New Orleans Isn’t Just a Party City —
It’s One of the Oldest Queer Cities in America

Before Paris had Au Monocle, before San Francisco had the Castro, before New York saw Stonewall—New Orleans was already home to gender-nonconforming performers, queer sex-worker networks, drag circuits, Mafia-protected cabarets, and jazz legends who lived outside the straight line.

During the Progressive Era, Storyville—New Orleans’ red-light district within the French Quarter (The Historic New Orleans Collection)—was legally sanctioned as the hub for vice and entertainment. Here, madame Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall established not only the city’s most famed brothel, but its first interracial one. (Wikipedia) 
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Storyville resident Fanny Sweet—often dubbed a “thief, lesbian, Confederate spy, poisoner, and procurer”—owned and operated a brothel of the same name that became a major draw for the queer populace, and Miss Big Nellie—a noted advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community—ran a bordello that housed gay men. 

It was also here that pioneering musicians dominated the dancehalls with jazz and blues, including openly gay Black pianist Tony Jackson (Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center).

In the 1930s, drag entered the scene with the Wonder Bar, followed by the Wonder Club after a 1936 raid. Ten years later, it was reborn as Club My-Oh-My—a glittering spectacle that drew crowds until it closed for good in the 1970s (Wikipedia).

Although technically a “straight” club, the Dew Drop Inn became an iconic national venue—and a sanctuary for queer and gender-bending performers. “Toast of the town” Patsy Vidalia—emcee, singer, and bartender—hosted musical greats like Little Richard, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and James Brown. It’s even said that legendary local drag king Stormie DeLarverie got their start here (Hannusch) (Cabello) (Perez). It operated between 1939 and 1970, and is noted as "the most important and influential club" in the development of rhythm and blues music in the city in the post-war period.

Storyville no doubt laid the foundation, but queer New Orleans has grown—not just in the French Quarter, but far beyond—where that old pulse stretches into crowded bars, late-night drag, balcony mischief, and a scene that’s as loud, visible, and defiantly alive as ever.‍

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The Stats (because receipts matter):

• Marriage equality? Legal nationwide since 2015. (Howe)
  Louisiana began recognizing same-sex marriage immediately after the Supreme Court ruling (Obergefell v. Hodges).
  
  
• Louisiana ranks 30th out of 50 states on the Movement Advancement Project’s LGBTQ Equality Index (2025).
  (Movement Advancement Project (MAP)
  
  
• New Orleans Pride is an officially recognized city event (City of New Orleans), supported by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy and included on the city’s annual cultural calendar.
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• As of December 2025, New Orleans hosts numerous queer bars and clubs, plus multiple LGBTQ+ centers and nonprofits supporting health, recovery, youth, elders, and civil rights.

Queer Bars & Nightlife in New Orleans

New Orleans has one of the oldest, loudest, and most resilient queer nightlife scenes in the country. From legacy bars in the French Quarter to high-energy dance clubs and neighborhood taverns, here are the staples that define the city’s after-dark queer pulse.

Historic & Iconic‍

Café Lafitte in Exile


901 Bourbon St New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116 ‍

The oldest continuously operating gay bar in the United States, with roots stretching back to the 1930s. Legendary, dimly lit, and essential.
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Golden Lantern


1239 Royal St, New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116‍

A longstanding favorite and home to the original Southern Decadence drag brunches—historic, intimate, and deeply local.

Bourbon Street Powerhouses‍

Bourbon Pub & Parade


801 Bourbon Street at St. Ann, New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116

One of the anchors of Bourbon Street’s queer nightlife—drag shows, balcony energy, major weekend crowds.

Oz New Orleans


800 Bourbon St, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 70116

A high-energy gay dance club known for DJs, theme nights, and late-night party culture.

French Quarter Neighborhood Staples

Good Friends Bar


740 Dauphine St. New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116‍

A warm, multi-level bar with a neighborhood feel, known for its upstairs “Queen’s Head Pub.”

Rawhide Lounge


740 Burgundy St. New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116

A long-running cornerstone of leather-leaning, late-night French Quarter queer nightlife.

GrandPre’s

834 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA, United States, Louisiana

Laid-back and friendly, with strong cocktails and a devoted regular crowd.

Crossing Bar


901 St. Louis St, New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70112‍

A casual, queer-friendly stop where locals mix with visitors looking for something off the Bourbon drag.

The Page


542 N Rampart, New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70112

A classic dive-bar atmosphere with a no-frills vibe and a loyal LGBTQ+ following.

Voodoo Lounge


718 N Rampart St, New Orleans, Louisiana USA 70116

A French Quarter haunt with vampire-goth energy, queer-friendly crowds, and a come-as-you-are atmosphere.

New Orleans isn’t just about beads and Bourbon Street.

For generations, queer and trans people here built their own safety nets—recovery rooms, grassroots health care, elder support, and advocacy long before the city caught up. Today’s orgs carry that legacy forward. If you want to see how community has always taken care of its own, start here:

New Orleans Pride Center


A growing hub for LGBTQ2IA+ community, support, and culture—built to serve the full spectrum of queer and trans life in New Orleans.



New Orleans Lambda Center


A cornerstone for LGBTQ+ recovery, offering 12-step meetings and peer-led support in a sober, affirming space.

NOAGE — New Orleans Advocates for LGBTQ+ Elders


Championing older LGBTQ+ adults with social programs, resources, and advocacy designed to combat isolation and build lasting community.



PFLAG New Orleans


A longtime home for support, education, and advocacy—connecting LGBTQ+ people, families, and allies through community-led care.



Forum for Equality Foundation


Louisiana’s statewide LGBTQ civil-rights organization fighting for policy change, protections, and a more just future for queer and trans residents.

BreakOUT!


Grassroots youth power in action—organizing queer and trans young people of color for justice, safety, and liberation across New Orleans.


CrescentCare (formerly NO/AIDS Task Force)


A trusted health and wellness provider offering LGBTQ-competent medical care, HIV services, prevention, and community support for decades.

Louisiana Trans Advocates

A statewide coalition advancing the rights, safety, and dignity of trans and gender-expansive people through policy work, community support, and education.
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