GAY BATHHOUSE STATIONERY & SAFE SEX LITERATURE PHOTO: Seven years after the rushed closing of the New St. Mark's Baths the stationery was still in place at the front desk. A package stating "YOUR HEALTH IS OUR CONCERN" containing a condom was passed out to all visitors. The New St. Mark's Baths went out of its way to provide safe sex materials, condoms and access to members of the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) even before the other bath houses thought it was necessary. Interestingly, the gay men who visited this place came here to forget what was outside the doors and didn't want to have that serenity broken with AIDS information. 

One particular form that each visitor to the New St. Mark's Baths was required to sign is located on the bottom left of the image above, just above the 'ROOM No." sheet. The image in question states: "I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE SAFE SEX GUIDELINES FORMULATED BY THE NEW YORK PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AS PRESENTED BY THE GMHC AND PROVIDED TO ME HEREIN. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT THE STATE SANITARY CODE HAS BEEN AMENDED SO AS TO DEFINE ANAL INTERCOURSE AND FELLATIO AS "HIGH RISK SEXUAL ACTIVITY."  AS A PATRON OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT, I AGREE THAT WHILE ON THESE PREMISES I WILL NOT ENGAGE IN ANY ACT WHICH MIGHT BE HARMFUL TO MYSELF OR OTHERS."