{"product_id":"the-lesbian-bar-chronicles","title":"The Lesbian Bar Chronicles","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA grassroots tour of the nation's lesbian bars that illuminates their past, present, and hopeful future, from the co-creator of the hit podcast \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eCruising\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLesbian bars are so much more than a place to get a drink. For over a century, they’ve acted as community posts, political organizing grounds, and sanctuaries. Yet whereas in the 1980s there were an estimated 200 lesbian bars across the US, the current count sits at a few dozen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Lesbian Bar Chronicles\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, author and co-creator of the hit podcast \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eCruising\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Rachel Karp embarks across the country with her wife and best friend to chronicle the stories of the remaining US lesbian bars. Recent narratives have claimed lesbian bars are dying, but Karp’s group finds many of the places they visit to be thriving, their communities sustaining themselves over decades of change and challenges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeaving together over 100 hours of immersive interviews with bar owners, staff, and regulars, Karp highlights places like\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-Chicago spot \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eNobody’s Darling\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, where readers meet “the mayor” Shirley J, who in the 1970s was instrumental in the birth of house music\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eFrankie’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein Oklahoma City, where readers attend a “family night” to learn how a lesbian bar can birth a chosen family\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eRedz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a Chicana lesbian bar in East LA involved in the precedent setting court case that followed years of arrests for patrons wearing men’s clothing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA heartfelt reclamation of queer history and queer lives, Karp’s narrative examines how these beacons for community and inclusion can teach us to live openly, cultivate connection, and continue to take up space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ePublisher ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeacon Press\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"a-unordered-list a-nostyle a-vertical a-spacing-none detail-bullet-list\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ePublication date ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMay 26, 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eLanguage ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEnglish\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ePrint length ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e280 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eISBN-10 ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e0807023442\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eISBN-13 ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e978-0807023440\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eItem Weight ‏ : ‎\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1.25 pounds\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Karp","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53544479490362,"sku":null,"price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0265\/9080\/6076\/files\/imgi_1_81C-f-fJuBL._SL1500.jpg?v=1780175316","url":"https:\/\/thelittlegayshop.com\/products\/the-lesbian-bar-chronicles","provider":"TLGS","version":"1.0","type":"link"}