Beit gay pri event a first for Lebanon | CNN

Contents:

• GAY LIFE LEBANON: BOUNCE BACK BEIT
• GAY AND GAY-IENDLY HOTELS BEIT
• DISVER THE 5 MOST GAY-IENDLY ARAB UNTRI
• GAY BARS BEIT - BEIT FOM
• GAY LIFE BEIT? - BEIT FOM
• BEIT GAY PRI EVENT A FIRST FOR LEBANON
• BEG LGBTQ BEITLIFE THE CREASGLY OPEN LGBTQ MUNY LEBANON’S SMOPOLAN PAL IS FAR OM PERFECT. BUT OFTEN ’S A LOT OF FUN.AIRBNB MAGAZE EDORS·FOLLOWPUBLISHED AIRBNB MAGAZE·13 M READ·AUG 16, 2018--1LISTENSHAREWORDS BY TIM MURPHYPHOTOGRAPHS BY WILLIAM LAKILLTRATNS BY STEVEN WILSONTHE GRAND FACTORY THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOURJ HAMMONDSTRINGS OF LIGHT BULBS GLOWED, RPETS WERE LAID DOWN, AND NDL WERE FLICKERG ON THE VAST ROOFTOP OF STATION, AN ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE RVED OUT OF AN OLD FACTORY THE HEART OF BEIT’S DTRIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, JISR EL WATI. THE AREA IS KNOWN FOR S RAGTAG WEEKEND SO AND — MORE RECENTLY — AS THE HOME OF THE BEIT ART CENTER, WHICH HAS PUT LEBANON’S MIDDLE EAST–MEETS-MIAMI-MEETS-DETRO PAL CY ON THE NTEMPORARY CULTURAL MAP.AS A DJ SPUN ELECTRONI AND THE SUN SET, YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT YOU WERE AT SOME ARTY EVENT BROOKLYN’S BHWICK OR BERL’S NKöLLN — EXCEPT THAT THE 400 MOSTLY YOUNG BEITIS OF ALL GENRS AND SEXUAL INTI, NOT TO MENTN RELIGNS, WERE SPEAKG A MAD MISHMASH OF ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND ARABIC.SALAH LABAKI STREETONCE THE MIC QUIETED DOWN, BEITIS WHO INTIFY AS LGBTQ, OR QUEER, ROSE TO THE MIC ONE BY ONE AND TOLD THEIR STORI OF G OUT — FIRST TO THEMSELV, THEN TO IENDS, AND THEN, SOMETIM, TO WORKERS, FAY, AND THE PUBLIC — A CY WH A UNTRY WH A REGN WHERE THE VERY NOTN OF “G OUT,” THOUGH MORE MON THAN EVER BEFORE, REMAS PLITED. “I DON’T RELL ANY OTHER TIME RECENT LEBANE HISTORY WHEN THERE WAS SUCH A LARGE GATHERG OF LGBTQ PEOPLE SHARG THEIR STORI WHOUT FEAR,” SAYS DIMA MATTA, A BEIT UNIVERSY PROFSOR WHO ANIZED THE EVENT.THE STORI WEREN’T JT BRAVE BUT FUNNY. HAMED SNO, THE OPENLY GAY ONT MAN OF MASHROU’LEILA, WHOSE MIC HAS PTURED EE-THKG LENNIALS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE ARAB DIASPORA, GOT UP AND READ A FIANT POEM ABOUT MISOGYNY AMONG GAY MEN. ONE YOUNG MAN RELATED HOW HIS MOTHER TOOK AWAY HIS SMARTPHONE AFTER REALIZG HE WAS GAY, SO HE SURREPTLY BOUGHT ANOTHER TO LL HIS BOYIEND UNR THE VERS AT 3 A.M. A WOMAN TALKED OF HOW SHE’D BEEN HARASSED BY POLICE FOR “LOOKG LIKE A BOY.” ANOTHER BROUGHT DOWN THE HOE WHILE RELLG HOW HER MOTHER, AFTER LEARNG THAT BOTH SHE AND HER SISTER WERE GAY, SHED TO THEIR BROTHER’S ROOM AND MAND, “TELL ME NOW: ARE YOU GAY TOO?” (TO WHICH HE RPOND, “UHHH . . . NO.”)HADI DAMIENTHE CROWD WAS NOT EXCLIVELY QUEER, EHER. “WE HAD STRAIGHT PARENTS BRG THEIR CHILDREN TO SHOW THEM THAT BEG OPENLY GAY OR TRANS WAS A REALY,” SAYS HADI DAMIEN, 28, AN EVENT SIGNER AND UNIVERSY PROFSOR WHO -ANIZED THE EVENT. THE NIGHT WAS PART OF BEIT PRI, THE CY’S FIRST OFFICIALLY BRAND LGBTQ PRI EVENT, WHICH FEATURED A WEEK’S WORTH OF ACTIVI CLUDG A DRAG QUEEN 101 SEMAR, AN EXHIB ON GENR-FLUID FASHN, AND — PERHAPS MOST BOLDLY — AN EVENG OUT WHICH NEARLY 20 OF THE RTRANTS AND BARS THAT LE THE MA STREET THE SHABBY-CHIC MAR MIKHAEL NEIGHBORHOOD AGREED TO FLY RABOW FLAGS.“I WAS THKG OF DOG THIS FOR A LONG TIME,” SAYS DAMIEN. “AND FALLY LAST AUGT, I SAID, ‘OKAY, LET’S MAKE THIS HAPPEN.’” THE WEEK WAS CHOSEN BEE ENPASSED MAY 17, THE INTERNATNAL DAY AGAST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA & BIPHOBIA. “WE HAD LEGAL SEMARS AND MOVIE SCREENGS, BUT ALSO LOTS OF PARTI AND GET-TOGETHERS JT TO LET PEOPLE MGLE. IT CREATED A VERY BETIFUL SPACE. SOME PEOPLE SAID WASN’T POLIL ENOUGH. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY STUPID. TO ME, EVERYTHG QUEER WE DO LEBANON IS POLIL.”BEIT OFTEN SURPRIS WTERNERS, PECIALLY AMERINS. PEOPLE OF A CERTA AGE ASSOCIATE WH DANGER, REMEMBERG THE SECTARIAN CIVIL WAR THAT TORE APART BETWEEN 1975 AND 1990 AND MA S VERY NAME SHORTHAND FOR HELL. BUT WH THE EXCEPTN OF A FEW ROCKY MOMENTS THE 2000S, BEIT — THE ASTAL NERVE CENTER OF A UNTRY SMALLER THAN CONNECTICUT WHERE VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IS RELATED BY BLOOD, BS, OR SOCIAL TI — HAS BEEN NOT JT STABLE FOR 27 YEARS, ’S BEEN BOOMG. ITS BEGUILG MIX OF ARCH-WDOWED OTTOMAN-ERA HOM AND MIDCENTURY BTALIST TOWERS NOW B SHOULRS WH GLOSSY NEW RTRANTS AND RETAIL BUILDGS.MAR MIKHAELIN MANY WAYS, THE RECENT FLUX OF SYRIAN REFUGE THAT HAS CREASED LEBANON’S POPULATN BY A THIRD HAS ENRICHED WH AN EXPLOSN OF NEW BS AND WORKERS. AND THOUGH LEBANON’S PARLIAMENT HAS S PROBLEMS (A SANATN CRISIS FILLED BEIT WH NOX ODORS A FEW SUMMERS AGO, SPARKG AN ENRAGED CIVIL PROTT), DAILY LIFE THE CY HUMS ALONG.MOREOVER, THOSE WHO ASSUME THAT BEIT MT BE OPPRSIVE TOWARD WOMEN AND GAY PEOPLE BEE IS A MIDDLE EASTERN PAL ARE OFTEN SURPRISED TO FD A SMOPOLAN, RELIGLY MIXED CY OF BOTH VOUT AND SECULAR-LEANG CHRISTIANS, MLIMS, AND DZE. COLONIZED BY THE FRENCH THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, THE UNTRY IS FLUENCED AS MUCH BY NORTH AMERI AND EUROPE AS IS