Cover - West Village

Hello,

Happy Tuesday and happy cover drop! The Advocate team is excited to share with you our latest cover, an exploration of how gentrification of New York City's West Village has affected its queer community, especially its queer elders.

This gentrification of the West Village — the neighborhood where the Stonewall Inn is located — threatens people and places central to American LGBTQ+ history, according to interviews with residents and historians. “It’s gotten very straight,” Donna Aceto, a long-time resident, says.

“I miss the old places. I miss the things that used to be here,” Aceto says. “There were a lot more gay bars and lesbian bars."

For drag performer Miss Simone, she remembers the vibrant queer days of the neighborhood. “You had all these gay kids everywhere. That’s where everybody went to forget their troubles.” But as a newer crop of young people moved in, they had less respect when it came to being in queer spaces, she explains. “They make you feel like you’re a guest at your own party,” Miss Simone says.

The fight to preserve the neighborhood’s rich queer history and community continues, though. “It’s my home. I love it. I’ve been here forever, and I’m not letting anyone chase me out,” Aceto says.

Read the story here. ⬇️

NYC's West Village was the birthplace of Pride. Now it's a battleground for survival.

Roland Fitz

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Can we count on you to support LGBTQ+ journalism?