Eddy's Bar
艾迪酒吧 | |
 | |
| Location | Shanghai |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°12′13″N 121°26′16″E / 31.20368°N 121.43766°E |
| Type | Gay bar |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Closed | 2016 |
Eddy's Bar (Chinese: 艾迪酒吧; pinyin: Àidí Jiǔbā) was a gay bar in Shanghai, China. It opened on Weihai Lu in 1995 and moved to Huaihai Lu in 2002, where it operated until its closure in 2016.[1][2][3] Eddy's was the first bar to openly serve Shanghai's LGBT community.[4] Lonely Planet offers the following description: "Shànghǎi's longest-running gay bar is a friendly place with a flash, square bar to sit around, as well as a few corners to hide away in. It attracts both locals and expats, but it's mostly for the boys rather than the girls."[5]
History
[edit]In 1995, the bar opened at a temporary location on Xingguo Road. Most of the clientele were men, except for the few women who were invited to help conceal the LGBTQ+ nature of the bar.[6]
After opening, the bar changed locations six times due to a variety of factors. Landlords were not a fan of leasing to a gay bar, competition opening up near the bar, etc. In 1997, "hooliganism" was abolished by the Chinese government which loosely covered homosexual activity. In 2001, homosexuality was removed from the Chinese Society of Psychiatry's list of psychiatric disorders. Both of these helped the bar ger a little more acceptance from the neighborhood.[6]
In 2004, Eddy's found a permanent location on Huaihai Middle Road where they had less problems with landlords and random inspections.[6]
In 2016, Eddy's was closed for good.[1][2][6]
Reception
[edit]In 2010, CNN's Robert Schrader described the venue's "red glow [that spilled] out of all the light fixtures, illuminating the Westerners and the Shanghainese who congregate at one of the most welcoming locales in Shanghai".[4] In 2011, Time Out Shanghai called Eddy's a "popular stalwart of Shanghai's gay scene" and the city's "original gay bar".[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^ a b "Eddy's Bar (CLOSED)". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
- ^ a b "Eddy's Bar (Closed)". That's Online. Archived from the original on 2022-04-03. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
- ^ "Eddy's Shanghai Gay Bar - CLOSED Sep '16 - UnTour Food Tours". UnTour Food Tours. 2016-09-13. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
- ^ a b Schrader, Robert (29 July 2010). "Eddy's Bar marks 15 years at the forefront of Shanghai LGBT history". CNN. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ "Eddy's Bar". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d Yan, Qing (July 18, 2017). "Shanghai's Gay bars: here and queer for 20 years". Sixth Tone. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ^ "Eddy's Bar". Time Out Shanghai. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- 1995 establishments in Shanghai
- 2016 disestablishments in China
- Chinese companies disestablished in 2016
- Drinking establishments in China
- Food and drink companies based in Shanghai
- LGBTQ culture in Shanghai
- Defunct LGBTQ drinking establishments
- Restaurants disestablished in 2016
- Restaurants established in 1995
- Xuhui District