This entrepreneur is using the metaverse to create an immersive virtual lesbian bar so it's accessible to everyone

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

Elena Rosa is an artist based in Los Angeles who wanted to create a world of lesbian stories where people of all genders, sexualities and identities could learn about the history of lesbian bars. She drew inspiration from photographs, writings and interviews with former customers and bar owners to bring L-BAR to life. Rosa sat down with Jessica Abo to talk about her interactive online bar and lounge, and her advice for anyone trying to create a sacred experience.

Jessica Abo: You've spent years working as an actor and artist and say you're really passionate about creating different worlds. What is it like to create environments that light you up?

I love creating environments. I like to think about our architecture and how it frames our identity. I have a particular fascination with Byzantine churches, the way the masses can enter this dome, this heaven on earth and everyone has a focal point. Straight is the focal point. It is a truth, a belief. And if you look to the left or to the right or above you, there are representations of saints reflecting this truth and confirming this truth. I like to think about how it informs us in these spaces.

Unlike the lesbian bars, which used to be our saloons and taverns, they are usually quite dark. And they may be in an alley or on a staircase, but they are dark. At first, there were no windows, and where there were windows, they were covered with curtains, so you couldn't see what was going on inside. I think it encourages experimentation and walking into the unknown. It's full of mystery, and I believe it's in this space that agency can be explored.

Why did you want to create a space dedicated to the history of lesbian bars?

I wanted to celebrate and honor the history of lesbian bars. I think these bars, especially before Stonewall, were bars that really allowed women to frame feminism and ideas of desire and ways of being in the world. So I wanted to honor that history and also honor the pioneers, all the people who crossed the street to enter the bar when it wasn't right to do so.

I think about my own lesbian bar history, and I landed in San Francisco and I was just going out and I was going to this bar on Sunday and it was ladies day on Sunday. I don't remember it was about consuming alcohol. That wasn't the bar for me. But, on an unconscious level, I guess there was this other aspect and I couldn't wait to get to the bar. There was this other aspect of walking into a place, walking into somewhere, and the people you see reflect who you are. I think the unequivocal understanding that someone else is like you. It's a lifesaver, really. I was raised very religious, and for me, that was it. That was it for me. But, I don't know if I realized it at the time, but I needed it. I needed that mirror for myself back then, from the people, from those women in that bar.

What is the state of lesbian bars today?

Well, there aren't many lesbian bars anymore. According to the Lesbian Bar Project, which raises money to fund the remaining lesbian bars in the United States, there are fewer than 25 lesbian bars. I believe that to understand why they disappeared, you have to understand why they existed. Lesbian bars are very different today. They are much more inclusive with the language. I think when I went to bars, there were a lot of different identities and ways of being, but we just didn't talk about it. Or, if they were, it wasn't brought to the fore by it. I think the bars were more driven by desire, at least when I was riding. Now the language is there, and the inclusivity is there at the forefront, and I think that's really great. I think it's wonderful. Sometimes I wonder if we still need the term lesbian bar if we still need lesbian bar.

It's interesting to think about. I also think, I noticed that the intergenerational aspect of bars when I was going up wasn't there anymore. I remember going to the first bars and talking to older dykes about how to play pool and how to be and whatever, and there was a lot of intergenerational communication, and that's not the case now . It has to do with the online world. A lot of my older friends have wonderful, amazing relationships online and they don't need to go to the bar. So that's not a bad thing, it's just different. The bars are very different today.

What will someone experience when they enter L-BAR?

Inside the L-BAR you will be presented with a world, I call it a...