Science and Medicine

Gay bathhouse

A gay bathhouse, also known as a gay sauna or a gay steambath, is a public bath targeted towards gay and bisexual men. In gay slang, a bathhouse may be called just "the baths", "the sauna", or "the tubs". Historically, they have been used for sexual activity. Bathhouses offering similar services for women are rare, but some men's bathhouses occasionally have a "lesbian" or "women only" night. Some, such as Hawks PDX, offer so-called "bisexual" nights, where anyone is welcome regardless of gender. Gay bathhouses differentiate themselves from similar gay sex clubs or gay bar darkrooms by offering communal and/or individual water facilities (and thus, a more sanitary experience). Bathhouses vary considerably in size and amenities—from small establishments with 10 or 20 rooms and a handful of lockers to multi-story saunas with a variety of room styles or sizes and several steam baths, hot tubs, and sometimes swimming pools and private outdoor facilities. Most have a steam room (or wet sauna), dry sauna, showers, lockers, and small private rooms. Different cultures emphasize different uses of a gay bathhouse. In Asia, nearly every gay sauna includes a communal karaoke room complete with handheld microphones and large selections of songs for their toweled patrons. In Northern Europe, there are often small cafes or even restaurants offering full meals within a gay bathhouse. In North America, many gay bathhouses include a large dedicated gym area with weights and exercise machines. In many countries, bathhouses are "membership only" (for legal reasons); though membership is generally open to anyone over the age of consent who seeks it, usually after paying a small fee. Unlike brothels, customers at gay bathhouses in the U.S. pay only for the use of the facilities. Sexual activity, if it occurs, is not provided by staff of the establishment, but is between customers with no money exchanged. Many gay bathhouses in the U.S., for legal reasons, explicitly prohibit and/or discourage prostitution and ban known sex workers. In other countries (notably Thailand and Brazil), bathhouses may employ male sex workers to work directly on site.

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See also

• ▸Frank Hu
• ▸Caspar David Friedrich
• ▸Behavioral neuroscience

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