In the 1970s, when queer life in New York depended on knowing the right addresses, Broadway Arms Baths was one of the city’s quietly essential gay bathhouses. Tucked uptown along Broadway, it functioned as part of a larger network of private spaces where gay men could gather, relax, and connect at a time when public visibility was still risky and limited.
Bathhouses like Broadway Arms weren’t just about steam and lockers — they were social infrastructure. They offered anonymity, safety, conversation, and community, especially for men who didn’t see themselves reflected in bars, clubs, or mainstream culture. In a pre-digital world, these spaces allowed queer life to exist physically and communally, negotiated face-to-face rather than through screens.
