Ladies Lounge at JAM

by Annalisa Millo in She Culture | 0 comments

I have often observed local lesbian and bisexual women have the same conversation over and over again.  They’re talking about what to do at night and where to go, mostly frustrated at their lack of nightlife options in Salt Lake City. I can’t blame them – there aren’t many.

One could go the route of socializing among our male counterparts at Pure, Club Try-Angles, JAM, The Trapp or The Tavernacle, but in that context, some women feel like the minority, asserting that those bars and clubs mostly cater to men. We love our male counterparts, but it’s also nice to be around more women, probably so we can more conveniently sync up our cycles.

Of course we have the Paper Moon – good for a casual drink and dancing, but sometimes it’s not exactly what some queer women are looking for. The Bay started recently doing a lesbian/gay night on Fridays, but on my visit at 11 p.m., I could count the number of attendees on one hand, which is fine for a bar setting, but this was in a “club” setting – music so loud it’s hard to hold a conversation. A few other bars and clubs have attempted a ladies/lesbian night in the past, with little to no success.

Well, I have news for Salt Lake City: Lesbians aren’t what they used to be.

With outstanding courage to be publicly out, we can thank other people like Rachel Maddow, Jane Lynch, Ellen DeGeneres, Sex And The City‘s Cynthia Nixon, country singer Chely Wright and so many more, who lead the way for queer women in mainstream society.

Jenna Lyons recently left her husband for another woman. Did I mention Lyons is the creative director for J.Crew?

We see this even on a smaller, more local scale with those elusive, typically heterosexual girls who frequent and investigate everything underground – from bars to clothes to music. Several times I’ve caught many of them in their curiosity, fascination and replication of lesbian style and lifestyle.

In many ways we’re now ahead of the curve. With more of an impact on pop culture and fashion than ever before, the new generation of lesbian and bisexual women now basks in a new-found regard for our presence.

We’ve been waiting for someone to step up to the challenge and host a voguish nightlife spot where we can all be comfortable, enjoy ourselves and meet new people – a place that is approachable, with a pleasant environment, and most importantly, a place that serves as a new choice from options that may already be exhausted.

“I’d love to be able to go to a place where you can just hang out and there’s no pressure to dance your ass off and get dirty, ” said Bethany Kartchner. “I’d love to see a place in Salt Lake City that is somewhere in between a bar and a club, similar to The Planet from The L Word, where you can bring a bunch of friends and just chill.”

That time may have finally arrived.

Brian Morris and Todd Crofts of JAM have targeted the need for an alternative option for the nightlife-minded queer women of Utah to convene and have a drink.

JAM will be launching Lounge, their ladies mixer on Tuesday, Dec. 6, where they’ll offer a food menu, drink specials, a variety of wines, hookah, and complimentary food at 7 p.m. This weekly event will be a place where ladies can meet, network and enjoy the company of other women.

Considering that many women in our community are in stable relationships, and not necessarily looking to pursue the fresh meat on the market, Lounge will also provide an atmosphere for the committed lesbian to enjoy her friends and the surrounding eye-candy.

“We have had a lot of ladies asking for a night geared toward women. We thought this would be an awesome start and we hope it grows it into a full-on club night!” said Crofts.

The fate of Lounge is up to the ladies in our community. If it takes off, it will be moved to Thursdays, a more convenient night for most.

This might be a solution for all of us searching and waiting for just the right spot for a social hub and a place to meet other like-minded women in a setting that is definitely chic.

Will it be successful enough to stick around for good? Time will tell.