BY S IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS. BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, THE CY WAS RENOWNED FOR S CULTURE, FASHN, FOOD, AND NIGHTLIFE. MUCH OF THAT HAS SURVIVED AND IS NOW BOLSTERED BY A GENERATN OF WARTIME BEITIS WHO GREW UP ABROAD, LIKE STATION FOUNR NABIL CANAAN, WHO TRANSFORMED THE SPACE OUT OF HIS GRANDFATHER’S FORMER FACTORY 2013 AFTER SPENDG YEARS SWZERLAND, NIGERIA, AND NEW YORK. MANY NEW ENTREPRENRS FLY AND OUT OF THE UNTRY TO VIS FAY, IENDS, AND BS PARTNERS LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK, MONTREAL, AND THE GULF STAT.LUNA PARK FERRIS WHEEL THE MANARA NEIGHBORHOODNABIL CANAAN“YOU HAVE ALL TYP OF PEOPLE HERE, BOTH OPEN-MD AND WELL-TRAVELED AND SUPER-NSERVATIVE,” SAYS HAIG PAPAZIAN, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF MASHROU’LEILA. “BEIT IS VERY LENIENT PARED TO THE RT OF LEBANON WHEN TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T F THE MOLD AND LIKE TO DRS CRAZY.”THE CY’S LGBTQ MUNY DID NOT SPRG UP OVERNIGHT. IT HAS S ROOTS ACID, THE LEGENDARY WEE-HOURS GAY DANCE CLUB THAT OPENED 1998 AND, UNTIL S CLOSURE 2010, PUT BEIT ON THE QUEER-TOURIST MAP ALONGSI THE STILL-NNG DANCE BUNKER BO18, SIGNED BY LEBANE ARCHECT BERNARD KHOURY. ACID GAVE GAY BEITIS, PARTICULARLY MEN, A PLACE TO NGREGATE AND BE EELY GAY TOGETHER. “I REMEMBER HOW EMPOWERG WAS TO DANCE AND KISS ANOTHER ARAB MAN ON THE DANCE FLOOR OF AN ARAB CY,” SAYS LONDON-BASED WRER SALEEM HADDAD, THOR OF GUAPA, A GAY G-OF-AGE NOVEL SET AN UNNAMED MIDDLE EASTERN CY MUCH LIKE BEIT, WHERE HIS FAY HAS LIVED ON AND OFF.AND THOUGH THIS YEAR WAS THE CY’S FIRST OFFICIAL PRI CELEBRATN, THE LGBTQ MUNY HAS BEEN ANIZG SCE AT LEAST 2004, THE FOUNDG YEAR OF HELEM ( MEANS DREAM ARABIC), THE UNTRY’S FIRST LGBTQ SEXUAL-HEALTH AND LEGAL SERVIC GROUP, WHICH GREW OUT OF AN UNRGROUND ONLE MUNY. “OUR FIRST TWO YEARS WE WERE OFTEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE,” REMEMBERS GE AZZI, THE GROUP’S FOUNR, WHO HAS GONE ON TO FOUND THE REGN-WI LGBTQ NONPROF ARAB FOUNDATN FOR FREEDOMS AND EQUALY. BUT THE GROUP PERSISTED, BOLDLY STAGG STREET MONSTRATNS AND BRGG A GENERATN OF STRAIGHT FAY MEMBERS AND IENDS TO THEIR MOVEMENT.CAFE YOUNAS A RULT, LEBANON IS BEG MORE TOLERANT OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. CREPAWAY, A POPULAR NATNAL RTRANT CHA, JT RELEASED A MERCIAL FEATURG A LBIAN UPLE. A PEW REARCH CENTER STUDY SHOWS THAT THOUGH 80 PERCENT OF THE UNTRY GENERALLY STILL REJECTS HOMOSEXUALY, LEBANON HAS THE REGN’S HIGHT PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ACCEPT , AFTER ISRAEL. AND THOUGH GAY SEX IS STILL TEGORIZED AS “NTRADICTG TO NATURE” THE UNTRY’S OFTEN ANTIQUATED PENAL AND PEOPLE ARE PERDILLY ARRTED, SEVERAL JUDG HAVE REFED TO PROSECUTE SUCH S. GETTG THAT SELDOM-ENFORCED LAW STRICKEN OM THE BOOKS ONCE AND FOR ALL REMAS A KEY PRRY FOR LGBTQ ACTIVISTS LEBANON.“MANY OF HAVE TO GO BACK TO HOM, WORKPLAC, AND MUNI WHERE WE’RE STILL CLOSETED, ARE AAID TO DISPLAY AFFECTN PUBLIC, AND HOLD OUR BREATH WHEN THE POLICE PASS,” SAYS PROFSOR MATTA. “SO THE FACT THAT OPEN LGBTQ EVENTS N EXIST WH SUCH OPPRSN IS A PERFECT SCRIPTN OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. MUCH HAS BEEN DONE, BUT THERE’S STILL A LOT TO DO.”BARDOMEANWHILE, THERE IS THE SHEER BUOYANCY OF QUEER LIFE AND AROUND BEIT. THE MASTREAM SCENE REVOLV AROUND BARDO, A WARMLY L DAY-AND-NIGHT RTRANT AND BAR ON A QUIET TREE-LED STREET A SHORT WALK OM THE BTLG MERCIAL CENTER OF HAMRA, WHERE MCLE BOYS WORK OUT AT FNS ZONE THEN CHILL OVER ICED LATT AT THE NEARBY STARBUCKS OR THE MORE TRADNAL CAFé YOUN. BARDO, THE CY’S LONGT-STANDG GAY-ORIENTED BAR, IS QUIET DURG THE DAY, WH STYLISH PATRONS LUNCHG ON SPRG ROLLS, RAMEN, WASABI-LIME BEEF MEDALLNS, OR SANDWICH WH THE LIC IED CHEE LLED HALLOUMI. BUT BOUNC AT NIGHT, PECIALLY WEEKENDS, WH A MIX OF WTERN AND ARABIC DANCE MIC OM A ROLLG ROSTER OF DJS AND SCREENGS OF QUEER FILMS OLD (THE BOYS THE BAND) AND NEW (CAROL).MANY SAY THAT A MORE MIXED-CLASS GAY CROWD NVERG LATE SATURDAYS AT THE ENORMO CLUB POSH, NEAR THE WATER THE TRADNAL ARMENIAN NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOURJ HAMMOUD. IT PET FOR QUEER VISORS WH THE GäRTEN, LOTED PARTLY UNR A FUNKY GEOSIC DOME, OR THE FRIDAY-NIGHT EGO PARTY AT THE CLUB PROJEKT BEIT.SASHA ELIJAH JUS GARN, ACHRAFIEHDARK BOX ON RUE MONNOT (THE CY’S FIRST POSTWAR PARTY STRIP) IS A WELL-KNOWN TRANSGENR HANGOUT, BUT SASHA ELIJAH, A 20-YEAR-OLD TRANSGENR ASPIRG MOL, SAYS SHE MAK A POT OF HANGG OUT THE E-ONE-E-ALL BARS OF MAR MIKHAEL. “PEOPLE TELL ME THEY’VE NEVER SEEN TRANSGENR PEOPLE UP CLOSE, THAT THEY’RE SURPRISED TO LEARN NOT ALL TRANS WOMEN HAVE DOUBLE-SIZE LIPS, TS, AND ASS,” SHE SAYS. “THEN WE HAVE A FEW LGHS TOGETHER, AND THEY RPECT ME.”IN FACT, MANY QUEER BEITIS ARE QUICK TO SAY THAT THE CY’S BAR AND CLUB SCENE IS BLEND, WH NO SPECIAL NEED FOR GAY PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT HIDG PLAC. NOHELS, LBIANS LIKE TO MEET AT THE ROOFTOP BAR AND RTRANT COOP D’ETAT OVERLOOKG THE PORT. AND THE SUMMER MONTHS, QUEER AND NONQUEER SOCIAL SCEN TERMGLE BEIT AT THE