Cocoon – new gay friendly bar in Yerevan

Interestingly, this news was first delivered yesterday via Twitter @ArmenianNews:

“Armenia's first Gay Bar, "Cocoon" - opens in central Yerevan with large crowd.”

I am so not regretting for joining Twitter. Thanks to Onnik for inspiring me to do so :)

Strictly said, this was rather a re-launch than a launch, as it replaced a former techno bar with the same name Cocoon.

Also, Cocoon is not the first gay bar in Armenia. The very first gay bar in Yerevan (and Armenia) was Meline’s.

As far as I understand, it would be more correct to call it a gay friendly bar, rather than a gay bar. In any case, good news for sure. I’ve been told that ambience at Cocoon is cool, and people have good time there. (Cocoon is on Tumanyan street)

Time to update my Armenia Gay Guide. I know, I promised to do it quite some time ago, but could not find time, sorry for that. Now I have even more reasons to do so. Will do it asap.

Last Day of Meline’s bar – 31 July 2008

Meline’s bar, opened in November 2004, the only openly gay bar in Armenian capital with gay staff and clientele, was closed down due to financial reasons, as well as ongoing renovation projects in central Yerevan. Despite previous closure and re-opening, controversial opinions, Meline's remained a place where LGBT Armenians could be themselves, spend evening/night out, relax and have fun. It’s for that reason that I recognised Meline’s a “Venue of the Year” in Unzipped: Gay Armenia LIST 2008 (For other gay-friendly venues, or venues of interest for gay community, see my Armenia Gay Guide)

I am glad that Pawel Leszkowicz, art curator and writer from Poland, was in Yerevan and in Meline’s on its very last day and provides this valuable account of a “definite ending with a splash called a naked party”. He says that “the patrons in Meline’s seems to be optimistic and sure that new bars will open in the future.” I certainly hope so.

(For selection of posters from Meline's past years - click here)

*From One Week in Yerevan: Art, Politics, and Sexuality by Pawel Leszkowicz (pictures of Meline’s last day by Pawel Leszkowicz)
**pictures have been taken out from this post upon request of people captured there, for understandable reasons.

On the 31st of July is the last night of the one and only gay club in Yerevan. Melines Bar is located in the very center of the town next to the Republic Square with its famous fountains and the Armenian National Gallery holding the early frescos representing the heritage of the first country that adopted Christianity as its religion in 301 AD. Melines Bar has its own history of on and off operations since the 2004. But today is a definite ending with a splash called a naked party.

Since 2002 when homosexuality was decriminalized in Armenia due to the country membership in the Council of Europe, gay scene started to emerge queering the city of Yerevan. For a while there was a popular mixed disco called Monte Christo but it didn’t survived. The final closing of Meline’s is a symptom of another process of modernization and capitalization, the center is being gentrified and the building housing the bar is doomed for destruction. A new monumental architecture of expensive apartments and shops pop up all over the center. The new just finished Northern Avenue haunts with surrealistic emptiness and Georgio Armani ads. Yet the elegant Armenian men rather prefer fake (Turkish) D&G T-shirts. Shoe fetishism is also crucial for male vogue here. The fashion/art photographer Raffie Davtian documents the Armenian sense of style and urban life changes.

In the small cellar space of Meline’s a crowd of topless men dances in an erotic frenzy. It is far after midnight and the music is a global pop/disco with a strong Russian’s divas influxes that made the patrons ecstatic. Russian is still the second language here and the Russian pop rules. The open homoerotic sexual expression is a twist of a traditional patriarchal same sex bonding in Armenian culture where young men walk on the street holding hands and kiss on the mouth upon meeting. Supposedly it does not have a sexual meaning?! The old Soviet abjection of homosexuality combined with the new condemnation by Armenian Christian Apostolic Church defines the negative social attitude towards gays and lesbians. Quite recently Mikael Danielyan the president of local branch of Helsinki Association was beaten by an Armenian politician for speaking for the rights of “faggots”. Yet the patrons in Meline’s seems to be optimistic and sure that new bars will open in the future.


Pawel Leszkowicz is a curator and lecturer/writer from Poland ,specialising in contemporary art/visual culture and sexuality/queer studies. He curated the exhibition of contemporary queer art "Love and Democracy" (2005/2006) and wrote with his partner Tomek Kitlinski the book "Love and Democracy. He intends to develop an international perspective and contacts in this field, particularly in Eastern Europe. In Poland he teaches at the Department of Art History at the University and the Department of Intermedia at the Fine Arts Academy.

Meline's bar: posters

A small tribute to Meline's bar, which was closed down having its last ever party on 31 July 2008. Below are some posters from Meline's past years.

