Located next door to the iconic Paramount Theatre, and convenient to BART and other public transit, The Port welcomed guests on Saturday, July 9 after more than a week's 'soft opening.'

That first step inside a gay bar, that first kiss between two girls, that first sighting of a trans or drag performer, are rites of passage for most of us, whether magical or awkward. It's a part of coming out and coming of age.

Bars have played a huge role in the rich tapestry of gay history. Here's an overview of oral (ahem!) accounts of the Haight's bar scene over half a century.

From the mid-'60s through 2008 there was another type of downtown bar - the businessman's bar. The two downtown bars which lasted the longest and had the biggest impact were Sutter's Mill and the various incarnations of Ginger's.

Club Chaos (at the Crystal Pistol on 842 Valencia Street) , Club Screw (495 14th Street) and most of all Club Uranus at the End-up (6th and Harrison) both raised and lowered the bar for dance spaces that followed.

San Francisco, Mid-1970s. A perfect place at a perfect time. Mark Abramson's memoir is the next best thing to being there, and here's a sample.

On Wednesday, January 28, the San Francisco Leathermen's Discussion Group (LDG) hosted a panel discussion named "Are Leather Titles Necessary?" at the SF LGBT Center.