In 1985, when our communities were being ravaged by AIDS, government officials wanted to strike out and ‘blame’ someone for the AIDS crisis and the baths were an easy target. In some cities, like San Francisco, the baths were forced to close.

Steamworks saw a need to educate people about HIV/STDs and AIDS and provide testing services and referrals to them to assist in continuing to lead active, healthy, normal sex lives. We immediately realized the opportunity our club presented to contact, and potentially impact, thousands of men every week! With the support of many partnered outreach originations, Steamworks began to use our clubs to educate the community about STDs, HIV and AIDS.

In each of our locations (Toronto, Chicago, Berkeley, Seattle, and soon Vanouver) Steamworks works closely with Public Health Departments, Community Based Organizations, county and state HIV/STD officials, the CDC (in U.S.), the research community (UCSF, UIC, CAPS) private and public funders, the owners of Steamworks and many others - to create collaborative relationships which support and expand HIV and STD awareness and testing programs while also maintaining outreach initiatives in our clubs that are effective, user friendly, and creatively inspired. This work has also led and utilized many innovations, to learn more about them: (click here)