File under: Things we learned today.
Perhaps this won’t be new information to some readers, but apparently the World Trade Center has quite the cruising history.
And lest it be lost, a new, aptly named documentary is coming soon to teach you all about it.
From Renderer Films comes Trade Center.
Via the description: “The voices of five gay men who cruised for sex at the World Trade Center in the 1980s and 1990s haunt the sanitized, commerce-driven landscape that is the newly rebuilt Freedom Tower campus.”
The doc will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in 2021.
Check out trailer below:
michael_totzke
I whole documentary? I mean …
Heywood Jablowme
Right? I worked at WTC in the ’90s and it would never occur to me that “gee, what the world needs is a documentary about those men’s rooms.” Closeted married guys and the screwed-up gay guys who chased after them, jeez. When there were a dozen actual gay bars a mile away.
I clicked on the trailer and it’s unexpectedly… um… dull! They can’t even make a salacious subject like that seem interesting.
HotItalianBoy
If you were into cruising back then, especially T-rooms, you would have known them all 🙂
Heywood Jablowme
Back then I occasionally went to “legit” backroom places where we wouldn’t get busted and abused by the cops. But I suppose some guys find the cop angle to be a thrill.
The trailer redefines a circle jerk as an “orgy” so I guess they’re dumbing down the whole concept of orgies.
mike
What was intriguing and exciting about that particular site was how insane the scene was and that all this insanity was happening just steps away from every day life.. You could go at lunch time, you could go at 3:00am, and there was always something going on. The fact that life has been so sanitized and Big Brothered, so that it really isn’t possible anymore, makes it for possibly interesting viewing as a historical piece. Plus, today’s young’uns have no idea what we had to go through to get laid, and take waaaaay too much for granted. (Now, unless you show every orofice of your body in the first pic, it ain’t happening….remember the phone lines? “What do you look like?” and you’d wonder who would show up at your door?) Good times. Don’t knock the film until you see it – it was a fascinating time and experience.
Heywood Jablowme
@Mike: ehh… Okay, you make a pretty good case. Since the Church Lady types here are so aghast at it, I guess I should check it out!
jcool
it’s definitely part of nyc gay history. in ’86/87 i worked in the city but lived in jersey city. took the train downtown to wtc, then the path train to jersey. didn’t necessarily have much sex, but a lot of hot guys showed me their big dicks. i didn’t mind
scrough
My coffee just came my nose laughing. I know right? I was like – – really? a couple of foot taps and it’s over already. How long can it be?
mikeTigg
I would imagine that a documentary on how many farts a flea produces in its lifetime would be as or even more interesting than this could possibly ever be.
HotItalianBoy
I worked at 1 WTC in 1979 and knew every cruising T-room in the towers. Anyone remember the older Latino man who was the janitor at the Path T-room. He would invite you into his private room? The urinals were a great place to meet and then go the Level C parking to one of the rear staircases, it would leave you outside Bldg#7. The floor 48 or 49 with the cafeteria was also another busy T-room. Wow, such great fun filled memories. My favorite T-room was at Grand Central Station. The Men’s room that was downstairs, anyone remember that beautiful brass railing?
James26
You are a sad, pathetic old man. Thank god times have changed and your generation is on the way out.
HotItalianBoy
Amongst all the gay men I’ve known since the 1970’s no one was ever ashamed of T-room cruising. It was part of our culture. Like going to the baths, bookstores XXX movie theaters or the abandoned piers in NYC.
mike
Kids today are so judgemental. Well, at least James26 is. Until he’s James56, and then he’ll change his tune.
mecorrea1970
And to think James26 is the gay community’s future. Just a bunch of little cry babies crying about everything, and noses up in the air like they’re too good for the past generations of gays!
Cam
@James26
This is one of the other right wing troll screenames for “Monkey1”, “Roy Ajax,” “TheREALTruth”, etc.
It always comes on here to defend bigots, attack LGBTQ people, promote Republicans, etc.
Fname Optional Lname
saying someone is a sad, pathetic old man for sharing memories from a time where there were very limited options says a lot more about the person making the comment! I remember those party lines where you cruised on the phone and looking back on it now so much of it is laughable. Condemning an older queer for sharing history damages our community, especially when you’re aware of the tragedies that generation lived through!
buzzy58
Hey HotItalianBoy….PLEASE, PLEASE tell me more. I am from a small city (back in the 80’s) and we didn’t have much fun like that. I would LOVE to hear more from you, so please write to me and tell me all your adventures. (buzzy58 at hotmail dot com)
Joseph1971
I thought Michael Lucas and Lucas Entertainment already put out a four part bareback video about sex in the bathrooms at the Trade Center. Oh wait it was called “Trade”, that is different subject entirely. He has lost his ability to film at Air BNBs, if the Towers were still standing I am sure he might try getting four guys and a camera man in one of those rest room. Routine life in New York….
bgeorge59
And we as gay men have hit a new low
James26
Since they are admitting to public lewdness, is it too late to track them down and arrest them?
HotItalianBoy
And yet you get laid by Grindr and Adam4adam. There’s a digital trace every time you do and god forbid you’re spreading something… T-room cruising was a time honored tradition. You’re probably one of those prude sissies who’s embarrassed about the small size of his member and has to squat to pee.
Cam
Sweetie, you tried to troll yesterday under your other names and got busted. It’s funny you think you can do it today under this name that is already known and you won’t get exposed as the same old right wing troll.
mailliw110
Someone is looking for a job.
Joshooeerr
Those responsible for this doco – and anyone inclined to watch it – really need to ask themselves if they could have better spent their time.
HotItalianBoy
It was all about getting laid. Cruising the streets is no different. Work your corner honey.
Thad
It happened. It’s history. Who was hurt?