GiB#2 | And off we go

A blog?! That’s so passé…

But I’ve liked blogs ever since I heard the name, and loved them ever since I grasped the idea. I’ve been wanting to have my own, but instead I sat back looking at blogs open up by the dozens, then often die out. I hope this one is here to stay. For as long as we’re gay in Beirut (GiBs), we’ll have stories to tell the world. Stories for fellow gay guys to relate to, for other GiBs to picture, and for friends to comment on. And for you the daring gay traveler who’s curious, hearing all the hype about Beirut, because we think you deserve to know better if and when you step foot in this tiny country sitting between Paris and Teheran.

Like most other GiBs, we’re gay advocates in our own way. By growing up GiBs, by staying GiBs, by living as GiBs, we’re advocates for the bigger cause. Each one of us gay Lebanese is a survivor - if not to war, to emigration -, and a living proof of concept, that there is a life to live as a gay in this part of the world. It is no wonder then that the gay voice of the Middle East comes out of here, in Beirut (Tel Aviv put aside). A quick tribute to our LGBT advocacy groups – Helem, we respect you – and to our gay-friendly legislators – WE WANT ARTICLE 534 OUT – , special thanks to the security forces for your live-and-let-live attitude – you have other fish to fry – , and that will be it for the bragging about how great this place is. From this point on, we’ll put it as it is. Raw and real – just like we like our men.