No Gay Pride, but a parade of religious fanatics in Batumi, Georgia

So all that hysteria about imaginary Gay Pride festival in Batumi (or Tbilisi) was a PR action for religious fanatics and bigots from politics to stage their very own parade in Batumi. Watch the video below. For a moment, you may forget that it’s contemporary going-towards-Europe Georgia, more like a footage from the Middle Ages.



*via Gay Batumi

"Gay or not so much, Today there still was a pride in Batumi – only it had an extremely religious character. A crowd of religious extremists gathered in front of the “Sheraton” Batumi hotel (the image of the western liberty, a scapegoat for all the evil gays guys who didn’t show up) to let the steam out. There were people scared by the big blue Bigfoot and they kept citing “Oh Father” and praying for the gay pride to never happen in Batumi.

Places around the “Sheraton Batumi” were filled with masses blinded by “sightless leaders” and driven by the hysteria; and the were tears of joy -the relief! Sighs of hope that they’ve proudly demonstrated their power and unity and showed us that there is no place for gay men within the cave communities. The sense of democracy, freedom and liberty is still so below the horizon of the black sea."

Gay scene in Batumi (+ updated Georgia Gay Guide)

As summer holiday season is upon us, and many gay Armenians will spend their vacations in Georgia, including Batumi, I thought it would be useful to present below this brief info on gay scene in Batumi, via Gay Batumi blog.

Have a look also at Georgia Gay Guide which I updated for the first time after I first posted it 3 years ago.

I know, despite promises, I did not update my Armenia Gay Guide for the last 2 years. Sorry for that. Will update it within a week.

If you have any updates, comments re Armenia or Georgia gay guides, please do let me know.
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Batumi gay life is most active during high summer season, when it is mostly crowded.

During low seasons there is still some gay scene, but not as good as during hot summer days.

At the moment there are no dedicated gay bars or clubs in Batumi, but most of them (especially on a boulevard) are gay friendly.

Cruising:

- Alley between boulevard and beach (the best)
- Beach close to the lighthouse in pishcheviki area
- Around old railway station

Police in Georgia targets Batumi-based newspaper journalist using KGB-style gay blackmail

Civil.ge reports: The Batumi-based weekly newspaper, Batumelebi, said law enforcement officers attempted to “blackmail” and “intimidate” its journalist, including through use of “stigma persisting in Georgia” towards homosexuality.

It said in a statement on Thursday, that on November 25 head of the newspaper’s journalistic investigations unit, Tedo Jorbenadze, was summoned by Interior Ministry’s Special Operations Department’s (SOD) local division in Adjara Autonomous Republic to talk about “some personal matters” and “about his sexual partner.”

Before going to the SOD’s Adjara headquarters in Batumi, Jorbenadze informed about the summoning newspaper’s director and editor-in-chief, Mzia Amaglobeli and Eter Turadze, respectively, who decided to accompany colleague at a meeting with the law enforcement officers. However, according to the statement, the editor and director were not allowed to attend a conversation between Jorbenadze and the officers.

The Batumelebi said that during the meeting Tedo Jorbenadze was shown what seemed to be cropped black-and-white photos of near-naked men also featuring the journalist himself.

“Tedo Japaridze was told [by law enforcement officers] that there was an interest towards the Batumelebi newspaper by special services of foreign countries, in particular Turkey and Russia and they needed his assistance and cooperation,” the Batumelebi said. “After receiving a refusal [from the journalist], Jorbenadze was warned that these photos would have been sent to his ailing father, as well as to his colleagues and disseminated through internet. But Jorbenadze told [the law enforcement officers] that they would not intimidate him with cropped photos and left.”

The newspaper said it intended to request the prosecutor’s office to open investigation into the case, which it described as “Soviet KGB-style method of recruitment.”
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For Russian version of this report - see Gay Caucasus.
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It's not the first time that the journalists of this Batumi-based publication face intimidation.

31 July 2008 - Civil.ge - Public Defender Sozar Subari has requested the prosecutor’s office in Batumi to probe into the alleged “intimidation” of journalists at the local weekly newspaper Batumelebi.

