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Coronavirus leaves LGBTQ seniors particularly vulnerable to isolation

Community centers that provide medical support, food closed

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Elizabeth Cooney Care Network CEO Elizabeth Weglein (Photo courtesy of Jim Mathias)

During the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, D.C.ā€™s Salon Roi remained open while other shops shut down due to the epidemic. But coronavirus has forced former owner Roi Barnard to put down his shears to protect himself and his community.

ā€œMy goal is to take very good care of others, such as my clients at Salon Roi who are older,ā€ the 82-year-old gay stylist told the Washington Blade. ā€œWe are holding each other up and I am being as careful for them as they are for me.ā€

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronavirus is a respiratory illness first identified in a December outbreak in Wuhan, China. It spreads easily from person to person through small droplets expelled during coughs or sneezes.

The World Health Organization as of deadline reported more than 167,000 confirmed cases globally with a death toll of more than 6,600. Nearly 3,500 of those cases are in the U.S. with 68 deaths reported so far. The virus has hit Washington state the hardest with 41 deaths, most occurring at the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland.

CDC guidance regarding high-risk populations states, ā€œOlder people with severe chronic conditions should take special precautions because they are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness.ā€

LGBTQ elders, like Barnard and many others of the ā€œStonewall Generation,ā€ survived decades of historic repression, trauma and epidemic; however, this new threat is stalking them at a far more vulnerable time in their lives.

ā€œItā€™s the history of discrimination, itā€™s the history of unemployment ā€” all of this has impacted how they age,ā€ David Vincent, chief program officer for SAGE, an LGBTQ senior advocacy and services organization, told the Blade. ā€œThey often donā€™t have a community that will take care of them.ā€

Last December, Stonewall House, New Yorkā€™s first LGBTQ-friendly affordable senior housing, opened to fill the growing needs of this aging generation. This complex follows the model of Philadelphiaā€™s LGBTQ-friendly John C. Anderson Apartments and others like it being established around the country.

Vincent pointed out the lingering economic impact LGBTQ seniors continue to live with as a result of being fired for being gay and other discriminatory policies such as the militaryā€™s former ā€œDonā€™t Ask, Donā€™t Tellā€ and the continued ban on open transgender service.

Additionally, many faced other forms of harassment, such as arrests and legal restrictions against marrying or adopting children. The result is they are now socially and economically as well as medically vulnerable in their senior years.

These historical realities, coupled with the loss of peers during the AIDS crisis, means LGBTQ seniors are particularly vulnerable to isolation and loneliness. This is one factor not mentioned in the open letter to U.S. public health officials released on March 11 by more than 100 LGBTQ-affirming organizations when assessing the increased risk LGBTQ individuals, particularly seniors, face when confronting the coronavirus.

ā€œThese are very vulnerable, very low income individuals,ā€ Vincent said. ā€œThey come to us not only for socialization … they come to us for a meal.ā€

And this can be a problem in cities with infrastructures stressed by a global crisis.

With 950 reported cases in New York as of deadline, the state has taken extreme measures, like much of the country, including the closure of LGBTQ community centers that serve as a medical, nutritional and emotional lifeline to many LGBTQ seniors without other support.

ā€œIn New York City, we run five senior centers,ā€ said SAGE Senior Communications Director Christina Da Costa. ā€œSome of these folks not only depend on the centers for social programming, but also for nutritional purposes. For some, this is the one meal a day they receive.ā€

ā€œWhen we closed our SAGE centers, we did so with a heavy heart,ā€ Vincent added. ā€œWe knew it would impact the social system for our seniors.ā€

But he felt the seriousness of the current situation left them with little choice.

ā€œWe knew it was detrimental to their health to be in such a large public setting,ā€ he explained.

Similarly, in Maryland; Elizabeth Weglein, chief executive officer of the Elizabeth Cooney Care Network which specializes in LGBTQ-friendly senior services, is facing tough choices during this current crisis.

ā€œSocial isolation was already the highest risk for seniors, even surpassing heart disease and cancer,ā€ Weglein said. ā€œThis forced isolationism is causing unprecedented anxiety.ā€

Weglein told of a senior who called her network to say he had all of the coronavirus symptoms, but refused any medical care.

