Moscow – Undercover Gay

As you approach Red Square, a stream of contradictions swirls before your eyes. At one end stands the awe-inspiring St. Basil’s Cathedral, complete with multi-colored onion domes. The influence of the Russian Orthodox church ripples outward across Russia from here. Lenin peers across the square from his tomb situated directly in the center of the square. In perhaps the biggest contradiction of them all, he lays facing the GUM – one of the world’s most exclusive shopping malls and home to only the best designers and labels. Naturally, where there is glitz…there is gay. Still, being “out” is not common in Russia and while some may live a gay life on the weekends, the topic is not part of day-to-day discussions. Perhaps the area where Russia is most different from its European counterparts is gay rights. While homosexuality was removed from the official list of mental illnesses in 1999, there is currently no legal recognition of gay marriage, and public support stood at just 14% for such legislation as recently as 2005. In an odd split of opinion, 43% of Russians support re-criminalizing homosexual acts, while 43% of Russians support a legal ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. Hate crimes are less common but still do occur, though they are more rare in larger cities. In short, this is a tough place to be gay, though Russian gays are pretty darn tough, too. Sadly, 12 Volts – Moscow’s first gay bar – is no more, and in October 2009 there was a major crackdown at Body & Soul. Still, there are some great options in different parts of Moscow at new clubs and old favorites: • 911 (3 Glinishchevsky, Metro Pushkinskaya) An underground, laid back bar. As seems to be the case with all Moscow gay venues, it’s not easy to find. At the listed address, head through the gates and make an immediate right. The bar is down the stairs and underground. No cover. • Body & Soul (19A ul Kuusinena, Metro Polezhayevskaya) A veteran of the Moscow gay scene. Great music, diverse party-goers and tasty cocktails. Sadly, an October 2009 crackdown has left its future in the balance. Check online for up-to-date information. • New Age Three Monkeys (11/1 Nastavnichesky, Metro Chkalovskaya) The newest and hottest gay club in Moscow. Centrally located, an excessive number of dance floors and a crowd trending to the younger side mean you’ll be grooving until 6am. Cover varies but is usually no more than $10. More for women. The bottom line, however, is this: if you’ve got the cash, you can do whatever you want. This is Moscow…where money talks and nothing else.