Plaza

739 N. La Brea Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90038

Queer people of color often face the difficulty of identifying as both queer and a person of color. These identities are often thought to conflict with one another. This was true (and continues to be true) for queer Latin@s who are rejected by both their Latin@ families/community and from the larger white queer community; their experiences continue to be unknown to both the larger queer and non-queer community. This is due in part to the failure on behalf of the larger queer community to recognize how race especially shapes how queer people of color experience homophobia and racism. The limited ability to create public gay-friendly spaces within Latin@ communities that were comparable to white queer spaces was a major barrier to queer Latin@s. Many queer Latin@s found it difficult to express their queer lifestyle within their ethnic community because of the prevailing religious and cultural stigmas associated with homosexuality. Results from a study by Mario Espitia confirmed that Latin@ families were not usually tolerant of their queer children making what should be a safe space, the family, a potentially unsafe space for queer Latin@s. The study indicates that Latin@ cultural and familial values have the greatest impact on the coming-out process for many queer Latin@s. As opposed to the many ethnic and racial communities of some queer people of color (communities that did not necessarily embrace queer people), Los Angeles, in particular the West Hollywood region was long believed to be more tolerant and accepting of queer identified individuals. For many newly identified queer people of color, the region was not always as welcoming as imagined.

Plaza is located in Hollywood and was created in an attempt to provide an openly queer and Latin@ community space for people. Ernest Valverde established the bar/club in response to the racial discrimination faced by queer people of color during the 1970s. Valverde, “simply wanted a place for gay Latino kids to hang out without getting into trouble,” says Leo, the current manager of Plaza. Its original location was on La Brea Avenues about one block south of its current location. Many predominantly white gay venues would openly refuse to serve queer people of color. It was during this time that a variety of social venues such as clubs, bars, and lounges dedicated to people of color began appearing and gaining a loyal clientele. The move to its current location was brought about by the need for a larger venue to accommodate more people (evidence of its success with the targeted community). Many if not all of the patrons that initially flocked to Plaza were Latin@s in search of a place where they could speak Spanish and be understood, for a place where their musical taste was reflected, and where they could feel safe from both the homophobia found in many of their ethnic communities and the racism found in many white gay establishments. Plaza provided all of this and more. It was a bar where the drinks were (and continue to be) relatively inexpensive, where the dance floor was full of Latin@s dancing traditional Latin@ forms of dance (such as cumbia, merengue, salsa), and the drag shows were predominantly of Mexican celebrities, singers, with the occasional American artist making an appearance.

Plaza certainly was not intended to become a political space, but its ability to instill a sense of belonging and cultural pride among its patrons by promoting inclusivity made it incredibly influential in their lives. The consequences of not having this sense of belonging were dire and included being forced to hide their identity and/or engaging in situations/places where they were in danger of being targeted as victims of racism or hate. Plaza served as a venue for community building among queer Latin@s especially in dire times such as during the 1980s and the AIDS hysteria. Leo, the current manager of Plaza, recalls Plaza hosting a few fundraising events to benefit some of the patrons affected by AIDS as well as making donations to AIDS research. Plaza was also one of the first queer bars to publicly embrace lesbians by creating a “Ladies Night” held on Mondays specifically for lesbian Latinas. According to Leo, most gay clubs paid little attention to its lesbian clientele and only began doing in an attempt to imitate Plaza. Clearly Plaza was a vanguard of inclusivity; they made strides in expanding and embracing other Latin@s that also identified as queer but were not initially welcome in men-only gay clubs. Without a doubt Plaza prioritized community building and in doing so demonstrated both the influence of the Latin@ community as well as the community’s potential for creating social change within the larger Los Angeles queer community.

Plaza continues to serve an overwhelming Latin@ clientele at its location. Now it is a place where older queer Latin@ individuals can come to reminisce about bygone times and watch the new, young, and hip queer Latin@s come of age as they once did.

  

For more information:

Espitia, Mario. “Coming-out Among Gay Latino Men: The Effects of Catholicism and Traditional Culture.” M.S.W. California State University, Long Beach, 2007.

Faderman, Lillian, and Stuart Timmons. Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians. Berkeley: University of California, 2009: 281-299.

Hom, Alice Y. “Unifying Differences: Lesbian of Color Community Building In Los Angeles and New York, 1970s-1980s.” Ph.D. The Claremont Graduate University, 2011. 

Ibañez, Gladys E. et al. “General and Gay-related Racism Experienced by Latino Gay Men.” Journal of Latina/o Psychology 1.S (2012): 66–77.

Maltun, Alan. “Gay Community Gaining Tolerance, Prosperity in Northeast L.A.: Communication Barriers Down in Diverse Neighborhood GAYS: Prospering, Being Accepted in Northeast L.A.” Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1982.

      Moore, Mignon R. "Black and Gay L.A.: The Relationships Black Lesbians and Gay Men Have to Their Racial and Religious Communities." In Black Los Angeles: American Dreams and Racial Realities, edited by Darnell M. Hunt and Ana-Christina Ramón, 188-212. New York: New York UP, 2010.

Writer, Ginger Thompson. “Minority Gays Find Strength in Unity.” Los Angeles Times, April 30, 1989.