SAT-GEE AND SPORTG BEACH CLUBS — AND EVEN AS FAR AWAY AS THE BULIC CLOUD 59 TYRE, ABOUT 90 MUT SOUTH OF BEIT, WH THE ASTLE OF ISRAEL DIMLY VISIBLE JT 12 AWAY. IN THE HEART OF SHIE HEZBOLLAH UNTRY AND BOASTG SOME OF THE MOST STUNNG ROMAN S THE WORLD, TYRE FEATUR AN OLD PORT AND TOWN CENTER OF ASTOUNDG BETY, POPULAR WH REGNAL AND EUROPEAN VISORS. ON THE BEACH, LARGE MLIM FAI WH VEILED MOMS PIIC EASILY ALONGSI JET-SETTERS BIKIS AND SPEEDOS SMOKG CIGARETT AND DRKG ALMAZA, THE MA BEER OF LEBANON, OR ARAK, THE LIRICE-Y SPIR OF THE REGN.TYREWH IMAG LIKE THE, N BE TEMPTG TO PAT LEBANON, BEIT PECIALLY, AS A KD OF LIBERTE, SEXUALLY PERMISSIVE UTOPIA THE MIDST OF A REPRSIVE REGN. THAT’S NOT QUE ACCURATE. FOR ALL S CHARMS, THE CY, LIKE MANY AROUND THE GLOBE, IS RIFE WH EQUALY AND ENOMIC HARDSHIP FOR MANY, AND IS A LONG WAY OM UNIVERSALLY SANCTNED ACCEPTANCE OF LGBTQ PEOPLE. THE VERY FACT THAT THE CY’S CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL NCELED HOSTG A BEIT PRI EVENT AFTER RECEIVG THREATS OM AN ISLAMIC GROUP ATTTS TO THAT.THEN AGA, AFTER THE QUEER MUNY PROTTED, SEVERAL MORE HOTELS OFFERED TO HOST THE EVENT. AND THERE YOU HAVE THE STATE OF LGBTQ LIFE THIS BATTERED YET BEGUILG CY CIR 2017. “SOCIAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE, BUT ’S HAPPENG SLOWLY,” SAYS DAMIEN. “BUT IF BEIT WERE A GLASS RIGHT NOW, I’D SAY ’S HALF FULL, NOT HALF EMPTY.”HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BEIRUTLOCAL AIRBNB HOSTS SHARE THEIR TIPSWAKE UP FOR A STROLL, A N, OR A BIKE RI ALONG THE CORNICHE, BEIT’S RENOWNED SEASI PROMENA, REMENDS JAY NEHME, WHOSE AIRBNB IS ON MAR NILAS, THE HEART OF ACHRAFIEH. “IN BEIT, YOU’LL FD PEOPLE OF ALL RAC, ALL RELIGNS, HANGG OUT,” SAYS NEHME. “IT’S A BETIFUL BATN!”INDULGE A TYPIL LEBANE LUNCH, SUGGTS ASDGHIK MELKONIAN, WHO HOSTS HIP GEMMAYZEH. ON WEEKENDS, N BE AN ALL-DAY AFFAIR, WH 20 OR 30 APPETIZERS. “JT WHEN YOU THK YOU’RE FULL, YOU GET MA URS — BARBECUED MEAT, CHICKEN, AND SEAFOOD. WASH DOWN WH LEBANE WE AND ARAK. THEN ’S TIME FOR SSERT. IT’S A WAY FOR FAI AND IENDS TO GET TOGETHER.”SHE SENDS GUTS TO THE CLASSIC MHANNA SUR MER, AAMCH.HEAD TO A ROOFTOP BAR SUCH AS CAPOLE, IRIS, WHE, OR MYU AND WATCH THE SUNSET WHILE RELAXG WH AN ICE-LD ALMAZA BEER, OFFERS AUDREY ISSA, WHO HOSTS THE TABARIS SECTN.MAR MIKHAELEXPERIENCE AN TERACTIVE EXPERIMENTAL DANCE PERFORMANCE AND EXPLORE UNRGROUND THEATERS WH BARET ACTS OM THE GOLN AGE AT METRO AL MADA, SAYS TO K., A HOST OM THE BUZZG MAR MIKHAEL AREA, KNOWN FOR S BAR AND RTRANT SCENE. “MAR MIKHAEL IS OLD DURG THE DAY AND YOUNG DURG THE NIGHT,” SAYS TO.ENJOY THE ECLECTIC RANGE OF MIC — OM GYPSY JAZZ TO BLU — AT ONOMATOPOEIA, A NCEPT SPACE AND MIC HUB SUFI, SAYS ABRAHAM SROUR OM ACHRAFIEH, WHO LIK TO POT HIS GUTS TOWARD HYPER-LOL, UNRGROUND EXPERIENC THAT YOU’D BE HARD-PRSED TO FD GUIBOOKS.IT’S BETTER IN BEIRUTWHAT NOT TO MISS — BOTH IN AND OUT OF TOWNEATTAWLET: LOL FOODIE KG KAMAL MOUZAWAK’S IMMACULATELY STIC LUNCHTIME BUFFET (ROUGHLY $40) IS A TEMPLE TO TRADNAL LEBANE CUISE, OKED DAILY BY SWEET NTI OM SURROUNDG VILLAG. ARTY TERNATNAL CROWD. (12 RUE NAHER OFF ARMENIA ST., +961–1–448–129)BARBAR: LEGENDARY, LONGSTANDG LATE- NIGHT KEBAB HOE THE HEART OF HUMMG HAMRA. (OMAR BEN ABL AZIZ ST., +961–1–753–330) NOTE: MOST BEIT VENU LACK NUMBERED ADDRS.LUX: THE TRENDY PLACE RIGHT NOW. PRICEY GRILLED MEATS, FISH, AND VEGETABL OM S OWN ANIC FARM AN AIRY, MIMAL-CHIC SETTG. BNCH AND REGULAR DJS TOO. (RUE AL JAMAREK, +961–1–444–311)KABABJI: CHEERFUL, NO-ILLS LEBANE CHA OFFERG GREAT LOL STAPL (PERFECT SHAWARMA, MEZE, FATTEH, FATTOH AND MUCH MORE) AT GENTLE PRIC. THROUGHOUT THE CY.DRINK AND DANCEDRAGONFLY: BETIFUL AMBER-L JEWEL OF A BAR THAT CEMENTED GEMMAYZEH AS A GO-TO STREET THE 2000S. TRY NIGHTLY NCTNS LIKE THE AROMATIC SMASH. (+961–71–127–773)BARDO MEXICO ST., HAMRA: THE ONLY FULL-TIME LONG-NNG (MOSTLY) GAY BAR BEIT IS ALSO A STYLISH SPOT FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DNER. (+961–1–340–060)BO18 KARANTINA: THE (LERALLY) UNRGROUND CLUB THAT PUT BEIT NIGHTLIFE ON THE MAP IS STILL A MT-SEE FOR S WARTIME-BUNKER VIBE AND A ROOF THAT FAMOLY RETRACTS TO REFLECT PASSG TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. (+961–1–580–018)TRAVELEAST OF BEIRUT: FRIENDLY ENGLISH-SPEAKG DRIVERS FOR CY CAR (+961–1–780–000) WILL TAKE YOU TO THE ROMAN S OF BAALBEK, THE KSARA AND MASSAYA VEYARDS FOR WE TASTGS, AND UP TO THE BREATHTAKG QADISHA VALLEY TO EXPLORE S STONE MONASTERI.NORTH OF BEIRUT: A DAY TREK TO TRIPOLI, WH S ANCIENT MOSQU, SO, AND SOAPMAKERS, WILL SHOW YOU A LEBANE CY LS WTERNIZED THAN BEIT. MIRA’S GUID TOURS (+961–70–126–764) WILL TAKE YOU A MIB WH THE SCY AND BOHEMIAN YOUNG MIRA AS YOUR HOST. SUMMERTIME? GO TO THE LAID-BACK ASTAL VILLAGE OF BATROUN AND THE NEARBY BEACH CLUB PIERRE AND FRIENDS.SOUTH OF BEIRUT: ANOTHER DAY TRIP WILL SUFFICE TO SHOW YOU THE ANCIENT ASTAL CY OF SIDON WH S MEDIEVAL STLE JUTTG OUT TO THE SEA. HEAD TO TYRE TO WALK THE SEASI ROMAN S — OR STAY THERE A FEW NIGHTS IF ’S BEACH WEATHER.TAWLETGOOD TO KNOW
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GAY LIFE LEBANON: BOUNCE BACK BEIT

