Gay Washington DC

Photo by GayCities user bkphoto

Washington, DC is, well, notorious. Politics, sex scandals and fiery protests have given this popular destination for and home to the gay community a bit of an edge. The city's large gay community, however, has stayed focused on securing equal rights and having a great time while they are at it.

The city's lively gay nightlife is centered within a couple of neighborhoods, easily accessible by public transportation. Many hot spots are located on P Street and 17th Street in the Dupont Circle area, just a few minutes walk from Dupont Circle Metro stop. Legendary bars like JRs and eateries such as Annie's Steakhouse line 17th Street, and evening find the sidewalks bustling with gay boys and girls cruising and cavorting. Here you will find glam mixed with button-down conservative types who work on Capitol Hill--and everything in between. In recent years, some gay bars, restaurants and cafes have moved a few blocks east to Logan Circle, where gays have begun yet another historic gentrification process. Even U Street, one of the many African-American 'hoods, has seen an influx of gay residents and even bars, and the racial mixing and matching is continuing apace. DC is home to many mixed race couples.

The dizzying spender of gay life in the nation's capitol has prompted many to question how such a powerfully gay city could produce so much federal antigay legislation, a paradox that may be slowly coming to a welcome end with the dawning of a new political era.

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