Should N.Y. Bathhouses Be Allowed to Offer Space for Sex?

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Two state lawmakers have proposed repealing a health code that prohibits establishments like bathhouses from allowing sexual activity.

This screenshot has been taken from this NYT article. | Public gay bathhouses were essentially outlawed in New York City in 1985 during the AIDS crisis.
Before gay kickball leagues, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Grindr or even Stonewall, there was the steamy world of bathhouses.

Operating 24 hours a day, bathhouses were havens for gay men, where they could be entertained by the likes of Bette Midler and Barry Manilow, go for a swim and engage in sexual activity.

But at the height of the AIDS crisis some 40 years ago, public health officials in New York shuttered adult saunas and bathhouses to try to stop the spread of disease.

Now a group of gay state lawmakers are spearheading a push to bring back what they describe as vital cultural spaces.

“It’s 2026, not 1986,” said Tony Simone, a State Assembly sponsor of the bill whose district in Manhattan includes Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. “We have modern medicine and education. It’s ridiculous that this is legal in Florida, in Texas, but not in New York City.” » | Grace Ashford | Saturday, August 8, 2026