Hawkins' new show at the GLBT Historical Society, SoMa Nights: The Queer Club Photography of Melissa Hawkins 1986-1994, opens up a time capsule into a crucial historical moment, when the LGBTQ+ community sought refuge in nightlife as the AIDS epidemic was at its peak. Some of the SoMA venues she photographed still host wild parties, such as The Stud and The End Up, while others have since closed their doors amid the city's shifting socioeconomic landscape. This is as much the case now as it was 30 years ago when photographer Melissa Hawkins hit the San Francisco streets to document the vibrant queer club scene for The Sentinel, a now-defunct gay newspaper. For many LGBTQ+ people, nightlife is where we build community, express ourselves and experience healing through dancing and having fun.
