For 18 rowdy years, the Lexington Club was the only dyke bar in the “Gay Mecca” of San Francisco. Ten years after its closure, WE BELONG mixes party footage, personal archives, and insider interviews to immerse us in this iconic space. Not just a safe space, the Lex was headquarters for a Queer rebellion transforming the world.
An Icon Closes
Ladies Night, Every Night
In 1997, 25-year-old Lila opened the Lexington Club as "your friendly neighborhood dyke bar," in San Francisco’s Mission District. The Lex was immediately iconic; the only “lesbian bar” in this “Gay Mecca”. Lila and her cohort of young rebellious DIY punks were out, tough, sexy Dykes. They weren’t just trying to make a safe space, they were trying to change the world.
Radical Change
The bar, like so many of its patrons, transitioned, becoming a space that centered women, but was also for queers and trans people across the spectrum. San Francisco was changing too, with an influx of tech and rising rents; in early 2015, Lila announced the Lexington would be closing. Two months after the raucous closing parties, marriage equality was affirmed.
Queer and Now
Now, almost ten years later, WE BELONG reconnects with the Lex community to reflect on their role as catalysts to the rapid rise in queer visibility, the subsequent backlash, and how each new generation continues to create joy and spaces that center their queerness.
Be A Part of Queer History
We would love you to be part of getting this important history out into the world. This film is about community, made by the queer community, and we need community support to make it to the finish line.
Tax deductible donations through our fiscal sponsor, BAVC, can be made on our site, or by check sent to 145 #101 San Francisco, CA 94103. Please make a note that it is for Susannah Smith, We Belong project.
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