Two Manhattan lawmakers introduced the Public Health Modernization Act to repeal a 1985 rule that led to the closure of gay bathhouses in the 1980s. Supporters argue modern HIV testing, treatment and PrEP make the old ban outdated and that regulated bathhouses could serve as sites for outreach and prevention. Minneapolis recently lifted a similar ban, but New York’s bill faces an uncertain path and is not expected to be considered until next year.
Gay Bathhouses Could Return to NYC as Lawmakers Seek to Repeal 1980s Ban
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New York may be poised to bring back a piece of queer nightlife that vanished during the AIDS crisis: gay bathhouses. Two Manhattan lawmakers have introduced legislation to repeal a decades-old health regulation that effectively shut those venues down in the mid-1980s.
What’s Proposed
State Senator Erik Bottcher and Assemblymember Tony Simone have introduced the Public Health Modernization Act, which would rescind the 1985 rule barring public baths and similar establishments from setting aside areas for sexual activity. The bill would also create a contemporary public-health framework for adult saunas and regulated spaces.
Historical Context
The regulation dates to 1985, when officials were rushing to contain the emerging AIDS epidemic. City authorities used the rule in 1986 to close bathhouses that had been central to gay social life for decades. One legendary example was the Continental Baths, which opened beneath the Ansonia Hotel in 1968 and featured a pool, saunas, a disco, private rooms and a cabaret where a young Bette Midler performed with Barry Manilow.
Public-Health Rationale
Supporters argue that the reasoning behind the ban no longer reflects how HIV prevention and sexual-health care work today. HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment have advanced dramatically, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can substantially reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. Advocates say harm-reduction approaches—meeting people where they are and offering services rather than criminalizing spaces—are more effective than blanket closures.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde, told Gothamist that regulated bathhouses could become important sites for outreach, testing and prevention services.
Precedent And Outlook
There is recent precedent elsewhere: Minneapolis repealed a nearly four-decade-old ban on bathhouses earlier this year. In New York, however, the timing remains uncertain. Legislators wrapped their regular session in June, and the bill is not expected to be taken up until next year. It also remains unclear whether legislative leaders or Governor Kathy Hochul will support the measure.
After more than 40 years, one of New York’s most storied expressions of queer nightlife could find a path back—this time potentially paired with stronger, modern public-health safeguards.
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