The Lebanese Gay Community

In a small country such as Lebanon the citizens usually share common religion, cultural heritage and specific loyalty to the country or the president of the country... But Lebanon is different; this country is split into more than three parts when it comes to the unity of its communities. Each and every community differ from the other, we have the communities that are separated by religion, the ones that are separated by politics, the ones that are separated by both religion and politics, and finally the ones who are anti-both. Variety is great, but not when it aims to destroy the unity of the country and target to create small groups headed by leaders and become separated from the mother country.

The Gay community is the fifth part in the Lebanese community though some of them are related to one of the four other parts but some remains independent. The Lebanese gay community is cruel, harsh, judgmental, unforgiving, and might break you at any time. Sad but true.

When you go out to gay places, when you start being introduced to the gay community you see everybody "loves you", Why? Just because you are new, and they are kind of bored from each other. As much as the gay community is somehow big in Lebanon as much as everyone knows each other, because after all Lebanese citizens are almost four million only.

Inside the community, you have the good and the bad, the fat and the thin, the free and the handcuffed, smokers and nonsmokers, religious and non-religious, drinkers and nondrinkers... Just like any other community, just like any other kinds of people that you would meet in a straight pub or night or even restaurants.

The problem with the gay community is that it is very sexual. As some say "this is the wrong view that everyone has concerning gay people" well it is not from their imagination that they created this view. Our gay community is very sexual, very intense with sexual vibes... It is "almost" impossible for some people to go out clubbing without going to a motel at the end of the night and having sex with a stranger they have just met at the night club.

Gossip... Gossip is unbearable in the gay community here, the judgmental kind of gossip, the prejudice kind of one that will spread rumors that has nothing to do with truth.

Relationships breakups: There comes the fun part, let's say you are dating this girl/guy and you went out for several times and everything seemed great till suddenly she/he stops picking up the phone or answering your e-mails or messages. This is how most people break up in here, while few others sit and talk about it in maturity.

Lots of sides, lots of negativity that exists in the Lebanese gay community but with all these bad manners from the people who are part of it, you can still enjoy a night out in Bardo or other places that will be talked about later on.