Famous Denver cowboy gay bar Charlie’s hires first female bartender

In the history of Charlie’s, the fantastic gay country-Western bar born in Colorado, there has never been a female bartender. But 31-year old lesbian Jessica Wilson is making history as the first female bartender and is excited to be a trailblazer. Out Front talked to Wilson about what it’s like to work at Charlie’s and her excitement for the future.

How many years have you been bartending? 

Off and on, I would say it’s probably about four years.

What brought you to Charlie’s?  

Well a friend of mine just called me one day and said she had a work question for me. So I called her back and she said that Charlie’s was looking for a female bartender and they asked her to think of somebody who she thought could handle it. And she thought of me so that’s kind of how I landed there.

So you’re the first!

I am. What I’ve heard, there are four Charlie’s in the U.S. and I’m the first female bartender at any of them. And the Denver one has been open for 31 years, so I’m the first female bartender there.

It’s a big deal. 

It just blows my mind. In my mind, “I’m just Jessica Wilson. I’m just a little bartender. I’m just trying to do the best I can do.” It’s a really big deal. I’m humbled by the fact that they chose me to kind of fill these shoes and just trailblaze in a way.

And how does it feel to be the first female bartender? 

It’s quite the honor. I kind of don’t even realize how big of a deal it is. I’ve gotten nothing but warm reception and it’s all been really fun. Like I said, I just feel like it’s a big honor to be working there.

Why do you think Charlie’s was looking for a female bartender?  

I think it’s that there’re more lesbians that have been going to Charlie’s and I think part of it is kind of meeting the demographic that comes in there. But I think also that they are just progressing and moving towards more inclusivity.

Are you excited? 

I am. It’s a lot of fun. Me and the guys get along real well. We kind of give each other a hard time and just have a lot of fun behind the bar. It’s a really good fit for me for sure.

Were you or are you nervous that you might not receive as much attention on the nights where mostly men come to the bar?

Not really. I’m not concerned about that. I have a good time either way, you know?  I love the gay community.  I love being in it so I have a good time either way.

What do you think makes it so fun to be a part of the LGBT community or to be around it? 

It’s just a matter of finding solidarity with each other. There’s always a sense of family and community in the gay community. It’s just a matter of feeling that you have a place to belong.

How is Charlie’s different from your previous gigs?  

It doesn’t compare. I loved working there at the other places, but I think just being at Charlie’s, I know the community really well and it just feels like working with friends or working with family. You know, there’s no comparison to working at the other places. It feels right. It feels comfortable and it’s more fun and just laid-back. It’s a really good fit for me.