LGBT Buffalo
Stifle that giggle—“the Queen City” is one of the oldest and most popular nicknames for Buffalo. OK, so the phrase really dates back to the days when the entire state was the “Empire State,” but that hasn’t stopped subsequent generations from embracing the phrase in a whole new way. Like any proper queen, Buffalo has a big heart, a terrific sense of humor about itself and the rest of the world, and a great gift for transforming the everyday into something utterly unique - experience gay Buffalo.
We’re not talking about some pampered, precious version of royalty. Buffalo is—to borrow a term in every lip-synching diva’s repertoire—a survivor. Its strong spirit was bred in the kind of working-class environment chronicled in native-born author and activist Leslie Feinberg’s acclaimed novel Stone Butch Blues and in Elizabeth Kennedy and Madeline Davis’s award-winning history of the local lesbian community, Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold.
That’s not to suggest that all is grit and struggle around here, either. This is a town that knows how to party, as evidenced by the fact that the bars stay open till 4 a.m. and warm-weather weekends (as well as plenty of chillier ones) are packed with all manner of street festivals like Gay Pride Buffalo, concerts, and other ways to have fun.
The arts are huge here; it’s hard to think of any other American city of Buffalo’s size with so much to offer: professional theater companies (many of whom regularly produce works by and about gays and lesbians), world-class museums and not-for-profit galleries like the Albright-Knox and Hallwalls, stellar architecture, and renowned musical ensembles from the Buffalo Philharmonic to a never-ending stream of up-and-coming indie bands.
Speaking of indies, let’s not forget Buffalo’s best-known cultural export of the last ten years, singer-songwriter-guitarist Ani DiFranco. Not only is her self-run label Righteous Babe Records based here, but she’s also the mastermind behind the city’s newest and hottest venue, Babeville.
In the midst of all these riches, Buffalo’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered population has evolved over the fairly short period since Stonewall into a vibrant, active, proud, and diverse community. As more and more people have learned, Buffalo has much to offer; pay us a visit and we’ll treat you like royalty, too!
