GLT » San Diego then and now

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San Diego then and now

Published Thursday, 22-Feb-2007 in issue 1000

What a difference 1000 issues can make in our lives. Some people holding the current issue of the GLT weren’t even born when the first issue of the publication hit the stands. While the younger members of our community probably don’t remember what life was like back in the late ’80s, things have changed so much that some of the older members of the community may have forgotten what life was like in the age of Marlboro Man moustaches and mullets.

Those of our readers born in the mid to late 80s probably don’t remember the Soviet Union, and they have always known a unified Germany. They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication. For them, “Google” has always been a verb. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television. The only presidents they remember are Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Paul Newman has always made salad dressing and gasoline has always been unleaded.

	THEN	NOW
The Gay and Lesbian Times	The GLT was called the San Diego Gay Times. The paper was only 16 pages in a fold-over format with a single color front page.	The publication is known as the Gay & Lesbian Times. An average issue is 80 pages or more with several full-color pages inside. Beginning with this issue, there is a glossy full-color cover.
Drink specials around town	25-cent well drinks could be had at Sundance bar during happy hour.	$1 well drinks on welfare Wednesdays at Flicks are about as cheap as they get, but don’t forget the cover charge!
Rent	Rent for a two bedroom apartment in Hillcrest: $600-700 per month.	Paying less than $1400 per month for a two bedroom apartment in Hillcrest is considered a good deal.
Hook-ups	Remember phone chat lines? They used to be one of the most popular methods of “hooking up.” Free publications, both gay and straight, were filled with “976” gay chat line advertisements.	The Internet has become such an integral part of our lives, it’s sometimes hard to remember life without it. These days, Web sites like Adam4Adam and Manhunt are where it’s at if you’re looking for that “meaningful” one-night stand.
Bars and clubs	Bars come and go. Some close down, while others change names and change hands. Remember West Coast Production Company, Wolfs, BULC, Peacock Alley and Sundance? They are just a few of the bars that have disappeared since the early issues of the GLT. Lesbians may recall Club Bombay or when The Flame was a ladies bar.	Places like Urban Mo’s, Bacchus House, Pecs, Rich’s, Numbers. Bourbon Street and Club Montage are the places the crowds can be found. As for the ladies, while The Flame is still “family,” it’s no longer a lesbian bar. Club Bombay became Six Degrees and, sadly, the establishment closed its doors last year. Many of the gay bars, however, hold special ladies nights.
Hair	Mustaches were the gay facial hair of choice. So much so, that the look came to be considered “too gay” for many straight men. Mullets were all the rage on the lesbians seen around town.	You rarely see just a mustache alone. They’re usually part of a beard, either a goatee or full beard, and facial hair is often well manicured on most men. Many lesbians have chopped the tail off the mullets, and they’re rarely seen around these days.
Bathhouses	We had four bathhouses, Club San Diego, Vulcan, Club Mustang and Dave’s.	These days we still have Club San Diego and Vulcan, but Dave’s is gone and Club Mustang, now the 2200 Club, is about to close in April.
HIV/AIDS	AZT was the only HIV medication available, and HIV was still largely stigmatized as a “gay disease.” HIV was often considered a death sentence. Within this publication, pages of obituaries of those who had succumbed to AIDS-related complications were often found, as well as advertisements for those infected with the virus who were selling their life insurance policies.	While there still is no cure or vaccine for HIV, antiretrovirals and protease inhibitors have enabled people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives, and HIV has become more manageable. Studies show that life expectancy for someone newly infected today is approaching 30 years.
Music	Remember popping cassette tapes into a Walkman? Cassettes were prevalent and CDs were the new technology.	You can’t throw a rock without hitting someone with an iPod. ?Apple has gone from a second-place computer manufacturer to a multimedia phenomenon, transforming the music industry.
Cell phones	Cell phones were big and bulky items the size of bricks. Very few people had them, and they didn’t have many features. Reception was spotty and they cost an arm and a leg.	If you don’t have a cell phone, people wonder how you survive. They’re smaller and more affordable than ever. These days, the gadgets often include cameras, mp3 players, e-mail capability, video games and much more.