The newspaper, published in Batumi, Adjaran Autonomous Republic, said in a statement last week that it had received an e-mail, which said: “you will find him [one of the newspaper’s journalists] dead with the newspaper stuck in his mouth.”

Prior to the anonymous e-mail, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Eter Turadze, and another journalist were, they say, followed by unknown people. They say the surveillance was deliberately noticable, presumably so as to intimidate them.

The Public Defender’s Office said in a statement on July 31 that the incidents should be investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office as it believed they constituted intimidation.

Georgia Gay Guide

country overview, useful info, gay institutions and venues

*last reviewed: 18 July 2010

As I already mentioned on this blog, even though homophobia is widespread in Georgian society, the attitude towards gay people in Georgia, especially Tbilisi, is more open-minded and gay scene is more developed than in surrounding countries. This was rightly pointed out by Spartacus International Gay Guide (2007). In fact, Georgia was the first country in South Caucasus to decriminalise gay male sex in 2000.

However, recent events in Georgia (here and here) surrounding failed attempts by Council of Europe to promote "All Different - All Equal" campaign which was considered by some as 'gay rally' and, therefore, forced to get cancelled, show that Georgia has a long way to go in terms of human rights / gay rights and equality.

For more Georgia related news and posts, click on Georgia or Tbilisi labels.

I decided to publish this Guide on my blog since the on-line resources on LGBT life and gay scene in Georgia are scarce. There is a sizable Armenian community there, and many gay Armenians visit neighbouring Georgia for various reasons.

Unlike Armenia (Armenia Gay Guide), I do not have much personal insight into the gay scene in Georgia. This Guide represent mainly the information taken from the Spartacus (+ Gay Batumi), with some input/additions from me. I will update this Guide as soon as I learn new info. For convenience, I put easy access link to Georgia Gay Guide under 'South Caucasus LGBT Links' of this blog.

Country overview

"Even under the Soviet Union, Georgia was known to be one of the "gayest" regions. However, a gay scene in the western sense of the word hardly exists. Even in the capital Tbilisi the venues that are listed in this guide are mixed, but they are popular with the community as well. Gay behaviour like holding hands and kissing is accepted in the larger cities only [I would be particularly cautious with this suggestion by Spartacus - even in larger cities you may encounter more than problems with the open display of same-sex affections. As in case of Armenia, although you will see men (and women) holding each other's hands in public or kissing each other when they meet or part, this is not necessarily an indicator of sexual orientation but rather established tradition].

On the other hand, gay related violence still exists, notably in the countryside. In September 2001 a journalist was killed by the mafia because of his alleged homosexuality. We also advise to be cautious with cruising: most of the areas in this guide are observed by police cameras. The recordings are said to be used to force gays to work for the police. Unfortunately, the current government has more urgent matters to deal with than the acceptance of sexual minorities."


TBILISI

Bars

Success
Street: 3, Vashvlovanis Street
Description of Location: In Perovskaia district
Commentary: Once very stylish place, nowadays casual cruising bar, frequently visited by straight people.

Unique
Street: 18, G.Akhvlediani Street
Postal Code: 0108
Description of Location: Former Perovskaia St.
Phone: 93 53 83
Commentary: DJ bar, with very friendly staff and visitors. Open until the early morning.

Cafes

Cafe Cala
Street: 8-10, Erekle II Street
Postal Code: 0107
Description of Location: In Chardin area
Commentary: Good Georgian food, many artistic people hanging out, live jazz performances, frequented by gay people.

Le Cafe
Street: 4, Vashlovani Street
Description of Location: Opposite the Success bar in Perovskaia district
Commentary: Quiet place with European cuisine. Friendly staff.

Rue Chardin 12
Street: 12, Chardin Street
Postal Code: 0108
Description of Location: In old town Chardin area
Commentary: One of the most popular dining out places. A place to sit and be seen in the heart of old town. The smallest street in Tbilisi is home for number of upscale places that attract many community people. One can also find many other cafes in this area.

