The crowd is young, old, black, white, Hispanic, trans, straight, gay, lesbian, undecided.
Inside, everyone is out – at least for a good time. Jodi: ‘There’s a lot of hate in the world.’ Photograph: Tom Silverstone/The Guardian State law means businesses can deny service to queer people if doing so would conflict with their “sincerely held” religious beliefs. A few years ago, a Mississippi pastor even brought a horse in a wedding dress to the federal courthouse to protest against gay marriage. A majority still disagree with same-sex marriage – one of just two states – the other is Alabama – to still hold that view. Mississippi is one of the most conservative states in the US. It’s not much to look at, but a bar on this spot has been a haven for Mississippi’s LGBTQ community for more than 25 years. The colours are off – hospital green, shop-soiled peach, sun-bleached eggplant – as if picked from a paint store’s remainder bin. Housed in a long, black, squat building, Wonderlust is marked by panels painted in a sort of rainbow flag.
You can find Wonderlust, the only gay bar in Jackson, Mississippi, on the northern edge of town, just past the Piggly Wiggly supermarket and the duelling discount stores Dollar General and Dollar Tree. 06:57 'This is where we live our truth': visiting America's gay bars – video The oasis: Wonderlust in Jackson, Mississippi
