with higher self-esteem than the older members (in general). The gap is closing, as most of the chillingly creepy and deeply closeted self-haters of rural Canada have been replaced by those who are urbanized and progressively less isolated and less self-hating. We’ll need to be more united physically speaking. There won’t be enough of a bar crowd to sustain boutique bars for all of our self-imposed labels/types."
Favorite Alberta Bars/Clubs
The Alberta Gay Bar Survey was purposely not advertised as a "reader’s choice" survey to eliminate bias created by bars or bartenders campaigning for votes. Furthermore, no prizes were offered for entering this survey, which eliminates an additional source of error that might be introduced by prize-seekers not interested in giving their real input. As such, these results are a more accurate and less biased representation of how bars stack up to a primarily LGBT audience (see the respondent demographics at the beginning of this article for more information), than popular mainstream "best of" surveys.
Q: Which Alberta "gay" bars and clubs do you consider your favorite hangout? (Check all that apply)
Top 3 Answers for Calgary: The Backlot (41.8%), Calgary Eagle (37.4%), Twisted Element (32.4%)
Top 3 Answers for Edmonton: Buddys (23.1%), Junction (23.1%), Woodys (18.1%)
Q: If you had to select ONE gay bar or club as your favorite hangout, which would it be?
Top Answer for Calgary: The Backlot (25.3%)
Top Answer for Edmonton: The Junction (13.2%)
Q: Which "gay" bars that have closed in the past decade do you most miss visiting? (Choose up to 5)
Note: The Calgary Eagle and The Junction were still in operation at the time of the survey.
Top 3 Answers for Calgary: Club Sapien (44.9%), Boyztown (35.7%), Money Pennies (32.9%)
Top 3 Answers for Edmonton: The Roost (33.3%), Play (14.0%), Boots & Saddles (11.1%)
Alberta Gay Bar Report Cards
In the survey, we asked respondents several questions about their attitudes toward each of the main "gay" bars/clubs in Alberta. It provided them the same list of possible likes and dislikes for each establishment, and respondents were allowed to check any that they felt applied – or none at all if they preferred.
For the sake of brevity, we are only listing the top 4 likes and dislikes for each establishment, along with a likes and dislikes score representing the total number of selections for each. We also calculated an over-all score for each establishment, which indicates the balance between the positives and the negatives.
These results do not imply an opinion on the part of GayCalgary Magazine, nor do they necessarily confirm that occurrences of certain activities have been observed. These results purely reflect the opinions and perceptions of survey respondents, who were not required to justify their selections.
The Backlot (Calgary)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
81.4% / 18.6%
Men/Women Ratio: 75.9% / 24.1%
Top 4 Likes: I feel safe there (33.0%), Good service (28.6%), I feel my money goes back to the "gay" community (28.6%), My friends go there (27.5%).
Likes Score: 234.3%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too empty (11.0%), Too grungy (7.7%), Inconvenient for me to get to (6.6%), Too dark (5.5%)
Dislikes Score: 72.0%
Over-all Score:
162.3%
Buddys (Edmonton)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
66.7% / 33.3%
Men/Women Ratio: 61.2% / 38.8%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (24.7%), Good music (12.6%), Convenient for me to get to (12.1%), I feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (12.1%).
Likes Score: 113.0%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too grungy (15.4%), I don’t like paying cover (11.0%), Clientele too sketchy (10.4%), Too much drama (9.9%)
Dislikes Score: 122.7%
Over-all Score:
-9.7%
Calgary Eagle
Gay/Straight Ratio:
89.5% / 10.5%
Men/Women Ratio: 83.3% / 16.7%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (34.1%), I feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (30.2%), I feel safe there (28.0%), I like the clientele (26.4%).
Likes Score: 234.3%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too grungy (10.4%), I don’t fit in (9.9%), Too empty (9.9%), I don’t feel safe travelling there/back home (9.3%).
Dislikes Score: 102.9%
Over-all Score:
131.4%
Flash (Edmonton)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
60.4% / 39.6%
Men/Women Ratio: 56.7% / 43.3%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (16.5%), Good music (15.4%), I like the clientele (11.0%), I feel safe there (9.9%)
Likes Score: 96.8%
Top 4 Dislikes: I don’t fit in (9.9%), Too much drama (8.8%), I don’t feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (7.7%), Too much drug use (7.1%)
Dislikes Score: 86.5%
Over-all Score:
10.3%
Junction (Edmonton)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
75.7% / 24.3%
Men/Women Ratio: 52.0% / 48.0%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (27.5%), Hosts special events (24.7%), I feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (23.1), Good service (21.4%).
Likes Score: 225.1%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too grungy (6.6%), Too dark (3.8%), I don’t fit in (3.8%), Poor entertainment (3.3%)
Dislikes Score: 47.8%
Over-all Score:
177.2%
Texas Lounge (Calgary)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
82.5% / 17.5%
Men/Women Ratio: 78.5% / 21.5%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (17.6%), I feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (13.7%), Hosts special events (10.4%), Good service (9.9%).
Likes Score: 94.2%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too grungy (19.2%), Clientele too sketchy (16.5%), I don’t fit in (8.8%), Too much drug use (6.6%)
Dislikes Score: 104.8%
Over-all Score:
-10.6%
Twisted Element (Calgary)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
56.4% / 43.6%
Men/Women Ratio: 55.6% / 44.4%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (28.0%), Good music (21.4%), Convenient for me to get to (19.2%), I feel safe there (15.9%)
Likes Score: 140.1%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too much drama (34.6%), I don’t like the owner(s) (32.4%), Too much drug use (29.1%), I don’t feel my money goes back into the local "gay" community (26.9%).
Dislikes Score: 417.4%
Over-all Score:
-277.3%
Woodys (Edmonton)
Gay/Straight Ratio:
77.8% / 22.2%
Men/Women Ratio: 68.9% / 31.1%
Top 4 Likes: My friends go there (23.1%), Convenient for me to get to (13.2%), I like the clientele (9.9%), I feel safe there (9.3%)
Likes Score: 100.5%
Top 4 Dislikes: Too grungy (9.9%), Clientele too sketchy (7.1%), Too dark (4.4%), Don’t like the music (4.4%)
Dislikes Score: 60.9%
Over-all Score:
39.6%