ā€œAfter working with him, we realized he was just extremely fearful of having anyone with him and felt all alone at the same time,ā€ she explained. ā€œUltimately, he is stable and well, but his mental health well-being is unbalanced and stressed due to the current heightened COVID-19 environment.ā€

Mark Segal, an over-65 gay man in Philadelphia who is fortunate to have his husband with him during this period of social restriction for seniors, was surprised when a medical provider discriminated against him in a way that is similar to what gay men faced during the AIDS crisis.

ā€œFear breeds discrimination,ā€ he said, upset by a doctorā€™s office staff who refused to treat him, or anyone else 65 and over because of what they understood to be CDC guidelines, ā€œbut they were wrong.ā€

Segal said he was scheduled to have a nonemergency outpatient procedure to relieve two herniated disks and ā€œa sciatic nerve issue” on Monday.

He told the Blade the doctor called him the night before to confirm his appointment. But as a sign of quickly changing situations due to the virus, the doctor’s office called him on Monday morning and abruptly cancelled the procedure.

 ā€œThey told me they werenā€™t treating anyone over 65,ā€ he said, still surprised. ā€œI asked what about someone who was 64 and in bad health. They said that person would be treated, but not someone who was 65 and in good health … This is age discrimination.ā€

Part of Segalā€™s hurt arose from memories about doctors decades ago turning patients away because they were gay and assumed to have HIV or AIDS,

ā€œNow, they turn me away because Iā€™m old,ā€ said Segal.

Even though many of the support systems LGBTQ seniors like Segal and others turn to are closed, Vincent says there are ways the younger LGBTQ community can help.

ā€œReach out to an LGBT elder and see if they are doing okay,ā€ Vincent said. ā€œCan you pick something up at the store for them? They are not supposed to leave home for the next six to eight weeks. Maybe pick up their medication at the pharmacy and drop it off at someoneā€™s doorstep. Think local community. Maybe even watch ā€˜Ellenā€™ with someone over the phone. Thatā€™s a nice way to stay connected.ā€

He also recommends for seniors to check in with their friends to make sure they are okay, again even if it is by phone or social media during this crisis. This is what Segal is doing.

ā€œI have been in my house since last Thursday with my husband and we both are symptom free,ā€ he said, though he realizes others his age or older arenā€™t so fortunate. ā€œI start everyday at 2 p.m. to do a Facebook Live show. I donā€™t want anyone to feel like a caged animal. If you feel lonely or upset, give me a call. Iā€™m here.ā€

Segal explained that for him communication was a way to help people feel loved and connected during this vulnerable time. Vincent agreed.

ā€œEveryone is going to get a phone call in the next couple of days [from our center],ā€ he said. ā€œPeople can still reach out to us. Weā€™re still working, weā€™re just working from home. We can make these connections happen.ā€

Both Vincent and Segal pointed out LGBTQ seniors were fortunate that many of these alternate connections and communities were forged from lessons learned at the height of the AIDS crisis.

ā€œThis is what being a community is all about,ā€ Segal said, his voice sounding noticeably stronger. ā€œWe learned how to do that extremely well during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We learned how to use those practices and are putting them to use once again now.ā€

The practices he mentioned were for LGBTQ seniors to know the facts about the disease, know their status, do the protective measures, help keep each other safe and most importantly, stay connected.

ā€œThere will be a time that this, too, will be in the rear view mirror,ā€ Segal said confidently. ā€œAnd just like AIDS, we learn from it.ā€

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D.C. mayor to lift all restrictions on bars, nightclubs on June 11

ā€˜We will definitely be celebrating Prideā€™ next month

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Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that she will fully lift capacity and other restrictions on most businesses, including restaurants and places of worship, on May 21. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced at a news conference on Monday that a continuing trend of significantly lower numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths in the city has enabled her to fully lift capacity and other restrictions on most businesses, including restaurants and places of worship, on May 21.

The mayor said bars and nightclubs will be allowed to increase indoor capacity from the current 25 percent to 50 percent on May 21, with all capacity restrictions for bars and nightclubs to be removed on June 11.

The mayorā€™s announcement came after representatives of the cityā€™s nightlife businesses, including the cityā€™s gay bars and restaurants, expressed concern that D.C. had yet to lift its capacity restrictions beyond 25 percent while surrounding jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia had already lifted most restrictions.

ā€œOn May 21, restrictions on public and commercial activity, including capacity limits, types of activities, and time restrictions, will be lifted,ā€ the mayorā€™s directive says.

