Other words that came up: 'home,' 'safe haven,' 'fun,' 'energetic.' Students at the University of Central Florida said Pulse's college night was the best one in Orlando Many said Pulse was the first gay bar they had ever attended. But several Pulse patrons who spoke to Mic described the club as 'eclectic,' a place where LGBTQ people and straight friends of all ages and ethnicities gathered to drink and dance. Some gay bars court a specific clientele - twinks, otters, bears or even people of a certain race.
On Latin nights, drag queen Jasmine Jimenez performed as Puerto Rican diva Jennifer Lopez. One of only a handful of gay bars in a city with 270,000 residents, Pulse kept a regular calendar: Noche Latina on Mondays, Twisted Tuesdays, College Night Wednesdays, Tease Thursdays, Platinum Fridays and Upscale Latin Nights on Saturdays. 'Pulse is the best known gay club in Orlando,' Ruiz said. She wanted her brother's pulse to live on. Owner Barbara Poma opened the bar on South Orange Avenue in 2004, naming it 'Pulse' in honor of her brother who died of AIDS-related illness. Before Sunday, though, it was just Pulse.