(Opened in November 2004, the only openly gay bar in Armenian capital with gay staff and clientele, was closed down due to financial reasons, as well as ongoing renovation projects in central Yerevan.)

Armenia: 'Political dissent and alternative culture'

*From One Week in Yerevan: Art, Politics, and Sexuality by Pawel Leszkowicz

Pawel Leszkowicz is a curator and lecturer/writer from Poland ,specialising in contemporary art/visual culture and sexuality/queer studies. He curated the exhibition of contemporary queer art "Love and Democracy" (2005/2006) and wrote with his partner Tomek Kitlinski the book "Love and Democracy. He intends to develop an international perspective and contacts in this field, particularly in Eastern Europe. In Poland he teaches at the Department of Art History at the University and the Department of Intermedia at the Fine Arts Academy.

[...] At the same time the streets of Yerevan are bursting with another kind of dissent – the mainstream political one. In the evening of the 1st of August thousands of people gathered in front of the legendary Matenadaran Depository of Ancient Manuscripts with a collection of thousands of ancient and medieval manuscripts from many cultures. Today the male leaders of the opposition speak in front of Matenadaran addressing the crowds holding Armenian flags. In March 2008 during another similar oppositional rally ten people were shot by the police and many others arrested. There are still memorial posters with photographs of the victims located on main streets and people protest around them. The 1st of August march is the biggest since the tragic Spring events. Thus there is a tension on the streets and a lot of police and military patrolling the city. We hoped that this time the demonstration would be peaceful - and it was!

The leader of the opposition is Levon Ter-Petrossian, the first president of independent Armenia who seems to be a national hero. The strange coalition of parties from far left to the right that he represents is called the Armenian Congress. They revolt against the current president Serge Sargsyan and the Republican Party in power. The local artists’ community supports the opposition and argues that it is a movement towards democracy against the corrupt government with a dictatorial strain. People that I know from the Utopiana and the Meline’s are among the protesters that march through the city in the night. I wonder if this would be a democracy also for them and not only for the class of ruling men?

*photo - by mk.am

Unzipped: Gay Armenia - LIST 2008

To mark International Day Against Homophobia (17 May) -exactly one year ago I started my Unzipped: Gay Armenia blog - I launch Unzipped: Gay Armenia LIST 2008, which will be published annually. This LIST recognises individuals, organisations, media, blogs, events and other contributors(tions) to gay rights and equality in Armenia and Diaspora. It also 'names' main homophobic occurrences over the past year, to evolve eventually into Armenian version of Homophobia Hall of Shame. Time period covered by the LIST incorporates one year prior to 17 May (including 16 May). 

This year the LIST was compiled by myself only. For the following years, I will do my best to take into account also readers' and broader Armenian LGBT community views. This LIST by no means claimed to be complete. However, it recognises, to my best knowledge, key developments relating to Armenian LGBT community in Armenia and Diaspora over the past year. New categories will be added in future depending on availability of entries (like Exhibition of the Year, Book of the Year and so on).

1. Person of the Year - International

Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuba's incumbent president Raul Castro. She proves once more that one person can make enormous impact in transforming a society and changing its values.

I wish we have Armenian 'Mariela Castro'!

Castro champions gay rights in Cuba (photo via BBC)

"As head of the government-funded National Centre for Sex Education, she is trying to change people's attitudes towards minority groups in the community.

She is currently attempting to get the Cuban National Assembly to adopt what would be among the most liberal gay and transsexual rights law in Latin America."

2. Person of the Year - Armenia/Diaspora

Micha Meroujean, head of former AGLA France, well known gay rights activist, originally from Armenia, currently living in France. He set up Armenian gay rights organisation in France - AGLA France, which recently ceased to exist. However, he continues advocating gay rights and equality in Armenia and Diaspora, supporting local LGBT activists.

He set up Armenian Social Network online - Yesoudo, which I currently consider to be the most gay friendly Armenian social network on the web. He is also a talented film-maker. Last summer he presented his film in Armenia - "The Diary of an Exiled Queer" - first of its kind in Armenian reality where via personal diary and perspectives he touches the issues of gay rights, equality and homophobia in Armenia and Diaspora.

3. Good news of the Year

AGLA NY: Armenian gay rights organisation in New York expands

PINK Armenia - new LGBT related NGO registered in Armenia (December 2007)

4. Bad news of the Year

AGLA France: Armenian gay rights organisation ceased to exist

5.  Homophobe of the Year

Armenian Aryan Order 

(Attention seeking bigots say "Thanks" for withdrawal of Hoagland's nomination as US envoy to Armenia)

6. Article of the Year

Armenia's Animosity Towards Gays (by Shushan Harutyunyan, Hetq Online)

7. Blog posts of the Year

Blogrel  - Critical response to the article "Homosexuals Are Hidden in Armenia" (see also So why "Homosexuals Are Hidden in Armenia"?)

