Dubai gay nightlife
We recently saw that Dubai is due to hold a conference on Diverse rights and to say we were shocked would be an understatement.
We haven’t yet travelled to Dubai as a gay couple, partly because we are apprehensive to…
To inspect further we joined with Liam, a gay guy who lived in Dubai for most of his life to learn more about the reality of being gay in Dubai and locate out what counsel he had for gay travellers thinking about going.
We always believe it’s essential to give people a voice and to share stories of genuinely living in a nation as an Queer person.
Read our interview with Liam below to learn more about gay animation and gay tour in Dubai:
Gay Existence in Dubai & Advice for Male lover Travel
Meet Liam
Sion: Hi Liam, please provide some background on yourself and your time living in Dubai to procure us started.
Liam: Hi, my name is Liam and I was born in 1993 in the UK however in the early 90’s my family started working in the Middle East. In 1999 they decided to move to Dubai and contain been there ever since.
I lived in Dubai from age 5 to 18 when I moved to Leeds for University and since then normally go to Dubai 2-3 times a year.
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How can a instinct of belonging be forged in a setting where one’s existence is forbidden? That is the question that LSE’s Dr Centner and his co-author Harvard’s Manoel Pereira Neto explore in their groundbreaking research into Dubai’s expatriate homosexual men’s nightlife.
But it was not an easy topic to research. Dr Centner explains: “It's an illegal, or criminalised, identity and position of behaviours and practices, so in a very general sense, it's a taboo. And taboo subjects are very often under-researched, sometimes because people contain a hard day gaining access, gaining that trust, but also because, even if people get that access, there could be significant repercussions for themselves as researchers, or for the people who are the research participants.
“As two queer researchers, we were able to enter the worlds of relatively privileged Western gay expatriates. Secrecy is often the norm, but the field was familiar to us, through previous visits and research projects.”
These were indeed ‘parties’ ...[but] not bars identified as same-sex attracted. Not a free venue’s webpage uses the word ‘gay’ or related euphemisms, nor do they hint at targeting
Gay Dubai
The public beach in Jumeirah, or JBR Beach, home to several Western chain hotels (see below) - ©UCityGuides.com
As you'd anticipate, the United Arab Emirates is not a particularly gay-friendly destination. It has sodomy laws punishable with imprisonment, but with such a diverse population everyone knows there's plenty of gay locals and visitors. It's also slightly more liberal than other Arab states, with no internet control, although many Western sites are blocked and foreigners have been jailed and deported for simply attending private "gay parties." It's strongly advised that you respect local customs and laws, and shun public displays of fondness .
The city has a growing and exciting nightlife, mostly frequented by Western expatriates and wealthy Saudis. Obviously there are no gay bars and clubs in town, but everyone mixes at the highest spots, usually connected to hotels. Gay crowds also sit at the cafés of the Dubai Mall, using bluetooth connection on their cell phones to "connect" with others.Gay-Friendlier Beach
The best beach for people-watching and rendezvous people is the widespread Jumeirah beach by the Hilton hotel (JBR Beach) (see below), although it'
Hi!
The gay-scene in Dubai is really setting off now and tolerance is very high. (maybe not necessarily by the authorities, but by the general public, bars & nightclubs - no problem)
You will see many (especially Asian men) holding hands in Dubai. They have left their families in their home countries, function here and send money to them... after many years of only seeing their wives once a year, I assume they turn to each other for comfort & companionship. So it's nothing new here.
The new thing is, however, to see the Western gay community in entire swing at parties all over town. It's not a difficulty, as long as you respect the same rules that depart for all other couples: this is a Muslim country and public shows or affection (kissing, groping, etc.) are not appreciated... they can even get you thrown out-of bars (me - guilty as charged... >cheeky grin) or in trouble with the police if it get's too "raunchy".
Some nightclubs that have (an involuntary) yet happening gay-scene are
Jules Bar - Airport Meridien Hotel (gay Philipino band & singers)
Peppermint Club - Fridays @ Fairmont Hotel (stylish, chic, the place to be seen)
Carter's @ Wafi City (all clubs & bars in Wafi City are