San Francisco's supervisor wants to speed up revival of gay bathhouses

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SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES: A rainbow flag flies over Castro, the gay and lesbian district in San Francisco (Image credit should read: HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO – Gay bathhouses in San Francisco could see a boost under new legislation led by District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman.

Mandelman, whose district includes the Castro neighborhood, wants to repeal a section of the police code that puts the burden on police to approve new gay bathhouses.

The ordinance would also repeal outdated and unnecessary regulations requiring bathhouses to maintain a daily guest register and “confusing language regarding the permissibility of locked rooms,” according to the supervisor's statement.

Mandelman introduced the legislation targeting Article 26 of the SFPD on Tuesday. Because of that article, SFPD was unable to issue permits to potential bathhouse operators who had been trying to open their businesses for months.

“We have come a long way toward bringing gay bathhouses back to San Francisco,” Mandelman said. “It's encouraging that there are entrepreneurs who are actually trying to open these venues, although it's frustrating that we keep running into new obstacles that stand in their way.” The supervisor said he wanted to pave the way for them Opening this type of business without too many obstacles.

In 2020, Mandelman passed legislation to repeal public health restrictions on the operation of gay bathhouses and other adult sex venues that date back to the 1980s. The restrictions included monitoring patrons' sexual activities and banning locked doors in such venues.

Two years later, Mandelman successfully passed legislation amending the city's planning code to allow gay bathhouses in parts of the city closely associated with the LGBTQ+ community. These include the Castro District, Upper Market, SoMa and the Tenderloin.

The planning law allowed Eros in the Tenderloin to open as a queer sex club on Turk Street in 2022. The venue's website states that although there is no gender control there, the crowd is predominantly men. They moved from the area of ​​Church and Market Streets to the city's historic transgender district.

The crackdown on these types of venues occurred during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. In 1984, the city sued several gay bathhouse operators, saying they were a public health nuisance. According to Sup, this has reinforced decades-long stigmatization of HIV/AIDS. Mandelman's office.

“I am grateful to Supervisor Mandelman for his leadership in removing outdated barriers to reopening bathhouses in San Francisco,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “The South of Market neighborhood that I represent has a long and storied history with these establishments. With hindsight, we now know that restrictions put in place decades ago when the AIDS crisis began likely resulted in vulnerable communities losing sexually positive spaces in which to live.” Information about safer sex practices might have saved lives.

Dorsey, who like Mandelman is openly gay, is also the board's only openly HIV-positive member. He spoke about the advances in science and medicine in the area of ​​sexual health. “From PrEP and antiretroviral therapy to dramatically improved viral suppression, 'U=U' (undetectable = non-transmissible) and more. It’s high time to lift the anti-bathhouse restrictions.”

Dorsey has signed on as a co-sponsor of Mandelman's legislative efforts.

“Opening a new business in San Francisco is difficult enough,” said Joel Aguero, owner of Castro Baths. “Supervisor Mandelman and his office remove a significant obstacle to the permitting process, expediting the opening of Castro Baths and supporting the growing community of aspiring bathhouse operators and visitors seeking to revitalize San Francisco’s once-thriving bathhouse culture.”

Castro Baths' website boasts that it is the city's first queer bathhouse in decades.

Andre Torrez is a digital content producer for KTVU. Send Andre an email at [email protected] or call him at 510-874-0579.