Restaurants

Meidani
Street: 2, Right Bank
Postal Code: 0108
Description of Location: In Chardin area
Phone: (reservations) 32 30 30 30
Website: mgroup.ge
Commentary: Upscale restaurant, very friendly. Offers traditional and fusion cuisine. Has chillout section with Kalian.

Kopala
Street: 8-10 Chekhov st. (On the left bank of old town)
Phone: (reservations) 995 32 77 55 20
Website: kopala.ge
Commentary: Belle-view terrace. Hotel restaurant with extensive menu and good service. Tarace offers one of the best views of old town.

Saunas/Baths

Coloured Bathhouse
Street: Square in front of the Sulphur Springs
Description of Location: In Abanotubani (Bath district)
Opening hours: 10-20h
Commentary: Number of traditional bathhouses with natural sulphur spa. Traditional massage and scrub with traditional gloves (Kisa). Public section is very cruisy especially by evenings. People basically pick up each other and leave together. For more discreet acts one can rent a cubicle. Coloured baths were favourite of A. Pushkin and A. Dumas.

Fitness Studios

Vake Fitness
Street: 49b, Chavchavadze Avenue
Website: vakefitness.ge
Commentary: Huge fitness complex with gym, olympic swimming pool, spa, sauna, gymnastics, solarium etc. Upscale workout place.

Hotels

Sheraton Metekhi Palace
Street: 20, Telavi Street
Postal Code: 0119
Phone: 77 20 20
Fax: 77 21 20
Email: smpht@sheraton.com
Website: www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton
Commentary: Luxury hotel with 182 rooms with data port, safe, TV, phone, mini-bar and bathroom phone. Cruisy sauna.

Marriott Tbilisi
Street: 13, Rustaveli Ave.
Phone: 77 92 00
Commentary: 5 stars luxury hotel.

Cruising
- Underpass in front of the circus (dangerous)
- Rustaveli Ave. daytime cruising.
- Central station (Metro Vagzliss Moedani)
- Tchelouskin bridge (In the centre of the city, between central station and the
circus)
- Blumentrasse (Boulevard between central station and the circus)
- Underpass in front of the circus (Dangerous)
- Pushkin park (Metro Thavisouphlebis Moedani)
- Exit Metro Rustaveli
- Baratachvili bridge (first level, Mutual masturbations, Piss and Scat)
- Between Liberty Square, “Thavisouphlebis Moedani” and Avlabari street
- Metro Issani (near the military barracks, ideal for those who like soldiers)


BATUMI

Batumi gay life is most active during high summer season. There are no dedicated gay bars or clubs in Batumi, but most of them (especially on a boulevard) are gay friendly.

Cruising
- Alley between boulevard and beach (the best)
- Beach close to the lighthouse in pishcheviki area
- Around old railway station


KUTAISI

Bars

Theatralouri (opposite the National Theatre)

Cruising
- Park opposite the National Theatre


ZUGDIDI

Cruising
- Lenin park


National Groups

Inclusive Foundation (in English and Georgian)
website
The first openly LGBT rights organisation in Georgia and in South Caucasus, ILGA member. Main areas of work is advocacy and lobbying information and public awareness campaigns, study and research, empowerment of LGBT community, HIV/AIDS and STI prevention.


National publications

"Me" magazine (quarterly; in Georgian, with English summary)
Available to download here

Georgian National Gay Resource (in Georgian)
website


Other useful links:

ILGA-Europe: Georgia Country Guide
website

Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA)
Advocacy, lobbying, individual legal counselling, surveys
website

Information and Counselling Centre "Tanadgoma"
Psychological and health counselling, HIV/AIDS/STI prevention measures, surveys
website

Centre for Training and Consultancy (CTC)
Organisational development, trainings for organisation staff and volunteers
website

Women Initiative Support Group (WISG)
Women programme, surveys
website

*source of pictures: Spartacus (cover page); Lonely Planet (map of Georgia); Wikipedia (flag of Georgia)