ABSTRACT
Members of the gay community are well aware of the existence of gay bathhouses. Interestingly, the community is quite divided in regard to whether such bathhouses should even exist. Sometimes, people who have been in committed relationships, as well as those with strong beliefs on the subject, oppose the idea; while those who have a libertarian strain (in a relationship or not) tend to support the idea of bathhouses. In this chapter, we will explore the concept of bathhouses and whether, because of social and technological trends, the existence of these institutions is likely to continue. We will also examine the example of Minneapolis Minnesota which, because of its social and political culture, is unlikely to have a (legally authorized) bathhouse in the foreseeable future.
