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Despite Dallas's reputation as one of the state's more conservative cities, its LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) community was among the first in Texas to organize politically and socially. In 1947, the city became home to one of the first gay bars in Texas, Club Reno, and in 1972 was the site of the first Gay Pride Parade in Texas. In 1980, the Pride Parade moved from downtown to Cedar Springs Road. The area surrounding the intersection of Throckmorton Street and Cedar Springs Road has been considered the center of the Dallas LGBTQ community since the early 1970s and is known as "The Gay Crossroads" or "The Crossroads." In the late 1960s and early 1970s, The Crossroads was a magnet for the city's counterculture movements. Gays and Lesbians began moving to the area, drawn to its Bohemian image and picturesque architecture. More gay-owned businesses and bars followed, and by the end of the 1970s, the majority of businesses in the area catered to the LGBTQ community. With the onslaught of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, The Crossroads became not only an entertainment district, but also a center for political activism, social services and medical testing. As the historic heart of the LGBTQ community of Dallas, The Crossroads remains the location of the oldest gay businesses in the city and as the primary gathering point for LGBTQ political and social events, including the Alan Ross Freedom Parade. The Crossroads continues to serve the neighborhood and the city of Dallas as a symbol of social, economic and political action among the LGBTQ community. (2017) |