It says restrictions for bars and nightclubs would continue at a 50 percent capacity from May 21 through June 11. The directive says restrictions for large sports and entertainment venues would also continue from May 21 to June 11, which includes a requirement such events apply for a waiver of the restrictions on a case-by-case basis.

ā€œOn June 11, capacity limits and restrictions will be lifted on those venues that cannot fully reopen on May 21,ā€ the directive says.

In response to a question at the news conference, Bowser said the June 11 date would essentially end all restrictions on nightclubs and bars, including the current requirement that they close at midnight rather than the pre-epidemic closing times of 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.

In a development that could have a major impact on plans for D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Pride events, the mayorā€™s revised health directive announced on Monday includes the lifting of all capacity restrictions on large outdoor and indoor sports and entertainment events beginning on June 11.

That change would remove restrictions that have, up until now, prevented D.C.ā€™s Capital Pride Alliance from holding its annual Pride Parade and Festival in June during Pride Month.

Capital Pride Executive Director Ryan Bos told the Washington Blade shortly after the mayorā€™s announcement that Capital Pride is assessing its options for expanding its current plans for in-person events in June.

ā€œWe will definitely be celebrating Pride in June,ā€ Bos said. ā€œWe just received this information as well. So, we will be getting further information,ā€ he said. ā€œWe have not been informed that they will be issuing any permits yet, so at this time we are moving forward with our original plans for doing things.ā€

Bos was referring to a city requirement for obtaining permits for street closings and use of other public spaces for events such as a parade or street festival. He said existing plans, among other things, call for an informal parade of cars and other vehicles on June 12 that will drive throughout the city to view homes and businesses that will be decorated with Pride displays such as signs, photos, and other symbols of Pride.

Those familiar with the cityā€™s past Pride events donā€™t think there will be enough time for Capital Pride to organize the traditional large parade and street festival in time for June. But Capital Pride officials have talked about holding a possible parade and festival in October, and the lifting of the capacity restrictions announced by Bowser on Monday would likely make that possible.

In addition to lifting all capacity restrictions on May 21 for restaurants, the mayorā€™s May 21 timeframe for lifting restrictions includes these additional venues and events:

  • Weddings and special events
  • Business meetings and seated conventions
  • Places of worship
  • Non-essential retail
  • Personal services
  • Private at-home gatherings
  • Libraries, museums, galleries
  • Recreation Centers
  • Gyms and fitness centers
  • Pools
  • Office space
  • Schools
  • Childcare

ā€œWeā€™re very pleased that over the last several days, we have seen our case spread, our community spread numbers, venture out of the red into the yellow and fast approaching the green,ā€ Bowser said in referring to a health department chart that shows the changes in coronavirus cases in the city.

ā€œYou might remember that our daily case rate peaked in January at 45.9. And today you can see itā€™s down to 6.6,ā€ she said at her news conference on Monday.

ā€œThroughout this process I have said how proud I am of D.C. residents and businesses who have responded, who have followed health guidance and have worked together to help protect our community throughout the pandemic. And we see it in these numbers today,ā€ she said.

ā€œContaining the virus will continue to require all of us to be focused on maintaining a robust health system,ā€ the mayor said, adding that while over 200,000 D.C. residents have been fully vaccinated since December 2020, ā€œmany more thousandsā€ still need to be vaccinated. ā€œVaccines are free and available on demand at walk-up sites across the District,ā€ she said.

The mayor also noted that the city will continue to require residents and visitors to use a mask in accordance with existing and updated guidance set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mark Lee, coordinator of the D.C. Nightlife Council, an association that represents restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues, said the mayorā€™s directive on May 10 leaves some details to be addressed but will open the way to bring nightlife businesses back to life.

ā€œWhat we do know is that on Friday, May 21, businesses begin returning to normal operations and, three weeks later, on June 11, all restrictions for all businesses in the District will end,ā€ Lee said. ā€œItā€™s a day weā€™ve long awaited and one that will save much of our community enterprise from financial ruin.ā€

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DC residents with HIV eligible for COVID vaccine

Mayor announces expanded eligibility as vaccine supply increases

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COVID-19 vaccine, gay news, Washington Blade

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Feb. 24 that D.C. residents between the ages of 16 to 24 who have one of 19 pre-existing medical conditions, including HIV, will now be eligible to make an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The mayor and D.C. Department of Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt said the appointments could be made through the cityā€™s special site,Ā vaccinate.dc.gov, beginning Thursday and Friday, Feb. 25 and 26. The vaccinations themselves for the expanded group of residents, including people with HIV, would begin March 1, the mayor said in an announcement.

