A handful of neighborhood bars have installed facial recognition devices that collect and share customers’ names, addresses, genders, and indiscretions with each other
Non-gay people can go into the bars too. How appropriate that would be depends on the bar. Some are more like neighborhood bars, others are more meat markets. Being a man and going into a lesbian bar can be awkward, depending on context (it’s usually OK if you’re a guest of a lesbian friend as long as it’s not a separatist bar, not so OK if you’re coming in on your own and aren’t known to the clients or bar staff, and very much not OK if you’re hitting on the clientele). Context matters.
Are there non-gay bars on Castro st? Never been to SF but all I know is that’s like the most iconic/historic gay district
Non-gay people can go into the bars too. How appropriate that would be depends on the bar. Some are more like neighborhood bars, others are more meat markets. Being a man and going into a lesbian bar can be awkward, depending on context (it’s usually OK if you’re a guest of a lesbian friend as long as it’s not a separatist bar, not so OK if you’re coming in on your own and aren’t known to the clients or bar staff, and very much not OK if you’re hitting on the clientele). Context matters.