This was nsistent wh stori of a large flux of gay men om Dahiyeh the cy’s gay bars and clubs, and the experience of a woman who told me she got ls flack for wearg a miskirt Dahiyeh than the smopolan shoppg street of Hamra, where the men would ‘accintally’ bump to her and stare at her cht. What was even more remarkable to me – g om a part of the world where Mlims are generally perceived as the most nservative and homophobic group society – was that a lot of people seemed to agree that Mlims Lebanon were more open to discsg homosexualy on the street (albe never the media) than Christians. Whoever was I talked to, before he signed off he told me that the past few years thgs had changed a lot Dahiyeh and that there had been an enormo crease visible homosexualy the neighbourhood – he claimed that some 30% of the men were now gay.

The Gefor Rotana is one of the most nveniently loted hotels Beit, wh walkg distance om the Corniche (the seasi promena) and s beach clubs, the shops and rtrants of Rue Hamra and Downtown Beit, and some of the most popular gay-iendly plac town. Other plac to check out: Behd the Green Door (porn spired bar Gemmayzeh); Barometre (very atmospheric, very tellectual leftist Arab bar near the Amerin universy Hamra – great cheap food, too, and Acid (somewhat tacky, but still… you n’t miss the biggt gay club the Middle East). If you n five the state-approved homophobia and are willg to act wh discretn while out and about, the Arab untri n reem themselv a thoand and one different ways, om the ancient centre of Petra to the glterg ephets of Bahra and to the serts beyond.

Wh so much do see and do, Mt is bt seen by tour b, allowg you to hop off at untls mms, the Sultan’s Palace and the Mutrah Corniche wateront, before venturg further afield on day trips to the beach and turtle-filled lagoons for divg and of the slightly more tolerant untri the regn, Oman is said to have once had s own gay sultan – Sultan Qaboos b Said al Said – although the state prs is quick to ny this as a pric mour! In realy, the laws are rarely upheld except high-profile s, however, and gay Oman remas a perfectly safe place to | Photo: Katera KerdiPetra, particular, is the crowng glory of Jordan, protected wh sandstone cliffs and offerg an unrivalled llectn of monuments, cludg the fg Siq to the Treasury on an ethereal sert se of red rock and dun known as Wadi Rum2. Avoid the occurrenc and Lebanon will she, thanks to s fantastic beach rorts not far om the pal as well as s mounta vistas, ancient s and more, all urteoly attend by kdly Lebane social stigma rgs te and the ft array of Arabian gays is likely to be found onle (hello Grdr, my old iend) gay Lebanon is perhaps one of the few Arab natns where a tentative gay scene tak shape real life.

GAY AND GAY-IENDLY HOTELS BEIT

As well as hostg the regn’s largt gay club, POSH, where gay Arabs and ternatnals n fally dance together whout fear of persecutn, gay Beit also hosts annual queer events such as the Internatnal Day Agast Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia and Beit Pri. Is still nsired illegal, havg said that is mostly ignored by the thori reason beg is bee the natn is still ma up of religo figure that nmn homosexual practice, so they dont brg unwanted attentn to a topic that very explosive some untri and they simply dont want some fanatil group the regn targetg s cizens, the police will only act if u are mg an act the will disturb the publics morale, shaggg a public place or ench kissg some guy public, otherwise u should be fe... ”While homosexual activy (technilly, sexual relatns that officials em “unnatural”) is illegal Lebanon, as most of the Arab world, Beit’s valy as a Mederranean pal of night life has fueled a flourishg gay scene — albe one where men n be nervo about public displays of affectn and where secury guards at clubs n terce if the good tim turn too isky on the dance floor.

DISVER THE 5 MOST GAY-IENDLY ARAB UNTRI

But even more than the partyg, Beit reprents a different Middle East for some gay and lbian Arabs: the only place the regn where they n openly enjoy a social life nied them at, a 35-year-old gay man visg om Damasc — who, like many men terviewed Beit, asked that his surname not be published — said that only two close iends Syria knew that he was gay and that there were no bars, clubs or f Damasc where gay Syrians felt at ease. “I thought I would meet other gay men at universy Syria, but didn’t happen, and then I thought as an adult man livg Damasc that would happen, but hasn’t, ” said Asu, who was nursg a club soda at Wolf, a gay-iendly bar near the Amerin Universy Beit. ” Gay life this cy is still chg out of the shadows, to be sure, but seems to have veloped a steady forward momentum sce the end of Lebanon’s 15-year civil war 1990 — and pecially the lm that has followed the brief 2006 war between Hezbollah forc and have opened, and old on are to their fifth or sixth year of sponsorg annual parti and mic ftivals.

And, by anecdotal acunts, gay men and women om other Arab untri and the Wt are creasgly vatng here — a choice that is all the more sexy and thrillg for some bee they feel they are livg on the edge and disverg a gay culture that is hly the mid-1990s, a few small f Beit beme popular gatherg plac for gay men — not only for groups of iends, but also for men who had chatted on the Inter and wanted to arrange a safe place to meet.

GAY BARS BEIT - BEIT FOM

One such spot, Café Sheikh Mankoh the Hamra district, also stalled puters that gay men ed to chat onle wh others Beit, Bertho the years sce, Lebanon has bee one of the most liberal Arab unti when to sexualy and sexual behavr, acrdg to Michael T.

GAY LIFE BEIT? - BEIT FOM

In March, a 44-year-old gay man the Yemeni cy of al-Hisn was shot to ath, one of several gay men reported killed sce Beit, a wily publicized beatg of two gay men by police officers spurred the Lebane anizatn Helem — the most visible gay rights group of any Arab natn — to hold the first major gay rights rally the regn memory. The rally, Febary, drew several dozen gay men and lbians, and straight iends and supporters, to a downtown Beit square, where they waved rabow flags and banners llg for gay rally — as well as Lebanon’s electns June, won by morate polil parti — has buoyed the spirs of gay men and lbians Beit, yet still they have hardly turned valier about their public behavr.

BEIT GAY PRI EVENT A FIRST FOR LEBANON

One of the bartenrs, who cled to give his name, said that the Life Bar did not publicize self as a gay bar bee dog so might attract extra scty om the hotspot that the thori — and gay Beitis — know plenty about is Acid, the cy’s bt-known gay club, about 15 mut wt of Ashrafieh the S El Fil neighborhood. ” Anton and his iends changed hotels the next meetg men on the Inter is wily popular here, the Sat-Ge Yacht Club and the rooftop pool at the Palm Beach Hotel — only about 150 feet om each other, near the Corniche seasi promena — have gaed reputatns as popular daytime cisg plac for gay men, pecially on Saturday afternoons. It’s on Mankhoul Street, Hamra, very close to the Amerin Universy of Yacht Club (), well marked near the InterContental Phoenicia, is a popular hangout for gay men on Friday and Saturday afternoons (as is the rooftop pool of the Palm Beach Hotel).

