Gay bars had been closing by the hundreds in recent decades, even before another global pandemic brought nightlife to its knees. The story goes that increasing mainstream acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, plus dating apps like Grindr and Tinder, have rendered these spaces obsolete. Beyond that, rampant gentrification in big cities has pushed gay bars out of the neighborhoods they helped make hip. Greggor Mattson's titular question Who Needs Gay Bars? plays on these narratives, accepting that the answer for some might be: maybe nobody. And yet. Inspired by the closing of his own favorite watering hole, Greggor Mattson embarked on a journey across and around the country to paint a much more complex picture of the cultural significance of these spaces. While they may no longer be the only places for LGBTQ+ patrons to openly socialize, he finds that their value has evolved--they are historical archives, safe spaces, community centers, and places of celebration, entertainment, and discovery. The question that frames this story is not asking whether these spaces are needed, but for whom, earnestly exploring the diversity of folks and purposes they serve today.

Loosely informed by the Damron Guide, that Green Book of gay travel, Mattson logged 10,000 miles across 39 states, from the "big four" gay cities, to the flyover country where he lives, to all corners of the United States. Mattson finds one theme running through his journey: that of ambivalence. The story of gay bars is not unified or linear because they are as diverse as the country. Colorful characters, gripping experiences, and failing or thriving bars are featured in the chapters of these book and through them, the underlying spectrum of many different Americas is brought to life--POC, white, trans, cis, as well as past, present, and future.