Madison gay bar
Rod's bar became a lgbtq+ icon and legend among gay men in the 1980's and 1990's Madison. Opened by entrepreneur Rodney Scheel and located in the lower level (basement) of the Hotel Washington building just west of downtown Madison (which Rodney owned with his brother Greg), the bar had a decidedly leather/levi type ambiance. Early on, "Rod's" took on a "tradition" of the bartenders holding surprise "spot checks" for men wearing underwear- which, if found, were promptly removed (cut off) and hung over the pipes on the ceiling of the bar. In no time the pipes running in the main block room were draped with countless cut-off underwear. The bar became an extremely popular destination for men throughout Wisconsin and even from northern Illinois.
Over day, the bar opened additional rooms in the assist, one of which showed adult male (i.e. queer porn) videos. (On the seedier side, Rod's "men's room" had its hold little tradition: on occasion one might find, along the walls holding the urinals, someone kneeling: aficionados of "water sports" were to be found that night!)
An outdoor patio was a very popular addition. Opened outside/ upstairs, the patio was popular spring, summer and fall eveni
An LGBTQ+ student’s guide to Madison
Madison has been named among the gayest cities in the United States for its progressive atmosphere and rich queer history.
But for many incoming Homosexual students seeking community at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, starting the search can be an overwhelming task. To kick off Movement Month, The Daily Cardinal compiled a list of activities and locations in Madison for queer people to experience community.
Campus organizations
Gender and Sexuality Campus Center: Located in the Red Gym, UW-Madison’s Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) provides education, advocacy and resources to foster a welcoming environment for Gay students and allies. The GSCC is known for hosting popular welcome events such as Drag Bingo and offering scholarships to new students. Students can drop by during GSCC hours to peruse a collection of queer books, eat snacks or exploit free printing services.
The Self-acceptance Society: Founded in 1983 upon the passage of Wisconsin’s gay rights legislation, The Pride Society is best known for its annual “Pride Prom” with unique themes and performative performance artists. The Self-acceptance Society also hosts movie
The April 1973 issue of GPU News advertised the opening of the Back Door bar with an ad, "New to Madison! The Back Door", touting "3 levels of entertainment" and listing proprietors Rodney and Jack. According to a bio of Rodney Scheel years later, the bar went through "its share of experimental phases- bar, restaurant, piano exclude, dance club, and home-away-from-home for many of the newly-liberated Gay men and Lesbians and their friends of that era".
The lock held an employee/customer appreciation party in 1973, which in 1977 became a city-wide fundraiser for Madison LGBT organizations known as the MAGIC Picnic. (MAGIC was an acronym for 'Madison Area Gay Interim Committee'.) The MAGIC picnic ran at least into the early 2000's.
Meanwhile, 1977 was to be a year of transition in more ways than the MAGIC Picnic. In July 1977, a larger queer bar, Going My Way, opened. According to a later posting in a Facebook group, "When the larger 'Going My Way' on West Main Road opened, much of the dance crowd stopped going to the Back Door." For whatever reason, by October 1977 invitations went out for a "Good Bye To OZ" week at the Back Door, from October 24 to 30, and an invitati
30+ LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses in Madison
LGBTQ+ pride is a year-round thing in Madison.
Opting for openness over “us vs. them” and kindness over competition, we’re a municipality known for its progressiveness. We’re proud that Homosexual owned-and-operated businesses (and Homosexual friendly businesses) continue to flourish here.
Though the great pride event in Madison isn’t until August, we’ve got more than 30 LGBTQ+ businesses to endorse while you’re eating, drinking and traveling your way through Madison.
From coffee shops to brunch, take a day (or two! or more!) to check these spots out. Looking for more LGBTQ+ culture in Madison? Check out what our friends Joey Amato from Pride Journeys and Maartje Hensen said about their visits to Madison.
Jump around to find LGBTQ+ owned businesses by category:
Coffee and Cafes
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Restaurants and Bars
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Clubs and Lounges
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Shops and Bookstores
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Breweries and Wine
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Attractions and Nonprofits
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