Kyiv gay club scene discreet, but still lively

Contents:

• KYIV GAY CLUB SCENE DISCREET, BUT STILL LIVELY
• GAY LIFE UKRAE 2008
• UKRAE HOLDS LARGT GAY PRI EVENT TO DATE KIEV
• THE BEST KYIV GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS KYIV
• THOANDS OF UKRAIANS CELEBRATE GAY PRI KIEV
• BLINDAGE SNAKIEVMENUHOTELSBARS & CLUBSSNASCISE CLUBSCY GUIGAY MAPBLINDAGE SNA
• KIEV GAY SNAS
• LIFTKIEVMENUHOTELSBARS & CLUBSSNASCISE CLUBSCY GUIGAY MAPLIFT
• RIGA GAY BARS & CLUBS

KYIV GAY CLUB SCENE DISCREET, BUT STILL LIVELY

At a first glance, Kyiv’s gay scene might look a b solate: there aren’t a lot of night clubs and bars that ter specifilly for the gay muny. But on closer spectn of the lol night spots be clear that there are ed que a few cent plac for gay people town – ’s jt that they are still mostly hidn away om pryg ey, what is still a socially nservative untry. This nservatism is probably why Ukraian club and bars owners are ually reluctant to openly promote their venu as gay-iendly, but don’t mean such venu aren’t out there – they jt have to be found.

The Kyiv Post has picked out some of Kyiv’s gay nightclubs and gay-iendly plac worth a vis, to drk, dance, and perhaps meet somebody special. Pomada is one the olst existg gay clubs Kyiv, havg opened s doors the cy center 2005. Lift opened three years ago and has sce bee Kyiv’s most reputable gay club.

GAY LIFE UKRAE 2008

It is famo among the lol gay muny for s lively parti, spectacular drag queen shows and fun karaoke nights. The club posns self as beg ee of any prejudic, and lbian and gay people like to drop there, even though the venue is not officially a gay club.

El rte pelo que lleva, afirma, podría ser motivo que le moltaran o le llamasen gay en Crimea, “una sociedad cerrada y vlenta”. From the far reach on the stepp of Eurasia, a Amerin gay uple ridg Ukrae wre about their experience this difficult new natn: “For the gay male tourist, you are tly the land of betiful boys (no attu and no body fascism).

UKRAE HOLDS LARGT GAY PRI EVENT TO DATE KIEV

Kiev boasts a lively gay dis, sna, a few simple bars, even a nu/gay part of our very own “beach” along the Dnipro river…” Wh slow and reful luck a “Gay Life Ukrae” n quietly be achieved. (Also see Gay Ukrae story 2012).

Brief Overview of Gay Ukrae. Gay Ukrae Internatnal web se.

Sce 1933 the Soviet Unn male homosexualy was illegal and prosecuted by USSR Penal Co. Consensual male homosexual anal terurse was punished by imprisonment of up to three years (Article 122 of the Penal Co of the Ukraian Soviet Socialist Republic). Although Soviet legislatn has moved the gay populatn to the edge of social life, gay men had several advantag those years (excludg the Stal perd of Soviet history of urse).

THE BEST KYIV GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS KYIV

First of all they were visible for the rt of populatn bee Soviet propaganda never spoke about any gay issu. Homosexualy as a human behavr didn’t officially exist the former Soviet Unn.

Most Soviet gay men and lbians felt safer stayg unrground wh their experienc as now. Bee the Soviet people didn’t know anythg about gay sex was not hard to fd one night stands wh straight partners.

The years of Gorbachev’s pertroika allowed some gay liberatn movement. Beg on the wave of general mocratic mov the Soviet society gay liberatn gave polil birth to such well-known and disputable lears as Roman Kal or Valeria Debryanskaya. Unfortunately Soviet gay people have lost this unique chance to w equaly and teem.

THOANDS OF UKRAIANS CELEBRATE GAY PRI KIEV

However the Ukrae was the first among the former Soviet republics to repeal crimal rponsibily for non-vlent male homosexual terurse between adults. So this year we anticipate celebratg a full sce the Repeal of crimal prosecutn for nsensual homosexual terurse between adult men our untry.

Many gay and straight Ukraians were supervised listeng to the rad return about new Parliament cree that eveng.

Article 122 henceforward provid punishment only for homosexual ntacts that volve vlence. That opened new perd of the gay rights the Ukrae.

BLINDAGE SNAKIEVMENUHOTELSBARS & CLUBSSNASCISE CLUBSCY GUIGAY MAPBLINDAGE SNA

However the hop of Ukraian gay men for better life and social acceptance were absolutely va. The gay men as well as M. Ukraian gay muny was prepared neher for such kd of polil propaganda nor for mocratic stggle for own rights.

KIEV GAY SNAS

Frh tablished gay liberatn groups such as Lilia Taranenko’s “Hanymed” Kiev or Oxana Bocharnikova’s Foundatn Kharkov (aka “Pk Panther Group”) haven’t ga any thory among gay populatn bee of s fear to be exposed.

Yet that anizatn’s Statute barely mentned gay men and lbians and emphasized the problem of AIDS. This was typil of the gay liberatn Ukrae.

The only ntext which Ukraian thori allowed homosexuals to be mentned was the ntext of the AIDS epimic problem. Associatn of gays, lbians and bisexuals of Nila “Liga” was registered December 1996 but unr the prsure of thori has to stop wh activy.

LIFTKIEVMENUHOTELSBARS & CLUBSSNASCISE CLUBSCY GUIGAY MAPLIFT

The typil feature of gay activism Ukrae the years (after disillnment mass gay liberatn anizatns such as Associatn”Hanymed” or Bocharnikova’s Foundatn) was the appearance of numero impostors posg as the lears of Ukraian gay movement. Realizg for sure that no gay movement will be possible Kuchma’s Ukrae, they noticed that there are many philanthropic stutns Wtern untri willg to support gay liberatn procs FSU. They send numero reprentativ to the ternatnal gay nferenc, Gay Gam, etc.

The world gay muny greets them wh cheers avoidg the obv tth: the only te tentn of the impostors is to e faster to Wtern money. They are absolutely unknown to gay people of their own untry. For now the Ukraian gay movement has to be unrground and if you ever hear about gay anizatns this untry or such actns like CSD-celebratns or Gay Pri paras, be sure that people who report them are tellg the tth: they ually do wh aim to obta the money tend for “Ukraian gay liberatn”.

RIGA GAY BARS & CLUBS

Interview wh Amerin gay uple ridg Kiev, Ukrae. Globalgayz: What suggtns for readg about gay Ukrae do you have?

GG: What advice so you offer to gay foreigner’s visg Ukrae”. There are some wonrful s to see (Church, non-touristy post-Soviet ways of livg), a young and non-attu gay scene, and most importantly, warm and genuely iendly, non-cynil people.

As long as one don’t try to impose any PC attus about what gay life here should be or how “gay” dividuals should live (not be married, apolil, etc) you will be fe. Please, no cultural imperialism on what is the proper way to be “gay”. Someone you pick up or meet at a tra statn or sleazy bar at 2 AM may not be the bt reprentative of the gay muny or untry here.