A1plus blog - Արմեն Հարությունյանի պատասխանները “Ա1+”-ի ընթերցողների հարցերին ("Armenian Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan answers to the questions of A1plus blog readers" - see also here)

A1plus blog - Այսօր հոմոֆոբիայի դեմ պայքարի միջազգային օրն է (Today marks International Day Against Homophobia")

Oneworld Multimedia Blog - Homophobia in the South Caucasus

Special mention to Onnik Krikorian - as Regional Editor for Caucasus at Global Voices Online - for constantly linking to Armenia and South Caucasus LGBT related blog posts thus ensuring these issues have wider exposure and audience.

8. New LGBT related blog of the Year

Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York (AGLA NY) blog

9. Homophobic articles of the Year

Here is hoping that these Armenian newspapers will change their attitude and will start publishing articles to be mentioned under the "Article of the Year" category for the next year's LIST 2009.

Aravot daily - ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆՈՒՄ ՀԱՄԱՍԵՌԱՄՈԼՆԵՐԸ ԹԱՔՆՎԱԾ ԵՆ (see also So why "Homosexuals Are Hidden in Armenia"?)

Aravot daily -  Չեն սիրում քաղաքական խաղեր, արհամարհում են համասեռամոլներին (see also Aravot newspaper: Routine homophobia on ‘behalf’ of Armenian bloggers)

Chorrord Ishkhanutyun - (no direct link to original article in Armenian; see Opposition "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun" newspaper must stop using homophobic references in its attacks on Armenia PM Tigran Sargsyan)

9. LGBT related international reports for Armenia

Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner calls for specific legal provisions in Armenia to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation

Discrimination against gay Armenians: US State Department Human Rights Report 2007

1o. NGO(s) of the Year

These two local NGOs directly work with the LGBT community in Armenia and deserve recognition and support.

We For Civil Equality (WFCE)

PINK Armenia

11. Venue of the Year

Meline's Bar - despite closure and re-opening again, controversial opinions, Meline's remains the first and the only gay bar in Yerevan, a place where LGBT Armenians can be themselves, spend evening/night out, relax and have fun. For other gay-friendly venues, see my Armenia Gay Guide

12. Social networking site of the Year

Yesoudo - Armenian Social Network,  the most gay friendly Armenian social network on the web

13. Film(s) of the Year

The Diary of an Exiled Queer (director Micha Meroujean) - see above, "Person of the Year - Armenia/Diaspora"

East/West - Sex and Politics (director Jochen Hick, Germany, 2008) - an in-depth account of the attempts to mount a Gay Pride parade in Moscow in 2006 and 2007 - prominently features gay Armenian storyline (P.S. I intend to write about this film in a separate post; when ready, I will indicate the link under the comments section below)

Good News: Meline's bar - the first and the only Yerevan gay bar, is open again!

UPDATE: Last Day of Meline’s bar – 31 July 2008


In June, I posted Bad News that the first and the only Yerevan gay bar - Meline's bar, was closed down for unknown reason.

Now it's time for Good News: I've just learnt (thanks to I.!) that the owner of Meline's bar decided to re-open it, and Meline's has already started working from this Monday!

Truly, the great news for gay community in Yerevan and Armenia. However, the future of this bar is dependent on demolition projects currently undertaken by Armenian Government to pave the way for Northern Avenue. I wonder how many more destructions are on the menu to make sure that we have our own 'Fifth Avenue'?...

Till then, lets enjoy the moment and hope that Meline's old good spirit will be re-established again to re-attract regulars and new customers alike.

There are some further news too - I am aware of at least one new gay-friendly venue in Yerevan, will provide more info as soon as finalise details.

Bad News: The first and the only Yerevan gay bar - Meline's bar, was closed down...

UPDATE: Last Day of Meline’s bar – 31 July 2008

Update (22 August 2007): Meline's bar re-opened! For more info, read here

I've just learnt that Meline's bar was closed down... Meline's was opened in November 2004. It was the first and the only openly gay bar in Yerevan with gay staff and clientele.

Here is the announcement posted on Meline's website (12 June 2007):

We are so sorry people but Meline's Bar is CLOSED FOREVER. Only our Travesty Shows will go on in different clubs. Regards

I do not know the reasons behind this closing, will try to find out (does anyone know any details?), but this is very sad news for LGBT community in Armenia. We had our bar and we lost it... I hope there were just technical or tactical reasons behind the closing. In any case, people who run this venue deserve encouragement and gratitude. They were the first, they were brave, they were great. Thank you!

Let's hope that LGBT community in Armenia will not remain deprived of 'own' venue.