ABSTRACT
The market process has often played an important role-both positive and negative-in the development of gay and lesbian communities. The bar is one example of an economic institution that has occupied an immense part in gay and lesbian life. A great deal of thought and scholarship has gone into understanding the development of lesbian and gay communities, but other than practical studies such as those done for marketing purposes, little has been devoted to understanding the homo/economy.1 Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we begin to explore the interdependencies as well as the tensions that exist between the growth of lesbian and gay markets and our goals as communities.
