Philly women’s sports bar named after transgender activist closes following claims it wasn’t inclusive enough

A sports bar that called itself a hub of the queer community in Philadelphia is closing its doors after just over a year.

The bar was meant to serve as a counter to businesses that prioritize male sports on its TV screens over women’s, a common origin story for these types of bars.

‘More than ever this city needs more women/queer/BIPOC-owned businesses.’

In September 2025, owner Chivonn Anderson opened Marsha’s, named after Marsha P. Johnson, a man the New York Times described as a “transgender pioneer and activist.”

Anderson told the Philadelphia Inquirer at the time that she opened her bar because she couldn’t find a place in Philadelphia that would put on the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

However, despite its desire to be an inclusive location, the bar faced