Menz and Mollyz wasn't the only LGBTQ-dedicated bar to close in Canada during the pandemic. It seems like Canada is following suit, which doesn't surprise Gahagan. Gahagan said businesses serving the queer community, like bookstores and bars, have been on the decline for years.Ī study called 'Are Gay Bars Closing?' cited that 36 per cent of LGBTQ bars in the U.S. 'Mobilization and community-connected places have kind of slowly dissolved, either because of economic reasons or because the demographic who inhabited these spaces are now older and the younger generation is not as fussed about having a gay space,' said Jackie Gahagan. But when it comes to LGBTQ-dedicated bars, a Dalhousie University professor who specializes in health promotion and LGBTQ health and gender says losing them could be a symptom of the overall decline of queer bars across Canada. Many businesses have closed during the pandemic.
Menz and Mollyz, Halifax's only bar dedicated to the LGBTQ community, closed last year.
