During the 1950s, Cherry Grove provided gay individuals a much-needed escape from the homophobia and the legal and social persecution that many experienced in the era of McCarthyism following World War II. Homosexuals faced physical assault, verbal attacks, family rejection, loss of employment, imprisonment, and even involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. In the Grove, they could openly … Continue reading Hot Gay Summer: In 1950s, Cherry Grove on Fire Island Offered Sanctuary, Creative and Sexual Freedom. 14 Photos from Show Opening Today in NYC