In an era when lesbian bars were scarce across the South, Kindred Spirits became a cornerstone of Texas LGBTQ life. Opening in Houston in the late 1970s, it offered a safe, music-filled refuge for queer women long before visibility was commonplace. Part bar, part community hub, part dance floor, Kindred Spirits was the kind of place where friendships formed instantly and chosen family became real.
Known for its legendary women’s dances, spirited crowds, and an atmosphere that balanced joy with solidarity, Kindred Spirits helped define lesbian nightlife in Texas throughout the ’80s and ’90s. After the bar closed, its legacy lived on through the annual Kindred Spirits Reunion, celebrating the women who built, supported, and relied on the space for decades.
A vital piece of Southern lesbian history — full of courage, music, and the undeniable power of women creating a space for themselves.
(Kindred Spirits • Houston, TX • late 1970s–1990s)
