Yes, Bathhouse Culture exists
Those of us who have been going to gay bathhouses for a while know how things work, what people expect, how to behave, and so on. We also understand some terms (words and phrases) and how they are used in the baths. That all adds up to something very real: Bathhouse Culture.
Bathhouse Culture includes:
- Certain expectations, including etiquette and rules
- Common understandings, such as shared language
- A rich and developing history
- Plenty of movies (and yes, most of them are porn)
- Events
- Rich interrelationships with other queer subcultures
- Our own jokes and humor
- Even some of our own architectural features
Bathhouse Queen came into existence to observe and document that culture — particularly in a way that is clear and accessible for first-time visitors to the bathhouse.
Join me on this journey!