Meet Your Neighbor: Konrad

“I’ve been gay all my life. I don’t know exactly when and how. I worked in the bars since 1970 something until like 2001. I worked at a bar on 14th street and 10th avenue. I was a bar boss. The first time they raided, they took all the liquor, but they were very polite because I gave them no trouble. Outside of working in the bars for those years, my life has been very quiet.

I’m a happy gay man. I am what I am and that’s the way it goes. I told my mother when I was moving out that I had a boyfriend. My father took it pretty well, I didn’t think he would. My brother accepted me. My partner was with my family during thanksgivings. They really welcomed him. I had a relationship with this man that lasted quite a few years until he passed away. He had AIDS. I lost a few friends to AIDS. One of my closest friend passed away.

Connie and Gladys were friends of a friend of mine in Queens. And they said, ‘why don’t you come to the social see how you like it.’ I came to the social one day and I loved it!”

- Konrad, QCH Queens Center for Gay Seniors Program Participant