“I remember how empowerg was to dance and kiss another Arab man on the dance floor of an Arab cy, ” says London-based wrer Saleem Haddad, thor of Guapa, a gay g-of-age novel set an unnamed Middle Eastern cy much like Beit, where his fay has lived on and though this year was the cy’s first official Pri celebratn, the LGBTQ muny has been anizg sce at least 2004, the foundg year of Helem ( means dream Arabic), the untry’s first LGBTQ sexual-health and legal servic group, which grew out of an unrground onle muny.

But bounc at night, pecially weekends, wh a mix of wtern and Arabic dance mic om a rollg roster of DJs and screengs of queer films old (The Boys the Band) and new (Carol) say that a more mixed-class gay crowd nverg late Saturdays at the enormo club Posh, near the water the tradnal Armenian neighborhood of Bourj Hammoud.

BEG LGBTQ BEITLIFE THE CREASGLY OPEN LGBTQ MUNY LEBANON’S SMOPOLAN PAL IS FAR OM PERFECT. BUT OFTEN ’S A LOT OF FUN.AIRBNB MAGAZE EDORS·FOLLOWPUBLISHED AIRBNB MAGAZE·13 M READ·AUG 16, 2018--1LISTENSHAREWORDS BY TIM MURPHYPHOTOGRAPHS BY WILLIAM LAKILLTRATNS BY STEVEN WILSONTHE GRAND FACTORY THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOURJ HAMMONDSTRINGS OF LIGHT BULBS GLOWED, RPETS WERE LAID DOWN, AND NDL WERE FLICKERG ON THE VAST ROOFTOP OF STATION, AN ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE RVED OUT OF AN OLD FACTORY THE HEART OF BEIT’S DTRIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, JISR EL WATI. THE AREA IS KNOWN FOR S RAGTAG WEEKEND SO AND — MORE RECENTLY — AS THE HOME OF THE BEIT ART CENTER, WHICH HAS PUT LEBANON’S MIDDLE EAST–MEETS-MIAMI-MEETS-DETRO PAL CY ON THE NTEMPORARY CULTURAL MAP.AS A DJ SPUN ELECTRONI AND THE SUN SET, YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT YOU WERE AT SOME ARTY EVENT BROOKLYN’S BHWICK OR BERL’S NKöLLN — EXCEPT THAT THE 400 MOSTLY YOUNG BEITIS OF ALL GENRS AND SEXUAL INTI, NOT TO MENTN RELIGNS, WERE SPEAKG A MAD MISHMASH OF ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND ARABIC.SALAH LABAKI STREETONCE THE MIC QUIETED DOWN, BEITIS WHO INTIFY AS LGBTQ, OR QUEER, ROSE TO THE MIC ONE BY ONE AND TOLD THEIR STORI OF G OUT — FIRST TO THEMSELV, THEN TO IENDS, AND THEN, SOMETIM, TO WORKERS, FAY, AND THE PUBLIC — A CY WH A UNTRY WH A REGN WHERE THE VERY NOTN OF “G OUT,” THOUGH MORE MON THAN EVER BEFORE, REMAS PLITED. “I DON’T RELL ANY OTHER TIME RECENT LEBANE HISTORY WHEN THERE WAS SUCH A LARGE GATHERG OF LGBTQ PEOPLE SHARG THEIR STORI WHOUT FEAR,” SAYS DIMA MATTA, A BEIT UNIVERSY PROFSOR WHO ANIZED THE EVENT.THE STORI WEREN’T JT BRAVE BUT FUNNY. HAMED SNO, THE OPENLY GAY ONT MAN OF MASHROU’LEILA, WHOSE MIC HAS PTURED EE-THKG LENNIALS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE ARAB DIASPORA, GOT UP AND READ A FIANT POEM ABOUT MISOGYNY AMONG GAY MEN. ONE YOUNG MAN RELATED HOW HIS MOTHER TOOK AWAY HIS SMARTPHONE AFTER REALIZG HE WAS GAY, SO HE SURREPTLY BOUGHT ANOTHER TO LL HIS BOYIEND UNR THE VERS AT 3 A.M. A WOMAN TALKED OF HOW SHE’D BEEN HARASSED BY POLICE FOR “LOOKG LIKE A BOY.” ANOTHER BROUGHT DOWN THE HOE WHILE RELLG HOW HER MOTHER, AFTER LEARNG THAT BOTH SHE AND HER SISTER WERE GAY, SHED TO THEIR BROTHER’S ROOM AND MAND, “TELL ME NOW: ARE YOU GAY TOO?” (TO WHICH HE RPOND, “UHHH . . . NO.”)HADI DAMIENTHE CROWD WAS NOT EXCLIVELY QUEER, EHER. “WE HAD STRAIGHT PARENTS BRG THEIR CHILDREN TO SHOW THEM THAT BEG OPENLY GAY OR TRANS WAS A REALY,” SAYS HADI DAMIEN, 28, AN EVENT SIGNER AND UNIVERSY PROFSOR WHO -ANIZED THE EVENT. THE NIGHT WAS PART OF BEIT PRI, THE CY’S FIRST OFFICIALLY BRAND LGBTQ PRI EVENT, WHICH FEATURED A WEEK’S WORTH OF ACTIVI CLUDG A DRAG QUEEN 101 SEMAR, AN EXHIB ON GENR-FLUID FASHN, AND — PERHAPS MOST BOLDLY — AN EVENG OUT WHICH NEARLY 20 OF THE RTRANTS AND BARS THAT LE THE MA STREET THE SHABBY-CHIC MAR MIKHAEL NEIGHBORHOOD AGREED TO FLY RABOW FLAGS.“I WAS THKG OF DOG THIS FOR A LONG TIME,” SAYS DAMIEN. “AND FALLY LAST AUGT, I SAID, ‘OKAY, LET’S MAKE THIS HAPPEN.’” THE WEEK WAS CHOSEN BEE ENPASSED MAY 17, THE INTERNATNAL DAY AGAST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA & BIPHOBIA. “WE HAD LEGAL SEMARS AND MOVIE SCREENGS, BUT ALSO LOTS OF PARTI AND GET-TOGETHERS JT TO LET PEOPLE MGLE. IT CREATED A VERY BETIFUL SPACE. SOME PEOPLE SAID WASN’T POLIL ENOUGH. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY STUPID. TO ME, EVERYTHG QUEER WE DO LEBANON IS POLIL.”BEIT OFTEN SURPRIS WTERNERS, PECIALLY AMERINS. PEOPLE OF A CERTA AGE ASSOCIATE WH DANGER, REMEMBERG THE SECTARIAN CIVIL WAR THAT TORE APART BETWEEN 1975 AND 1990 AND MA S VERY NAME SHORTHAND FOR HELL. BUT WH THE EXCEPTN OF A FEW ROCKY MOMENTS THE 2000S, BEIT — THE ASTAL NERVE CENTER OF A UNTRY SMALLER THAN CONNECTICUT WHERE VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IS RELATED BY BLOOD, BS, OR SOCIAL TI — HAS BEEN NOT JT STABLE FOR 27 YEARS, ’S BEEN BOOMG. ITS BEGUILG MIX OF ARCH-WDOWED OTTOMAN-ERA HOM AND MIDCENTURY BTALIST TOWERS NOW B SHOULRS WH GLOSSY NEW RTRANTS AND RETAIL BUILDGS.MAR MIKHAELIN MANY WAYS, THE RECENT FLUX OF SYRIAN REFUGE THAT HAS CREASED LEBANON’S POPULATN BY A THIRD HAS ENRICHED WH AN EXPLOSN OF NEW BS AND WORKERS. AND THOUGH LEBANON’S PARLIAMENT HAS S PROBLEMS (A SANATN CRISIS FILLED BEIT WH NOX ODORS A FEW SUMMERS AGO, SPARKG AN ENRAGED