San Diego repeals bathhouse ordinance passed in the 1980s
San Diego becomes latest city to repeal bathhouse ordinance passed in the 1980s
Mark
San Diego, California, has become the latest US city to repeal a bathhouse ordinance that has remained in place since the 1980s. It was introduced as part of efforts to curb the spread of HIV at a time when there was no effective treatment for the virus.
Introduced in 1988 and amended in 1991, the ordinance has not been enforced in years. In fact, the city has a men’s spa, Club San Diego, which has been running for over 40 years.
Despite the lack of enforcement, a staffer for Council President Joe LaCava came across it while searching the city’s municipal code.
“We do not regulate these gathering spaces, and this code is not enforced — but that is not a reason to ignore it,” LaCava said. “This code reflects an offensive and outdated perspective of our LGBTQ+ community.”
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San Diego City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, September 1, to repeal the ordinance.
Many working within the field of gay men’s health believe bathhouses have a role to play in offering people education and testing. It’s one way for health workers to reach people who don’t go to STI clinics.
San Diego follows in the footsteps of cities such as San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis. Over the last 48 months, each has repealed old bans on bathhouses for gay and bisexual men. However, zoning issues, health codes, and—in San Francisco and New York—bans on such establishments selling alcohol continue to make launching a bathhouse business difficult.
In other cities, such as Chicago, no such bans existed.
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