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Silver Lake Decides to Tear Down Its No (Gay) Cruising Signs
The days of not being able to drive down Griffith Park Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue twice in six hours are coming to a close.
The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council voted last night to tear down the no-cruising signs that were put up in the 1990s as a way to clamp down on vibrant gay cruising scene, The Eastsider LA reports .
A Los Angeles Times article from 1997 describes the scene:
In the enduring subculture of men cruising for sex with other men, a few pleasant residential blocks of Griffith Park Boulevard had become hot. A nearby sex club had drawn crowds, as did the boulevard's mention in gay guides. "In no way am I a moralist, but it would be embarrassing," said one exasperated condo owner who regularly got an eyeful from his third floor balcony. "I'd have guests over and guys would be having sex" in the bushes below.
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Last night the council put the issue up to vote and it passed unanimously, after many community members turned out to show their support, Echo Park Patch reports .
Now the council just has to figure out whether to put the signs on eBay or hand off the relics of the past to an archivist.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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