Former Executive Runs Gay Sauna as Community Safe Space

A man in his 80s arrives each week wearing a trench coat, orders two slices of cake and coffee, and settles in to watch movies surrounded by his community.

He's one of many regulars at Sauna X by 357 in Sydney's Darlinghurst, where owner Glenn McNamara has created something much bigger than a hookup spot. After leaving his two-decade corporate career in 2020, McNamara now runs a space where queer people gather, connect, and simply exist without fear.

"It's a very essential part of the queer community," McNamara says. Some visitors are closeted, while others are in their 70s and 80s seeking their chosen family for conversation at the bar rather than anything else.

Before doors open at 10am, McNamara oversees the deep clean: mopping floors, drying towels, wiping surfaces. He fields constant calls about broken TVs, cracked beds, and cleaning supply orders, managing the complex logistics that keep the venue running smoothly.

Gay saunas hold a special place in Australian LGBTQI+ history. The first opened in Bondi Junction in 1967, when being gay was still illegal across the country.

Legendary business owner Dawn O'Donnell famously wore white gloves to apply for a "health club" permit from Waverley Council. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, venues like Ken's at Kensington operated covertly, often facing police raids.

During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, conservative politicians campaigned to shut down saunas entirely. Instead, these venues became crucial gathering places for men to raise HIV awareness, partnering with community organizations to spread life-saving information.

Why This Inspires

McNamara's decision to leave corporate life shows how passion for community can outweigh professional security. By maintaining a welcoming venue, he's preserving decades of queer history while creating new safe spaces for future generations.

Former rugby league player Ian Roberts, an LGBTQI+ advocate, remembers saunas as social hubs. "A lot of the time it wasn't about the sex," he says. "It was just to go because it's a cool place to hang out."

For the elderly gentleman enjoying his cake, for closeted visitors finding acceptance, and for everyone seeking connection with their community, McNamara's sauna offers something priceless: a place to belong exactly as they are.