Abby Fenton, a spokesperson for Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C. community health center that provides services to the LGBTQ community and people with HIV, said Whitman-Walker has begun contacting its HIV patients about the availability of the COVID vaccine for them.

ā€œWe are urging people to try to make an appointment with the city because we have such a limited supply,ā€ Fenton said. She said Whitman-Walker is dispensing the vaccine for those who the city determines are eligible at its medical center locations at 1425 14thĀ Street, N.W., and at its Max Robinson Center at 2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E.

Michael Kharfen, the DOH official in charge of the cityā€™s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration, said the limited supplies of the COVID vaccine that the city has been receiving from the federal government has prevented the allocation of vaccine supplies to community health centers like Whitman-Walker until a few weeks ago.

He said supplies of the vaccine have increased in recent weeks and the Department of Health was hopeful that it will be able to provide additional supplies of the vaccine to community health centers and other facilities and health care providers.

Kharfen noted that the city has been increasing the availability of the vaccine to different groups of residents in stages as supplies have increased. Front line medical workers and nursing home residents were the first to receive the vaccine. The most recent group to become eligible prior to the mayor’s most recent expansion this week were people 65 years of age and older.

The mayorā€™s announcement on Feb. 24 listed these pre-existing medical conditions, including HIV, that would make city residents between the ages of 16 and 64 eligible for the COVID vaccine:

Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and other Chronic Lung Disease; Bone Marrow and Solid Organ Transplantation; Cancer; Cerebrovascular Disease; Chronic Kidney Disease; Congenital Heart Disease; Diabetes Mellitus; Heart Conditions, such as Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease, or Cardiomyopathies; HIV; Hypertension; Immunocompromised State; Inherited Metabolic Disorders; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Liver Disease; Neurologic Conditions; Obesity, BMI ā‰„ 30 kg/m2; Pregnancy; Severe Genetic Disorders; Sickle Cell Disease; and Thalassemia.

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D.C. gay bars struggling to stay open in pandemic

Mayorā€™s new rule banning liquor sales after 10 p.m. called ā€˜devastatingā€™

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gay bar, gay news, Washington Blade
Nellie’s Sports Bar (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

John Guggenmos, co-owner of the D.C. gay bars Number 9 and Trade, says he and his business partners support Mayor Muriel Bowserā€™s efforts to keep people safe as the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 continues to rise in the city.

But Guggenmos and other gay bar owners say the mayorā€™s most recent order requiring bars and restaurants to stop serving alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. has had a devastating impact on what had already been a major decline in business since the COVID restrictions were put in place earlier this year.

ā€œWe see hope on the horizon,ā€ Guggenmos said. ā€œBut for many places itā€™s just going to be too late. It is sad because even if I am in a position that we can weather this storm better, if other places in the neighborhood donā€™t, then we all suffer.ā€

Exterior of Trade, which is working to serve customers amid new 10 p.m. cutoff for alcohol sales. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

David Perruzza, owner of the Adams Morgan gay sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own, said gay bar customers traditionally come out to the clubs after 9 p.m. and often remain there several hours later.

Under the mayorā€™s current Phase II rules for addressing the COVID health emergency all restaurants and bars must close at midnight, two hours earlier than the pre-epidemic closing time of 2 a.m. during the week and three hours sooner than the normal 3 a.m. closing time on weekends. That restriction by itself has resulted in a significant drop in revenue for bars and nightclubs, including LGBTQ clubs, officials with the clubs have said.

The new restriction put in place last month banning liquor sales after 10 p.m. allows bars and restaurants to continue to stay open until midnight. But Guggenmos, Perruzza and other bar owners say few if any customers would likely come in to order non-alcoholic beverages. Thus they and nearly all of the cityā€™s bar and restaurant owners have decided to close at 10 p.m. until the restrictions are lifted, a development that has further curtailed their businesses.

ā€œIā€™ve had the worst two weekends of my life at the bar,ā€ said Perruzza in referring to the weekends following the ban on liquor sales after 10 p.m. ā€œI canā€™t sustain a business this way,ā€ he said.

