Shanghai: No More Gay Bars!
Down the cement stairs to the underground dungeon of Shanghai Studio, the long hallway leads to several roomfuls of men drinking under dim pink, blue and green lights. I squeeze past and my eyes quickly scan every man on my radar: he’s cute, he’s hot, he’s gross, he’s a dork. I feel everyone else’s eyes on me, sharp, intimidated, lustful and judgmental.
“Oh, there you are!” I find my friends and take in a deep breath.
Surrounded by perfectly groomed men and awfully loud music played by the pot-bellied DJ, I realize why I never come here, or any other gay clubs: there is too much sexual tension in the air and that makes me uncomfortable.
After speaking with several guys, I find out I’m not the only one who isn’t so fond of gay clubs. “At gay clubs it’s like everyone is looking for something,” says 25-year-old Michael from Shanghai. Bu Ke, 23, thinks gay bars are filled with the smell of cigarettes, perfume and meat. “It’s a meat market,” he says. “I much prefer other clubs where I can actually enjoy myself.”
Some find gay clubs unappealing for other reasons. Twenty-six-year-old Bai Gaodun says he doesn’t like the atmosphere because “strange drag queens are always there. I’d have much more fun at other clubs.” Nemo, 25, agrees, saying: “The guys at gay clubs are too C (Chinese slang for ‘camp’).”
However, some guys love going to gay clubs. Matteo, a 30-year-old Italian guy, is a Shanghai Studio veteran. “If I’m in the hunting mood, I’d go to Studio,” he says. “You feel the sexual tension there only if you are looking for someone, otherwise you can just dance and have fun.” Matteo feels more free to express himself at gay clubs. “You can meet gay guys at non-gay places too, but they always put on a front, whereas at gay clubs people act much more gay,” he laughs.
Benjamin, 26, from Hefei, is a huge fan of Club D2. Young and stylish, he is the typical D2 type. “I love dancing at D2 and flirting with guys I meet there,” he says. “I don’t particularly want to go home with anyone I meet, but I just enjoy the thrill of chatting someone up.”
According to Wikipedia, gay bars once served as one of the few places people with same sex orientations could openly socialize. However, in today’s Shanghai, gay people can openly socialize at almost any bar without raising eyebrows, so what role do gay bars now play in Shanghai?
To me, they are no longer d e s i g n e d as places for free self-expression and more for pleasure, excitement and thrills. Gay bars are filled with the smell of cigarettes and meat.
By Xing Zhao , www.cityweekend.com.cn
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