Homo “He-Wolf” Reigns at Night

by Paul Rubio

In a decade when Europe continues to break historical barriers for gay rights, Russia struggles to extend basic human rights to its gay population. Though same-sex activity was decriminalized in 1993, Russia’s rampant homophobia is no secret. Moscow gay pride has been outlawed every year since 2006, and protests for gay rights are met with violence and brutal police force. Even the Moscow Mayor has publicly denounced homophobic acts as “satanic,” asking the country for help in ending “spiritual terrorism.”

Nevertheless, small pockets of acceptance exist and even flourish in the former communist empire, namely in the country’s trendy capital. Homophobia has, in effect, sequestered the majority of the country’s gay population to Moscow, where nobody is gay by day, but the homo “He-Wolf” reigns at night.

I was initially apprehensive when I planned my trip to Russia. Scarce public information on gay travel seemed foreboding. Friends who claimed to have “traveled to Russia” had really only spent 10 hours in St. Petersburg as part of a cruise ship excursion, so they had no advice. I knew three words in Russian, and I had no idea how to decipher the Cyrillic alphabet.

So I turned to the web for guidance, joining gaydar.com to meet locals who spoke English, gain an insight into gay life, and arrange some “love connections” for my holiday. It took little time to make new online friends and plan out my Moscow adventure.

My first day in Moscow, I traversed the city, studying exquisite Russian art at Tretyakov Gallery, incessantly photographing St. Basil’s Cathedral at different apertures, circling the Kremlin in awe, and struggling to get my bearings as I visited each of iconoclastic Seven Sisters, seven Gothic skyscrapers built during the reign of Joseph Stalin. Come 9 p.m., I began my weekend party schedule at Tri Obeziany, or Three Monkeys. In a city where police raids force closings at any moment, Three Monkeys has ruled Friday nights for more five years.

I arrived early at the colossal nightclub, which regularly accommodates 1,000 people between the outdoor bars, the upstairs lounges, the main dance floor, and the dark room. I ordered my first pricey cocktail and enjoyed the light breeze cooling the oversized terrace. I cautiously approached the tall, fresh-faced twink who had been staring at me. His English was rudimentary, but he was eager to engage in dialogue. I understood nothing of our 40-minute conversation but his noble attempts were adorable.

As the crowd swelled, I found myself immersed in a wild porn fantasy. The foam party had begun on the main dance floor, and nearly everyone had stripped down to their underwear. Most were between 18 and 30, one hotter than the next, built and sexy with strikingly prominent bulges. Unimpressed with the men in Prague, Budapest, Bucharest and Krakow, I had finally achieved nirvana here in Moscow.

Saturday night was even hotter and crazier at the gargantuan nightclub, Body and Soul. There were so many stunning guys – most with deep, crystal blue eyes, faces remarkably handsome, chiseled, and overall - deliciously rough around the edges. The party raged on Sunday night. With some new friends by my side, I ventured towards the former KGB headquarters to one of Russia’s trendiest straight nightclubs, Propaganda, which hosts an unofficial gay night for the more fashion-conscious crowd. Unlike the massive palladiums of Friday and Saturday night, Propaganda was more intimate with a small, sunken dance floor and adjoining chill out spaces, behind the two bars. Inside the DJ spun house music for Moscow’s gay A-list, but the party had spilled out of the club and onto the front street come 1 a.m. A perfect end to my weekend, Sunday was more about sharing drinks with new friends than unadulterated hedonism.

In a public display of intolerance, Russian authorities raided and shut down the gay club Body & Soul, all part of Moscow Mayor, Yuri Luzhkov’s, morality campaign. That hasn’t put a dent in gay nightlife, however. New clubs have appeared in 2010, including the trendy Discotheque. Propaganda recently made headlines for hosting Naomi Campbell’s birthday party at the Sunday gay party. Three Monkeys is stronger than ever; and the gay pride committee still held a pride festival this year, despite threats from the government.

It seems that whether the government likes it or not, Russia’s gay community will endure political and social hardships for years to come as the ignorant attempt to cleanse the troubled country of its impressive homosexual population. But remember that not famine, oppression, propaganda, nor ‘Iron Curtains’ have ever stopped gay life in Russia. No matter the obstacle, gay Russians surely have no plans of relinquishing their nocturnal kingdom anytime soon.

Where to Stay? American hotel chains tend to be the gay friendliest in Russia, especially the Ritz-Carlton Moscow. Arguably the best hotel in the city, with English speaking staff to assist your every whim, this hotel strives for perfection and succeeds. Plus they are one of the few that will give two males a king sized bed, no questions asked! Tverskaya Street 3; ritzcarlton.com

Portions of this article originally appeared in The Guide Mag, a Pink Triangle Press publication.