Gay Life Lebanon: Bounce Back Beit - GlobalGayz

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• 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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• EVERYONE IS WELE: THE ONLY GAY HANGOUT THE ARAB WORLD
• GAY COMMUNY THRIV LEBANON
• LEBANON IS KNOWN AS GAY FRIENDLY. BUT PRI WEEK WAS SHUT DOWN.
• FOR BEIT'S GAY MUNY, CHEMIL BLAST SHATTERED A SAFE SPACE
• 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

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. ” 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?

“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.

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. 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. “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.

GAY LIFE LEBANON: BOUNCE BACK BEIT

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. 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) 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. The New York Tim’ travel sectn emed the cy the ‘number one place to vis 2009’, and, another article, raved about the cy’s thrivg gay scene, dubbg ‘The Provcetown of the Middle East’.

Acrdg to Ghassan Makarem, executive director of Helem Lebanon’s gay rights anisatn (the first and only of s kd the Arab world), the ernment don’t object to this image. At the cy’s two ma gay clubs, Milk and Acid, a mix of Lebane, Syrian, Jordanian, Kuwai and even some Iraqi men disprove any remag theory of cultural relativism.

OASIS OF TOLERANCE OR 'REPUBLIC OF SHAME'? TWO FAC OF GAY LIFE BEIT

But acrdg to Bertho Makso of Lebtour, a Beit-based travel agent that promot gay tourism to Lebanon and anis very popular Bear Arabia events, that is exactly what his clients are lookg for.

On a stroll across the universy grounds he explaed that the ‘gay’ song our mutual iend referred to, Shem el Yasme (Smell the Jasme), plays wh a tradnal property of Arabic poetry and lyrics: love is always directed to a man. One rehg surprise is that Al-Akhbar, a newspaper that is half owned by Hezbollah, has ma homosexualy part of s reportg agenda and wr que posively about the issue. 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.

GAY BEIT

The same people anise very popular Bear Arabia-events twice a year: check They’re very knowledgeable and fun and have big plans for Beit: the owner Bertho Makso exprsed his visn to anise a (gay) love pri para the near future.

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). For those lookg for an alternative, around a dozen different bars and clubs aimed at gay men dot the has for s been a haven for gay men and lbians, lurg people om throughout the regn, cludg eply nservative untri like Sdi Arabia, Uned Arab Emirat and Bahra.

But while the cy’s image as an oasis of open-mdns attracts foreigners - and sells newspapers - the liberal veneer disguis a nservative unrbelly that recent police sweeps and reports of vasive “medil” tts have ‘would not accept ’Many gay men Beit rry on double liv spe livg what is nsired to be the gay pal of the Middle East.

GAY LIFE BEIT? - BEIT FOM

“Dpe the faça of tolerance, the realy is that a negative stigma of homosexualy persists, ” said Ge Azzi, -founr of Helem, a non-prof group workg on lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) burn is heavit for homosexual men who don’t have the right nnectns and nnot afford to pay off officials to avoid punishment. Lebane monstrators hold signs agastAnwar Amro / AFP - Getty Imag, fileGay men who nnot afford to live outsi of the fay home are more likely to engage sexual acts plac where they uld be cint July revealed the ntradictory attus toward homosexualy Lebanon. “We have e a long way the past or so, but at this pot I thk revokg law 534 remas a dream, ” Saa, if you aren’t part of the wealthy and privileged Beit ele, beg gay Lebanon n still prove treachero.

But the chang are largely limed to the pal and have not reached his village the south where homosexualy remas a major may explo stabily Lebanon: CltonLike others his posn, he his his sexual orientatn om much of his fay. Two fac of gay life LebanonAfter s of opprsn, Kurds get taste of eedom Syria'A steep fall' for BBC as child sex abe sndal rocks the UKOlympic medals 'stolen' as athlet party at nightclubOutrage after vio shows Che teacher abg krgarteners'The new Afghanistan'?

GAY LIFE BEIT? - BEIT FOM

In this part of the Arab world few plac offer even the relative eedom om fear and persecutn still found her - but then gay men have never walked hand hand down Hamra Street eher. Gay people n hang out together chic f, de at trendy rtrants, or dance at hip clubs whout fear of beg harassed by the police, but sexual meetg plac like bathho and cisg areas are more dangero.

EVERYONE IS WELE: THE ONLY GAY HANGOUT THE ARAB WORLD

Yunkun Club, still known for s ternatnal crowd and unrground mic scene, did have Gutter gay dance party nights, but like so much of the gay scene the end 2014. Mawaleh, the first and only gay magaze neighborg Syria, was published 2012 - 2015 by Sami Hamwi "a Syrian gay guy, " documentg the stggl of LGBTQ people the face of that natn's scent to hell.

See Proud Lebanon for rmatn about their volunteers' work to help gay Syrian refuge Beit, often victims of torture and extortn by both sis that untry's civil war. LebTour, the LGBT travel service and tour gui, found 2005, wh adventure tours for gay men, once the bt lol rource of s kd, has closed and disappeared om the web. By Richard Ammon Updated 15, 2014 Stori, Photos, News & Reports for Gay Lebanon In ntrast to a New York Tim story on party-time gay mal Beit, Lebanon, a more realistic portra of Lebane LGBT life is portrayed a 2009 book Bareed Mista3jl (not misspelled) published by Meem (2009).

Richard Ammon Augt 15, 2009 Regardg the pot ma the prev blog post about the New York Tim story on party-time gay mal Lebanon, a more realistic portra of gay Lebanon was drawn by a lbian the book ‘Bareed Mistas3jil’ published by Meem. 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... Everyone is, a study bathed by the afternoon sunshe, Wael Hse, a 24-year-old gay man, is chattg wh Naya, a transgenr woman, ahead of Internatnal Day Agast Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) on Thursday.

GAY COMMUNY THRIV LEBANON

”Sce then Helem’s reputatn has spread beyond Lebanon throughout the Arab world and several siar anisatns have been set up, cludg the NGO Shams Tunisia, fightg for the crimalisatn of homosexualy.

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

He ed to be the manager of Bardo, Beit’s most famo gay bar, before jog Helem, an experience he says has opened his ey to the discrimatn faced by those om prived social backgrounds.

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

Sr of gay men — most of them “bears, ” a term ed the world over for heavyset, hairy guys ually olr than 30 — were g om across Lebanon and the Arab world, as well as Argenta, Italy, Mexi, the Uned Stat and elsewhere.

In his 40s, wearg a whe T-shirt and khaki shorts, Roberto said he was surprised by the br of Beit pared wh gay life Rome, and said he was gog to spread the word back home.

”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. 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.

BEIT GAY PRI EVENT A FIRST FOR LEBANON

” 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. Inter chat s like Manjam (), self-scribed as “a gay social work for datg, work and travel, ” have taken off; several gay men here had no hibns tellg me their Manjam profile screen nam.