Glasgow gay scene
'Meet me at The Knob' – Recalling Glasgow's forgotten gay scene and the notorious White Hats
In the 1920s, a ragtag gang of male prostitutes ruled Glasgow's Broomielaw.
The White Hats powdered their faces and painted their nails, donned tight-fitted jackets and women's fragrances as they plied their trade in the back room of a fish restaurant on the corner of McAlpine Street.
The group, aged between 20 and 34, used a variety of female pseudonyms – led by the notorious William Paton, known as Liz.
READ MORE: The Waterloo, The Vintners and the other go-to Glasgow gay spots of yesteryear
Among them were the colourfully named Happy Fanny Fields, Ella Shields, Edie Helly and Florence Ramsay.
In a very Ru Paul's Drag Race-esque tribute to his scheme, member Thomas Robbe even named himself Maria Santoye – after the notorious east cease gang, San Toys.
Dr Jeffrey Docile, Economic and Social History lecturer at Glasgow University, has explored the history of the city's LGBTQ scene through his PHD research and website Queer Scotland.
Through years of researching
Jack Kenworthy( Queer Travel Expert )
Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
While Gay Edinburgh is generally more trendy with tourists thanks to its historic beauty and famous ‘Pink Triangle’, it is actually Glasgow that has the biggest and most vibrant gay scene in Scotland.
With world-famous nightlife, more LGBT establishments than we can retain a track of and plenty of post-industrial grit, Glasgow is a city re-invented with an undeniably edgy vibe.
While not the capital, Glasgow is actually the largest city in Scotland and its intriguing Victorian-Industrial urban landscape plays host to worldly queer, pupil and artistic communities – all of which help make Gay Glasgow this intriguing, sophisticated yet down-to-earth city, and one of the most vibrant places north of the border!
Whether you are looking for creative design spaces, avant-garde burlesque, hipster coffee shops (frequented by even cuter Scottish guys and girls) &ndas
LGBTQ+ guide to Glasgow
LGBTQ+ guide to Glasgow
Glasgow is a welcoming and inclusive city, named one of Rough Guides '5 best European LGBTQ+ destinations' (July 2023). Here is our guide with top places to visit, eat, guzzle and stay.
Merchant City
The Merchant Capital is known as Glasgow’s LGBTQ+ district and is where you’ll find the majority of LGBTQ+ bars and clubs. It’s also one of the city’s most stylish areas, with lots of cafes, shops and arty spaces. Not to mention the historic beauty of the buildings! Test out our Merchant City guide to find out more.
The Burrell Collection
The Burrell Collection can be found within Pollok Land Park in the southside of Glasgow. The museum is currently running a series of LGBTQ+ tours where you can grasp about the history, context, and meaning behind some of the most popular objects. Visit burrellcollection.com to see a list of upcoming dates.
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Glasgow Women’s Library
The Glasgow Women’s Library celebrates
Best Gay Bars In Glasgow
Whether you fancy cracking conversations over cocktails or dancing 'til dawn, our diverse city has got you well and truly sorted. Head along to Merchant City's Pink Triangle for some of the top tipples, DJ sets and drag shows in the biz. Just make sure to verify out our guide to Glasgow's gay bars, as they really have got the city's LGBTQ+ nightlife sussed.
Last edited by Lauren Cole
Last updated on 20th May 2025
Corset Club
44 reviews
£5 Cocktails and 1 other offer
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If you're after a quirky venue that offers much more than just drinks, The Corset Club in Glasgow is the place to go. Nestled in the historic Jacobean Corsetry building, this bar features everything from handcrafted cocktails to high-energy performances that will keep you entertained all evening long.
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Katie's Bar
1 review
Katie's Bar offers an utterly mixed bag to the city's gay nightlife. Head