CIVIL PROTT), DAILY LIFE THE CY HUMS ALONG.MOREOVER, THOSE WHO ASSUME THAT BEIT MT BE OPPRSIVE TOWARD WOMEN AND GAY PEOPLE BEE IS A MIDDLE EASTERN PAL ARE OFTEN SURPRISED TO FD A SMOPOLAN, RELIGLY MIXED CY OF BOTH VOUT AND SECULAR-LEANG CHRISTIANS, MLIMS, AND DZE. COLONIZED BY THE FRENCH THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, THE UNTRY IS FLUENCED AS MUCH BY NORTH AMERI AND EUROPE AS IS BY S IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS. BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, THE CY WAS RENOWNED FOR S CULTURE, FASHN, FOOD, AND NIGHTLIFE. MUCH OF THAT HAS SURVIVED AND IS NOW BOLSTERED BY A GENERATN OF WARTIME BEITIS WHO GREW UP ABROAD, LIKE STATION FOUNR NABIL CANAAN, WHO TRANSFORMED THE SPACE OUT OF HIS GRANDFATHER’S FORMER FACTORY 2013 AFTER SPENDG YEARS SWZERLAND, NIGERIA, AND NEW YORK. MANY NEW ENTREPRENRS FLY AND OUT OF THE UNTRY TO VIS FAY, IENDS, AND BS PARTNERS LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK, MONTREAL, AND THE GULF STAT.LUNA PARK FERRIS WHEEL THE MANARA NEIGHBORHOODNABIL CANAAN“YOU HAVE ALL TYP OF PEOPLE HERE, BOTH OPEN-MD AND WELL-TRAVELED AND SUPER-NSERVATIVE,” SAYS HAIG PAPAZIAN, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF MASHROU’LEILA. “BEIT IS VERY LENIENT PARED TO THE RT OF LEBANON WHEN TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T F THE MOLD AND LIKE TO DRS CRAZY.”THE CY’S LGBTQ MUNY DID NOT SPRG UP OVERNIGHT. IT HAS S ROOTS ACID, THE LEGENDARY WEE-HOURS GAY DANCE CLUB THAT OPENED 1998 AND, UNTIL S CLOSURE 2010, PUT BEIT ON THE QUEER-TOURIST MAP ALONGSI THE STILL-NNG DANCE BUNKER BO18, SIGNED BY LEBANE ARCHECT BERNARD KHOURY. ACID GAVE GAY BEITIS, PARTICULARLY MEN, A PLACE TO NGREGATE AND BE EELY GAY TOGETHER. “I REMEMBER HOW EMPOWERG WAS TO DANCE AND KISS ANOTHER ARAB MAN ON THE DANCE FLOOR OF AN ARAB CY,” SAYS LONDON-BASED WRER SALEEM HADDAD, THOR OF GUAPA, A GAY G-OF-AGE NOVEL SET AN UNNAMED MIDDLE EASTERN CY MUCH LIKE BEIT, WHERE HIS FAY HAS LIVED ON AND OFF.AND THOUGH THIS YEAR WAS THE CY’S FIRST OFFICIAL PRI CELEBRATN, THE LGBTQ MUNY HAS BEEN ANIZG SCE AT LEAST 2004, THE FOUNDG YEAR OF HELEM ( MEANS DREAM ARABIC), THE UNTRY’S FIRST LGBTQ SEXUAL-HEALTH AND LEGAL SERVIC GROUP, WHICH GREW OUT OF AN UNRGROUND ONLE MUNY. “OUR FIRST TWO YEARS WE WERE OFTEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE,” REMEMBERS GE AZZI, THE GROUP’S FOUNR, WHO HAS GONE ON TO FOUND THE REGN-WI LGBTQ NONPROF ARAB FOUNDATN FOR FREEDOMS AND EQUALY. BUT THE GROUP PERSISTED, BOLDLY STAGG STREET MONSTRATNS AND BRGG A GENERATN OF STRAIGHT FAY MEMBERS AND IENDS TO THEIR MOVEMENT.CAFE YOUNAS A RULT, LEBANON IS BEG MORE TOLERANT OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. CREPAWAY, A POPULAR NATNAL RTRANT CHA, JT RELEASED A MERCIAL FEATURG A LBIAN UPLE. A PEW REARCH CENTER STUDY SHOWS THAT THOUGH 80 PERCENT OF THE UNTRY GENERALLY STILL REJECTS HOMOSEXUALY, LEBANON HAS THE REGN’S HIGHT PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ACCEPT , AFTER ISRAEL. AND THOUGH GAY SEX IS STILL TEGORIZED AS “NTRADICTG TO NATURE” THE UNTRY’S OFTEN ANTIQUATED PENAL AND PEOPLE ARE PERDILLY ARRTED, SEVERAL JUDG HAVE REFED TO PROSECUTE SUCH S. GETTG THAT SELDOM-ENFORCED LAW STRICKEN OM THE BOOKS ONCE AND FOR ALL REMAS A KEY PRRY FOR LGBTQ ACTIVISTS LEBANON.“MANY OF HAVE TO GO BACK TO HOM, WORKPLAC, AND MUNI WHERE WE’RE STILL CLOSETED, ARE AAID TO DISPLAY AFFECTN PUBLIC, AND HOLD OUR BREATH WHEN THE POLICE PASS,” SAYS PROFSOR MATTA. “SO THE FACT THAT OPEN LGBTQ EVENTS N EXIST WH SUCH OPPRSN IS A PERFECT SCRIPTN OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. MUCH HAS BEEN DONE, BUT THERE’S STILL A LOT TO DO.”BARDOMEANWHILE, THERE IS THE SHEER BUOYANCY OF QUEER LIFE AND AROUND BEIT. THE MASTREAM SCENE REVOLV AROUND BARDO, A WARMLY L DAY-AND-NIGHT RTRANT AND BAR ON A QUIET TREE-LED STREET A SHORT WALK OM THE BTLG MERCIAL CENTER OF HAMRA, WHERE MCLE BOYS WORK OUT AT FNS ZONE THEN CHILL OVER ICED LATT AT THE NEARBY STARBUCKS OR THE MORE TRADNAL CAFé YOUN. BARDO, THE CY’S LONGT-STANDG GAY-ORIENTED BAR, IS QUIET DURG THE DAY, WH STYLISH PATRONS LUNCHG ON SPRG ROLLS, RAMEN, WASABI-LIME BEEF MEDALLNS, OR SANDWICH WH THE LIC IED CHEE LLED HALLOUMI. BUT BOUNC AT NIGHT, PECIALLY WEEKENDS, WH A MIX OF WTERN AND ARABIC DANCE MIC OM A ROLLG ROSTER OF DJS AND SCREENGS OF QUEER FILMS OLD (THE BOYS THE BAND) AND NEW (CAROL).MANY SAY THAT A MORE MIXED-CLASS GAY CROWD NVERG LATE SATURDAYS AT THE ENORMO CLUB POSH, NEAR THE WATER THE TRADNAL ARMENIAN NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOURJ HAMMOUD. IT PET FOR QUEER VISORS WH THE GäRTEN, LOTED PARTLY UNR A FUNKY GEOSIC DOME, OR THE FRIDAY-NIGHT EGO PARTY AT THE CLUB PROJEKT BEIT.SASHA ELIJAH JUS GARN, ACHRAFIEHDARK BOX ON RUE MONNOT (THE CY’S FIRST POSTWAR PARTY STRIP) IS A WELL-KNOWN TRANSGENR HANGOUT, BUT SASHA ELIJAH, A 20-YEAR-OLD TRANSGENR ASPIRG MOL, SAYS SHE MAK A POT OF HANGG OUT THE E-ONE-E-ALL BARS OF MAR MIKHAEL. “PEOPLE TELL ME THEY’VE NEVER SEEN TRANSGENR PEOPLE UP CLOSE, THAT THEY’RE SURPRISED TO LEARN NOT ALL TRANS WOMEN HAVE DOUBLE-SIZE LIPS, TS, AND ASS,” SHE SAYS. “THEN WE HAVE A FEW LGHS TOGETHER, AND THEY RPECT ME.”IN FACT, MANY QUEER BEITIS ARE QUICK TO SAY THAT THE CY’S BAR AND CLUB SCENE IS BLEND, WH NO