Meet Nia Gvatua, the Owner of Tbilisi, Geia’s Only Gay Bar | Vogue

Contents:

• HOW THE OWNER OF TBILISI’S ONLY GAY BAR GETS DRSED
• TBILISI GAY TRAVEL
• ON THE EDGE OF TRADN: HOLDG DOWN THE ONLY GAY BAR GEIA
• THE BEST TBILISI GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS TBILISI
• BOUNCERS AT GAY CLUBS GEIA SCREEN PATRONS FOR BIGOTRY

HOW THE OWNER OF TBILISI’S ONLY GAY BAR GETS DRSED

There is only one gay bar Tbilisi, Geia: a ty two-room club lled Succs, tucked down a si street off Rtaveli Avenue, the cy’s ma drag, and sandwiched between two nvenience stor. While Succs is a happy haven for Tbilisi’s gay muny and Gvatua is certaly good spirs, she tells me that sce Succs opened about a year and half ago, has been the target of robberi, vandalism, and vlence—most recently, last September, when a man asslted a secury guard and shouted homophobic slurs.

Geia has long been known for s tolerance for the gay muny. Its history has been riddled wh vlence, cludg mass protts durg gay pri paras.

TBILISI GAY TRAVEL

Photographed by Julien BoutIn tth, the spot had been a gay bar for the 17 years prr, but Gvatua says had grown dated. “It was dark, the mic was terrible, and there were only two gays the rner, ” she says.

“I love the gay muny, I thk homophobia is beyond stupid, and Geia needs to be liberated. ” Inspired by the safe gay spac Berl, Gvatua renovated the bar wh the help of a lol bsman, who owns the boutique hotels Stamba and Rooms.

Gvatua creds the rultg makeover wh helpg Tbilisi’s gay muny to open self October, for stance, Tbilisi’s first drag queen, Gerilyn, got drsed the back of Succs. The Gay Travel Experience: Tbilisi, Geia. Did you know that Tbilisi has a buzzg gay scene?

ON THE EDGE OF TRADN: HOLDG DOWN THE ONLY GAY BAR GEIA

In Geia, LGBT events are not exactly found pla sight, but Tbilisi’s gay muny together low-key bars, f, and unrground gay nightclubs. In a post-Soviet natn, gay Geians ntue to live wh utn.

I never felt unsafe as a gay traveler Tbilisi, even beg aware of the negative sentiment toward LGBT people. Is Tbilisi Safe for Gay Travelers? There are a few thgs you should know before embarkg on a journey as a gay tourist.

THE BEST TBILISI GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS TBILISI

Although Tbilisi is not the most acceptg cy the world for gays, is not the most dangero place eher. Gay travel to Geia and specifilly Tbilisi is que easy, but I’ll share a few specific safety tips below.

Formerly a Soviet terrory, many cizens of Geia posss anti-LGBT sentiment sce beg gay was illegal unr the old regime. Furthermore, the populatn is heavily Orthodox Christian, which do not mix well wh homosexualy. Unfortunately, an overwhelmg majory of Geians are fiercely agast homosexualy.

Neverthels, the gay Geian muny stands strong. In 2019, the muny began preparg for s first-ever Tbilisi Gay Pri. I’m hopg for a Tbilisi gay pri one year the near future!

BOUNCERS AT GAY CLUBS GEIA SCREEN PATRONS FOR BIGOTRY

A gay lol om Tbilisi who I met while visg the Geian cy of Batumi helped produce preparatn for the event.