What does queer nightlife mean and represent for those who live outside of mainstream societal expectations?
HuffPost Live tackled this question and many more during a live segment built off of HuffPost Gay Voices Associate Editor James Nichols' 30-part series "After Dark: NYC Nightlife Today And Days Past."
HuffPost Live chatted with Nichols and nightlife icons Kenny Kenny and Ladyfag about what nightlife represents for the queer community. Kenny Kenny stated:
"For me it was always about community. When I was growing up gay people were really on the fringe and there was a lot of discrimination, so it was more about a community or a ritual in coming together, supporting each other and really celebrating that. It was very diverse because we were all on the same level... we were all discriminated against and we all came together. A little bit of survival and a little bit of celebration."
Ladyfag echoed these thoughts:
"[Nightlife] is definitely about community and it's a church for, not just queer kids but for youth culture where people thinking of night clubs as these hedonistic places and, sure, there's a lot of that as well. But in some ways it's kind of your church or community center where everyone comes together. Church, I guess, in the same way with these women in their big hats but it's also this platform for expressing yourself."
Check out the clip above to hear more or head here to watch the interview in full.