SPECIAL NEED FOR GAY PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT HIDG PLAC. NOHELS, LBIANS LIKE TO MEET AT THE ROOFTOP BAR AND RTRANT COOP D’ETAT OVERLOOKG THE PORT. AND THE SUMMER MONTHS, QUEER AND NONQUEER SOCIAL SCEN TERMGLE BEIT AT THE SAT-GEE AND SPORTG BEACH CLUBS — AND EVEN AS FAR AWAY AS THE BULIC CLOUD 59 TYRE, ABOUT 90 MUT SOUTH OF BEIT, WH THE ASTLE OF ISRAEL DIMLY VISIBLE JT 12 AWAY. IN THE HEART OF SHIE HEZBOLLAH UNTRY AND BOASTG SOME OF THE MOST STUNNG ROMAN S THE WORLD, TYRE FEATUR AN OLD PORT AND TOWN CENTER OF ASTOUNDG BETY, POPULAR WH REGNAL AND EUROPEAN VISORS. ON THE BEACH, LARGE MLIM FAI WH VEILED MOMS PIIC EASILY ALONGSI JET-SETTERS BIKIS AND SPEEDOS SMOKG CIGARETT AND DRKG ALMAZA, THE MA BEER OF LEBANON, OR ARAK, THE LIRICE-Y SPIR OF THE REGN.TYREWH IMAG LIKE THE, N BE TEMPTG TO PAT LEBANON, BEIT PECIALLY, AS A KD OF LIBERTE, SEXUALLY PERMISSIVE UTOPIA THE MIDST OF A REPRSIVE REGN. THAT’S NOT QUE ACCURATE. FOR ALL S CHARMS, THE CY, LIKE MANY AROUND THE GLOBE, IS RIFE WH EQUALY AND ENOMIC HARDSHIP FOR MANY, AND IS A LONG WAY OM UNIVERSALLY SANCTNED ACCEPTANCE OF LGBTQ PEOPLE. THE VERY FACT THAT THE CY’S CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL NCELED HOSTG A BEIT PRI EVENT AFTER RECEIVG THREATS OM AN ISLAMIC GROUP ATTTS TO THAT.THEN AGA, AFTER THE QUEER MUNY PROTTED, SEVERAL MORE HOTELS OFFERED TO HOST THE EVENT. AND THERE YOU HAVE THE STATE OF LGBTQ LIFE THIS BATTERED YET BEGUILG CY CIR 2017. “SOCIAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE, BUT ’S HAPPENG SLOWLY,” SAYS DAMIEN. “BUT IF BEIT WERE A GLASS RIGHT NOW, I’D SAY ’S HALF FULL, NOT HALF EMPTY.”HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BEIRUTLOCAL AIRBNB HOSTS SHARE THEIR TIPSWAKE UP FOR A STROLL, A N, OR A BIKE RI ALONG THE CORNICHE, BEIT’S RENOWNED SEASI PROMENA, REMENDS JAY NEHME, WHOSE AIRBNB IS ON MAR NILAS, THE HEART OF ACHRAFIEH. “IN BEIT, YOU’LL FD PEOPLE OF ALL RAC, ALL RELIGNS, HANGG OUT,” SAYS NEHME. “IT’S A BETIFUL BATN!”INDULGE A TYPIL LEBANE LUNCH, SUGGTS ASDGHIK MELKONIAN, WHO HOSTS HIP GEMMAYZEH. ON WEEKENDS, N BE AN ALL-DAY AFFAIR, WH 20 OR 30 APPETIZERS. “JT WHEN YOU THK YOU’RE FULL, YOU GET MA URS — BARBECUED MEAT, CHICKEN, AND SEAFOOD. WASH DOWN WH LEBANE WE AND ARAK. THEN ’S TIME FOR SSERT. IT’S A WAY FOR FAI AND IENDS TO GET TOGETHER.”SHE SENDS GUTS TO THE CLASSIC MHANNA SUR MER, AAMCH.HEAD TO A ROOFTOP BAR SUCH AS CAPOLE, IRIS, WHE, OR MYU AND WATCH THE SUNSET WHILE RELAXG WH AN ICE-LD ALMAZA BEER, OFFERS AUDREY ISSA, WHO HOSTS THE TABARIS SECTN.MAR MIKHAELEXPERIENCE AN TERACTIVE EXPERIMENTAL DANCE PERFORMANCE AND EXPLORE UNRGROUND THEATERS WH BARET ACTS OM THE GOLN AGE AT METRO AL MADA, SAYS TO K., A HOST OM THE BUZZG MAR MIKHAEL AREA, KNOWN FOR S BAR AND RTRANT SCENE. “MAR MIKHAEL IS OLD DURG THE DAY AND YOUNG DURG THE NIGHT,” SAYS TO.ENJOY THE ECLECTIC RANGE OF MIC — OM GYPSY JAZZ TO BLU — AT ONOMATOPOEIA, A NCEPT SPACE AND MIC HUB SUFI, SAYS ABRAHAM SROUR OM ACHRAFIEH, WHO LIK TO POT HIS GUTS TOWARD HYPER-LOL, UNRGROUND EXPERIENC THAT YOU’D BE HARD-PRSED TO FD GUIBOOKS.IT’S BETTER IN BEIRUTWHAT NOT TO MISS — BOTH IN AND OUT OF TOWNEATTAWLET: LOL FOODIE KG KAMAL MOUZAWAK’S IMMACULATELY STIC LUNCHTIME BUFFET (ROUGHLY $40) IS A TEMPLE TO TRADNAL LEBANE CUISE, OKED DAILY BY SWEET NTI OM SURROUNDG VILLAG. ARTY TERNATNAL CROWD. (12 RUE NAHER OFF ARMENIA ST., +961–1–448–129)BARBAR: LEGENDARY, LONGSTANDG LATE- NIGHT KEBAB HOE THE HEART OF HUMMG HAMRA. (OMAR BEN ABL AZIZ ST., +961–1–753–330) NOTE: MOST BEIT VENU LACK NUMBERED ADDRS.LUX: THE TRENDY PLACE RIGHT NOW. PRICEY GRILLED MEATS, FISH, AND VEGETABL OM S OWN ANIC FARM AN AIRY, MIMAL-CHIC SETTG. BNCH AND REGULAR DJS TOO. (RUE AL JAMAREK, +961–1–444–311)KABABJI: CHEERFUL, NO-ILLS LEBANE CHA OFFERG GREAT LOL STAPL (PERFECT SHAWARMA, MEZE, FATTEH, FATTOH AND MUCH MORE) AT GENTLE PRIC. THROUGHOUT THE CY.DRINK AND DANCEDRAGONFLY: BETIFUL AMBER-L JEWEL OF A BAR THAT CEMENTED GEMMAYZEH AS A GO-TO STREET THE 2000S. TRY NIGHTLY NCTNS LIKE THE AROMATIC SMASH. (+961–71–127–773)BARDO MEXICO ST., HAMRA: THE ONLY FULL-TIME LONG-NNG (MOSTLY) GAY BAR BEIT IS ALSO A STYLISH SPOT FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DNER. (+961–1–340–060)BO18 KARANTINA: THE (LERALLY) UNRGROUND CLUB THAT PUT BEIT NIGHTLIFE ON THE MAP IS STILL A MT-SEE FOR S WARTIME-BUNKER VIBE AND A ROOF THAT FAMOLY RETRACTS TO REFLECT PASSG TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. (+961–1–580–018)TRAVELEAST OF BEIRUT: FRIENDLY ENGLISH-SPEAKG DRIVERS FOR CY CAR (+961–1–780–000) WILL TAKE YOU TO THE ROMAN S OF BAALBEK, THE KSARA AND MASSAYA VEYARDS FOR WE TASTGS, AND UP TO THE BREATHTAKG QADISHA VALLEY TO EXPLORE S STONE MONASTERI.NORTH OF BEIRUT: A DAY TREK TO TRIPOLI, WH S ANCIENT MOSQU, SO, AND SOAPMAKERS, WILL SHOW YOU A LEBANE CY LS WTERNIZED THAN BEIT. MIRA’S GUID TOURS (+961–70–126–764) WILL TAKE YOU A MIB WH THE SCY AND BOHEMIAN YOUNG MIRA AS YOUR HOST. SUMMERTIME? GO TO THE LAID-BACK ASTAL VILLAGE OF BATROUN AND THE NEARBY BEACH CLUB PIERRE AND FRIENDS.SOUTH OF BEIRUT: ANOTHER DAY TRIP WILL SUFFICE TO SHOW YOU THE ANCIENT ASTAL CY OF SIDON WH S MEDIEVAL STLE JUTTG OUT TO THE SEA. HEAD TO TYRE TO WALK THE SEASI ROMAN S — OR STAY THERE A FEW NIGHTS IF ’S BEACH WEATHER.TAWLETGOOD TO KNOW

