His guidance has shaped the more boundary-pushing style of performing now known, for better or worse, as “Brooklyn drag.” More than an event curator, McEnrue is helping steer Metro into the future, as he makes sure this mainstay survives yet another political storm. Steven McEnrue has been Metro’s general manager for over a decade. The bar and nightclub is both a tight-knit family of gender rebels and queer punks and a living, breathing symbol of queer resilience. As the longest-surviving gay bar in Williamsburg, Metropolitan - often affectionately referred to as “Metro” - has showcased nearly every drag performer and nightlife creature in the borough and beyond, from baby queens to the world’s most esteemed talent. Among New York City’s many LGBTQ+ watering holes, few are as universally beloved as Metropolitan Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
As community hubs, safe spaces, and centers of political organizing, these important venues have provided a shelter for communities that are constantly under threat.
Gay bars play a specific role in local and cultural ecosystems.
