The day after getting stuck in the elevator with four of my now-closest colleagues, I spent time in another closet, so to speak-- I went to my first Cypriot gay club, Secrets Freedom Club. Yes, that's the name of the club. A group of us, after partying at a club in Nicosia, decided at 1am that it would be a good idea to go check out the scene in Larnaca. You see, we really wanted to go dancing. And people in Nicosia, even if they are in a club with very loud music, don't dance. They stare at each other and blow cigarette smoke, but no Nicosian would be caught actually MOVING to music. Our rationale was that, a gay club in Larnaca HAD to have better music than the club we were at and actual dancing to boot. So, we all piled into a few cars and headed out to Larnaca.
Much to our delight, the club had lots of dancing people. Interestingly, the club reflected the geopolitical realities of the island-- the men were in one half of the club, and the women were in the other. Men and women, at least in Nicosia, never mix when they go out. Each area was further subdivided into Greek and Turkish-Cypriot areas. However, unlike Cyprus as a whole, there were lots of mixed G/C- T/C gay couples. Could the Cypriot gay community serve as a template for bi-communal integration?
Much to our delight, the club had lots of dancing people. Interestingly, the club reflected the geopolitical realities of the island-- the men were in one half of the club, and the women were in the other. Men and women, at least in Nicosia, never mix when they go out. Each area was further subdivided into Greek and Turkish-Cypriot areas. However, unlike Cyprus as a whole, there were lots of mixed G/C- T/C gay couples. Could the Cypriot gay community serve as a template for bi-communal integration?
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