Juliette, Ga.
Whistle Stop Café
443 Mccrackin Street
Ninety miles south of Atlanta, this site was used for the filming of Fried Green Tomatoes, the 1991 big-screen version of Fannie Flagg’s novel, starring Mary-Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson. Originally a general store, it was transformed for the movie into a 1920s café. After the movie was released, the location spot became a tourist attraction (I picture busloads of dykes descending on the small town), and the owners decided to capitalize on its popularity by turning it into an actual café.
In Flagg’s novel (she herself is a lesbian), café owners Idgie and Ruth were a couple, but the Hollywood version blurred the lines of their relationship (at least for straight audiences; gay viewers knew what was what). Still, the film has some clear lesbian moments – as when young Idgie dresses in boy-drag for her sister’s wedding – making it a lesbian classic.
The Queerest Places 
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