It drew 400 people and ran for hours as dozens of young Beitis, cludg Hamed Sno, lead sger of the ternatnally succsful Mashrou Leila, stood up to tell their g-out Grand FactoryThe gay sger and dancer Moe Khansa is big news, too: at the Beit Art Fair an Iranian artist’s portra of him embracg another man sold for $8, 000. The exceptn may be Lebanon, which has slowly grown more tolerant thanks to the work of Bohnak for The New York TimThroughout the Arab world, gay, lbian and transgenr people face formidable obstacl to livg a life of openns and acceptance nservative societi. In Sdi Arabia, homosexualy n be punished by floggg or Egypt, at least 76 people have been arrted a crackdown sce September, when a fan waved a rabow flag durg a ncert by Mashrou’ Leila, a Lebane band wh an openly gay there is one exceptn, has been Lebanon.

While the law n still penalize homosexual acts, Lebane society has slowly grown more tolerant as activists have worked for more rights and 2013, the Lebane Psychiatric Society said homosexualy did not need to be treated as a mental disorr.

Azzi believ that activism has been a kd of shock therapy for Lebanon, but that was necsary to give the muny a voice so that would be taken much more work needs to be done to enurage tolerance other ci, “beg gay Beit is no longer a sry thg. While Lebanon is an exceptn the Arab world, is not an exceptn the Middle East; Israel, gay, bisexual and transgenr people have wispread rights and we handle rrectnsA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 10 of the New York edn wh the headle: Comg Out Lebanon, and Helpg It to Be More Tolerant.

GAY BEIT

But that dream me crashg down this week when the Lebane thori taed the celebratn’s anizer, releasg him only after he promised to ncel the remag ncellatn was a blow to gay men, lbians and transgenr people Lebanon, who say they face legal and social discrimatn spe livg one of the most socially liberal untri the Arab world. Lebane law stipulat that “any sexual terurse ntrary to the orr of nature” is punishable by up to one year prison, but do not specify which sexual practic are law is enforced irregularly, so Lebanon has veloped to one of the Arab world’s most open and active gay muni. The lead sger of the Lebane rock band Mashrou’ Leila is one of the regn’s most famo openly gay Lebanon is also home to 18 officially regnized relig sects, many of which oppose homosexualy on relig grounds and have associatns that mpaign agast gay-iendly Pri was tend to be a ne-day seri of events Beit, Lebanon’s pal.

And while s volvg homosexualy still go to trial om time to time the untry, an 80-year old article the penal prosecutg homosexual relatns has been unrmed recent years by a succsful mpaign waged by activist lawyers to obta liberal judicial lgs, which have ma creasgly difficult to crimalize same-sex 2017, a judge Lebanon led for the first time that homosexualy is not a crime, so long as is not public, wh a mor or unr ercn. “When you want to look at Lebanon as a whole, at least om a personal queer perspective, you have to separate Beit om the rt of at least terms of tolerance, ” Sandra Melhem, an LGBTQ activist and owner of Beit gay club Ego, lled the neighborhoods of Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh hubs for the cy’s queer muny and slammed ernment officials for storg nearly 3, 000 tons of highly explosive ammonium nrate the heart of the nsely populated pal cy for years. Analys revealed three major them (1) the need for safe spac which to socialise, (2) the importance of beg able to lote and nnect wh other young gay men, and (3) ambivalence regardg a gay muny that was supportive some ways but also agmented and often judgemental.

GAY BARS & CLUBS - BEIT FOM

There is prently no prehensive HIV preventn programmg signed for young gay men Beit or elsewhere the regn, spe of growg ncern about HIV risk this theoretil amework is rmed by work that monstrat a lk between gay muny mobilisatn HIV preventn work (Altman 1994), argug that meangful volvement of muny members is a necsary element the velopment of effective rpons to the HIV panmic amongst gay men. However, very ltle rearch has examed muny dynamics that may be key to implementg muny level HIV preventn terventns wh young gay men recent s, the troductn of a number of socially progrsive stutns, such as the first gay rights anisatn the Arab world and a number of gay-iendly venu (e.

Many also noted the importance of support om other gay and bisexual men, and proposed numero muny activi geared to fosterg bonds between members of different Importance of Safe SpacOne of the them participants emphasised most was the importance accs to safe spac where gay and bisexual men uld socialise whout fear of beg sctised or targeted by homophobic people or stutns.

(Foc Group 2 – Age 25–29)Fdg Each Other: Balancg Safety wh VisibilyAnother theme was that gay men are beg creasgly visible to each other—better able to lote and intify each other, not only by visg gay-intified venu, or through iends, but also onle.

LEBANON IS KNOWN AS GAY FRIENDLY. BUT PRI WEEK WAS SHUT DOWN.

Some also observed that datg apps tend to emphasise physil characteristics and th make dividuals vulnerable to stereotypg based on superficial attribut, such as ethnicy or body Stggle for Support: Communy Divisns, Barriers and Facilators to ConnectgAnother major theme was that the lol gay and bisexual muny was perceived as agmented, wh var sub-muni (such as ‘bears, ’ ‘mcled, ’ or ‘effemate men’) divid by stigma and judgementalism, limg accs to social support. The data suggted that young gay men Beit are able to gather an creasg number of venu such as clubs, bars, ffee shops and some non-ernmental anisatns, which is signifint given the key role of safe spac gay muni scribed other natnal ntexts (Rowe and Dowsett 2008).

The provisn of safe and affirmg spac may help to foster muni’ ti and social norms regardg ndom e and other health behavurs (Rowe and Dowsett 2008; Altman 1994) addn to safe spac, many young gay men talked about plexy and challeng of lotg and nnectg wh other young gay men. Yet, many young gay men yearn for a more supportive muny, and the notn of gay muny self was, as Rowe and Dowsett (2008) found, a ‘potent force’ (339), that many young gay men Beit are negotiatg wh, both as object of tratn and source of strength.

For example, although difficult to asss, is possible that the sense of disillnment felt regardg the gay muny may rult part om ternalised homophobia on the part of the participants, promptg negative views not only of themselv but their gay and bisexual peers. Mpowerment may be able to palise on the existg tert buildg muny that many participants exprsed orr to foster sexual health behavurs and HIV ttg, while also helpg young gay and bisexual men nnect and fd support a challengg environment.

FOR BEIT'S GAY MUNY, CHEMIL BLAST SHATTERED A SAFE SPACE

0Audience RatgBased on 0 votWeekday: Mon-Fri: 8am-11pmWeekend: Sat: 8am-11pm Sun: 10am-11pmLast updated on: 8 Aug 2023Last updated on: 8-Aug-2023Bardo4Audience RatgBased on 1 votOut of the handful of gay bars Beit, Bardo is one of the olst and famo. 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