Queeria u Gay Times-u! (serbian/english)

(Srpski/English)

Dragi ( i manje dragi drugari),

Queeria ima zadovoljstvo da prenese lepu vest :)

Naime, u poslednjem broju renomiranog časopisa Gay Times, u rubrici Reporters, objavljen je tekst koji sam sa zadovoljstvom napisao na poziv glavnog urednika. Ova rubrika je rezervisana za tekstove iz različith gradova/zemalja sveta, a čitaocima se pruža prilika da se (bar delimično), upoznaju sa položajem gej osoba odande odakle se one javljaju.

Gay Times je vodeći UK časopis namenjen gej i bisex muškarcima. Postoji od 1984.god, a više o GT možete da pročitate na Wikipediji ili dorektno na sajtu Gay Timesa.

Kiss,

Boban

Evo i prevoda teksta J

Gej osobe u Srbiji postoje negde između Istoka (gde „biti gej“ znači biti mrtav), i Zapada (gde „biti gej“ znači biti malo više poštovan nego ovde). Queer osobe u Srbiji pokušava da preživi stvaranjem sopstvenih prostora.

Predstaviti gej populaciji Beograd je veoma jednostavno. Ima nekoliko gej klubiva, ali nema fetiš ili strip klubova, nema nestašnih go-go dečaka, nema dark room-ova niti glory hol-ova! Zapravo, bilo je nekih, u toaletu na železničkoj stanici, ali on je sada renoviran. Momci, izvin’te!

Teška politička situacija i ratovi oduvek su se odražavali na život i slobode gej populacije. Uzmimo za primer crusing mesta: pre ratova devedesetih Beograd ih je imao desetak. Danas nema ni jednog (osim za one momke koji su prilično matori i ne koriste Internet). Poneki kruzinguju u okviru ne-striktno-gej-zona, kao što su fancy ulice ili skupe kafeterije. Ali, opet, budite pažljivi.  Kada bogati, srpski, hetero muškarac želi da pokaže svoju moć, u skupoj odeći I sa nežnim bojama na sebi postaje veoma “gay looking”. Neki od mojih prijatelja iz inostranstva su već napravili greške, na sreću bez većih posledica.

Za mene, kao gay muškarca i queer aktivistu, veoma je važno što sam uspeo da prevaziđem neugodnu situaciju u svakodnevnom životu: stepen homofobije u Srbiji je i dalje veoma visok. Neka od poslednjih istraživanja pokazuju da oko 80% stanovništva smatra da su gejevi bolesni. U prilog tome ide i činjenica da je Parada ponosa još uvek nemoguća, pre svega zbog toga što policija ne želi da nas adekvatno zaštiti.Postoji najmanje dva registrovana napada u mesec dana, a pretnje mejlovima i preko Interneta su svakodnevna pojava. Neki od nas koji su odlučili da se bore za svoju slobodu, izloženi smo netrpeljivosti, ali – nema povratka nazad. Nema kajanja. U Queeria centru, gde sam angažovan, pokušavamo da pronađemo više podrške među javnim ličnostima, medijima i javnim prostorima. Veoma često sarađujemo sa poznatim ličnostima iz srbijanskog javnog života i nakon nekoliko godina ovakvog aktivizma možemo da primetimo male, ali veoma ohrabrujuće korake ka prihvatanju queer osoba u Srbiji. Pa, Poznati & Slavni iz celog sveta, molim vas, pišite mi! Podržite nas u našoj borbi za prava i slobode.

Ipak, situacija nije tako beznadežna! Tokom leta najzgodniji momci na planeti mogu da se pronađu baš u Beogradu. U tesnim majicama i šorcevima, šetaju gradom I privlače pažnju. Jednostavno, ne možete da odolite a da ne okrenete glavu za nekima. No, neki od njih sigurno nemaju posla pa umesto toga uspešno provode vreme u teretani.

Ako neko od vas odluči da dođe ovde, u Beograd, u Srbiju – dobrodošli ste! Šansa da sretnete ljubav svog života ovde je veća nego bilo gde drugde.

 

bobanqueeria@gmail.com

 

English

 
Gay people in Serbia is exist: somewhere between East (where “to be gay” means to be dead), and West (where “to be gay” means more respect than here). Queers in Serbia try to survive by building some spaces from themselves.

Exploring the gay population in Belgrade is very easy. There are several gay clubs, though no fetish or strip clubs, no nasty go-go boys, no dark rooms and no glory holes! Well we did have one - in the toilet within the Central Train Station, but it has been renovate. Sorry guys.

A difficult political situation and wars have always influenced the lives and freedoms of gay people. Take for example cruising places: before the wars, Belgrade had about ten. Today we do not have any, (even for pretty old guys who don’t use the Internet).  Some cruise within those non-strictly-gay areas, the fancy streets and expensive cafeterias. Those who can, they have to go to try meaning. But, again, one have to be careful. When rich Serbian straight guys want to show their power, they start to become gay looking: in their expensive cloths and soft colors.   Some of my foreign friends have already made mistakes, fortunately for them without any bad consequences. 

For me, as a gay and queer activist, it is very important that I overcome this uncomfortable situation in my everyday life: the level of homophobia is still very high in Serbia. Some of our recent research shows that about 80% of people have think that gays are sick! In addition, a Pride Parade remains impossible for us, because the State Police still do not want to protect us. We have at least two registered attacks per month, and frequent treats by emails and even on the Internet; all these became typical for us. Some of us, who decided to fight for our freedom, are exposed to intolerance, but there are no way back. We have no regrets. In the Queeria Center, where I am active, we try to find more support from public figures, the Media and public spaces. Very often, we cooperate with well-known people from Serbian public life, and after several years of this kind of activism we are seeing small, but very encouraging steeps regarding the acceptance of queer people in Serbia. So, Celebrities from all around the World - please email me. Support us in our fight for our Rights & Freedom.

The situation really is not so hopeless, though! In summertime the most handsome guys on the Planet can be found in Belgrade. In their tight T-shirts and shorts, they walk around and attract one's attention. You simply cannot resist not turning one's head toward some of them. Perhaps some of them don’t work instead very usefully spending time in the gym.

If some of you decide to come here, in Belgrade, in Serbia, you are welcome! Your chance of meeting the love of your life is greater than any where else.

bobanqueeria@gmail.com