Pitchers (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the D.C. Department of Health, has said city inspectors have found that more violations of the COVID-related health restrictions at restaurants and bars, such as social distancing and mask wearing, were occurring after 10 p.m. as patrons consumed more alcohol. But nightlife advocates have disputed claims that riskier behavior occurs after 10 p.m. They say there are no studies or data to back up those claims.

Perruzza said he understands that while the mayorā€™s intention is to curtail the spread of the coronavirus he believes the 10 p.m. cutoff on alcohol service will result in large numbers of bar customers going to private parties in peopleā€™s homes where there will be fewer safeguards to curtail the virus.

ā€œBy her doing this she is going to push people to have more house parties,ā€ Perruzza said. ā€œAt least if theyā€™re in a restaurant or bar theyā€™re in a controlled environment where they take their temperature. They make sure everything is sanitized after people leave,ā€ Perruzza said. ā€œPeople are not required to wear masks when they go to house parties.ā€

Prior to the start of the pandemic, D.C. was home to at least 15 gay bars or nightclubs in which the clientele was largely LGBTQ. A number of other D.C. bars and nightclubs are considered LGBTQ friendly, according to gay D.C. nightlife advocate Mark Lee, who said those additional establishments have a significant LGBTQ clientele.

In March, Bowser issued her initial emergency health order requiring all ā€œnon-essentialā€ businesses, including bars and restaurants, to temporarily close their indoor operations to customers in an effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Carryout food and drink orders were allowed, and some of the gay clubs joined other bars and restaurants in putting in place a take-out order business.

A short time later, the DC Eagle, the cityā€™s longest continuously operating gay bar, announced it was permanently closing. The Eagleā€™s majority owner filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy following longstanding financial problems, but many of the Eagleā€™s customers believe the pandemic played some role in the permanent shutdown.

At the same time, the popular LGBTQ nightclub Ziegfeldā€™s-Secrets closed its doors indefinitely after the owner of the building where it was located in the cityā€™s Buzzardā€™s Point area invoked its longstanding plan to demolish the building to make way for a new condominium and retail development. Ziegfeldā€™s-Secrets manager Steve Delurba said the club would like to reopen in a new location but efforts to reopen would have to wait until all COVID-19 restrictions on such establishments were lifted.

Among the cityā€™s remaining 13 LGBTQ bars and clubs, all but one has reopened after the mayor put in place the cityā€™s Phase II business reopening plan in June, which allowed bars, restaurants, and other businesses to resume limited indoor operations.

The Fireplace, a gay bar at 2161 P St., N.W. near Dupont Circle, decided to remain closed rather than operate under the COVID restrictions but ā€œdefinitelyā€ plans to reopen, according Larry Ray, a longtime customer who said he spoke with one of the owners.

Among the other Phase II restrictions for bars, restaurants and nightclubs put in place by Bowser in the spring was the requirement that such establishments must operate at 50 percent of their normal indoor capacity, all patrons must be seated at tables spaced six feet apart, and at least three food items must be served that are prepared on the premises regardless of whether the establishment was exempt from serving food prior to the pandemic. The Phase II order also bans the establishments from offering live entertainment.

Two weeks ago, when the mayor issued her updated order banning the serving of alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. at bars and restaurants, she also included in the order a reduction in the capacity of customers from 50 percent to 25 percent based on concern that the number of COVID-19 cases was rising in D.C. after the case number had gone down in the spring and summer.

Perruzza told the Blade that due to the Phase II social distancing requirements and the spacing of tables and the ban on allowing customers to stand except to walk in and out and go to the bathroom, Pitchers and his adjoining bar A League of Her Own were never able to reach a 50 percent capacity. At most, he said, he was able to reach a 33 percent capacity, which now must be reduced to 25 percent.

Meanwhile, the D.C. gay bar Dirty Goose at 913 U St., N.W. is among the establishments hit with a fine for allegedly violating the Phase II food serving requirement. According to a report in the Washington City Paper, an inspector from the cityā€™s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration on Nov. 27 cited Dirty Goose for serving only cookies as a food item, saying it failed to provide at least two other types of food such as popcorn or brownies instead of just cookies.

Co-owner Justin Parker told City Paper he plans to contest the citation on grounds that the establishment serves multiple types of cookies that are prepared on the premises and that the different types should be accepted as different food types. He said that ABRA inspectors came to Dirty Goose six or seven times in November prior to citing him for the food violation and found his establishment to be in full compliance with all of the COVID related requirements.

