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Captain America and Queer History
CW: mentions of sexual themes (nothing on screen)
Ok. So, whoever did the research for Captain America either didn’t do it or knew exactly what they were doing.
Steve Rogers grew up in Brooklyn. No one denies that. Most comics/movies put him in the DUMBO or Brooklyn Heights neighborhoods. Those and the surrounding neighborhoods were notoriously queer in the 20s-40s.
His neighborhood would have been awash with gay bars, drag balls, automats and cafeterias (which were usually lgbtq friendly back in the day), both male and female prostitutes, and the likes. He was probably cruised or propositioned regularly.
The neighborhood next to the DUMBO was the Brooklyn Navy Yard which was covered in both brothels (some female but mostly male). You could see men (mostly sailors from the Navy) making out or getting blown in in most ally ways.
The Ed Brubaker 2004 comic run put Steve’s apartment just a few minutes away from St. George Hotel, one of the biggest gay hang outs of the time.
Remember that scene from CATFA where Steve and Bucky talk about going to Coney Island? Well Coney Island of the time was covered in gay bathhouses.
So, Even if you don’t think Steve Rogers was queer or he came out only after being in the future there is no universe in which he is not comfortable around lgbtq people. They probably even remind him of home.
-Phoenix
Sources:
https://www.out.com/2013/10/07/queer-waterfront-brooklyn-history
https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/03/when-brooklyn-was-queer-the-forgotten-history-of-gay-existence-on-the-periphery-of-urban-life.html
https://theattic.jezebel.com/a-journey-through-the-queer-history-of-brooklyn-full-o-1833613031
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/in-the-early-20th-century-america-was-awash-in-incredible-queer-nightlife
https://www.history.com/news/gay-culture-roaring-twenties-prohibition
https://marvelatlasproject.net
