Previous to the Aids crisis bath haouses were the "disco" type meeting and engaging place for Gay males.
There were more than one could count.
Many were concerned than unprotected sex was spead mainly from these establishment. Some wanted forced safe gay sex. The compromise was the club closures.
It was like during the Black Plague when all the cats were eliminated and it was later found that rats were the culprit.
Most I knew at the time in the Gay community worked to closed the clubs. The community was in real fear as well as those of us that were had friends and family affected.
The closing of the clubs didn't do much to curtain Aids. Safer sex did a great deal. But now the advancements in medications are showing Aids to be on the rise as safe sex takes a backseat.
Its not where sex accurs but how it happens