On its Facebook page the Dirty Goose announced on Nov. 10 that it had voluntarily closed its doors after one of its employees tested positive for COVID and out of caution it would remain closed until all remaining employees were tested. On Nov. 15 it announced ā€œwe have received all our employees test results and we are ready to reopen,ā€ which happened less than a week later.

In a Nov. 25 Facebook message, Dirty Goose conveyed what appears to be the sentiment shared by the other LGBTQ bar owners and operators.

ā€œFirst, we would like to thank all of our wonderful family of patrons who have kept us going since May,ā€ the message says. ā€œWhat a crazy 8 months itā€™s been!ā€ After announcing the Dirty Goose would be closing at 10 p.m. each day due to the mayorā€™s order banning alcohol sales after that hour, the message added, ā€œWe look forward to continue serving all of you and please know we are continuously following the safety requirements set by the DOH and the safety of our staff and patrons remains our main priority.ā€

Dirty Goose was recently fined for allegedly violating rules about serving three kinds of food to remain open. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Lee, the longtime D.C. nightlife advocate who served as director of the D.C. Nightlife Council before being furloughed, said the 10 p.m. cutoff for the sale of liquor at bars and restaurants will be especially harmful coming with all the other restrictions.

ā€œThe most maddening aspect of Mayor Bowser suddenly halting all alcohol consumption after 10 p.m. at local bars, restaurants, and nightclubs operating in full compliance with public safety protocols and highly restricted service limitations is that there is no actual data or evidence-based rationale for this financially devastating roll-back curfew,ā€ Lee told the Blade.

ā€œThis arbitrary edict jeopardizes the survival of hospitality establishments by causing them to lose the major portion of revenue they had been able to generate,ā€ he said. ā€œWeā€™re getting reports that this decision is costing operators up to 60 percent or more of the little money they were making, leaving most with no choice other than to shut down two hours earlier rather than attempt to now serve only food items and non-alcoholic beverages until midnight,ā€ Lee said.

Lee noted that at a press conference on Dec. 7, Bowser acknowledged that nightlife establishments, including restaurants and bars, have done an exemplary job of complying with health requirements and providing a safe space for patrons and employees.

At that press conference the mayor also said she looks forward to being able to lift all restrictions on businesses once the COVID vaccine becomes widely available. But she said that with a resurgence of COVID cases in D.C. in recent weeks along with the rise in cases in the surrounding suburbs the city could be forced once again to order the complete shutdown of indoor operations of businesses like restaurants and bars if the local COVID situation worsens.

Perruzza, Guggenmos and Doug Schantz, owner of the gay sports bar Nellieā€™s at 900 U St., N.W., each said their establishments and others like them serve as a place where LGBTQ people can go to be themselves, which many are unable to do at work, school, or even at home in some situations.

ā€œAt some point safe human interactions are what people are craving,ā€ said Guggenmos. ā€œYou see someone on the street and how they desperately just want that interaction again,ā€ he said. ā€œIf we could do that safely, why not?ā€

D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Bars/Restaurants

Nellieā€™s Sports Bar
900 U Street, N.W.
202-332-6355

Uproar
639 Florida Ave., N.W.
202-462-4464

The Dirty Goose
913 U Street, N.W.

JR.ā€™s
1519 17th Street, N.W.
202-328-0090

Windows/DIK Bar
Upper floor at Dupont Italian Kitchen
1637 17th Street, N.W.
202-328-0100

Annieā€™s Paramount Steakhouse restaurant/bar
1609 17th Street, N.W.
202-232-0395

Larryā€™s Lounge
1840 18th Street, N.W.
202-483-1483

Pitchers/League of Her Own
2317 18th Street, N.W.
202-733-2558

Duplex Diner
2004 18th Street, N.W.
202-265-7828

The Fireplace
2161 P Street, N.W.
202-293-1293
[Temporarily closed during pandemic]

Number Nine
1435 P Street, N.W.
202-986-0999

Trade
1410 14th Street, N.W.
202-986-1094

Green Lantern
1335 Green Court, N.W.
202-347-4533

D.C. LGBTQ-friendly Bars/Clubs

Dacha Beer Garden
1600 7th Street, N.W.
202-350-9888

9:30 Club
815 V Street, N.W.
202-265-0930

DC 9 Nightclub
1940 9th Street, N.W.
202-483-5000

Ditoā€™s Bar
Lower floor at Floriana Restaurant
1602 17th Street, N.W.
202-667-5937

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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