How Lgbt Friendly Is Bsas?

[Girino]

One thing i like about Argentina is that they allow same-sex marriages, something that in Italy lis strongly opposed by the many catholics of the country.

However, I have never noticed many same-sex couples when moving around in Buenos Aires, nor in Argentina. I don't think there is much open-mindedness if people self-ghettoes themselves to some specific areas or towns or venues, but I have definitely never seen that many gay couples going openly in public where I usually hang around.

So what's the real take of the Argentinians on the subject?

 

[TomAtAlki]

Lot's of gay couples where I live, Palermo Viejo.
Nancy

 

[EdRooney]

OK its not BA, but we live near the Registro Civil in Salta (admittedly one of the country's more 'conservative' cities) and on a regular basis we see same-sex couples going in to get hitched. So much so that a few businesses downtown have taken to advertising their services for "...bautismos, cumples, igualitarios...". This is in addition to a healthy number of transgender folks often seen around the central plaza.

That said, the New York Times is not impressed with the advances:

Transgender Argentines Confront Continued Murder and Discrimination

(this is of course the same NYT that until recently opposed civil unions)

 

[Idois]

I live in Palermo, married to Argie (we got married here in BsAs), and we see lots of same sex (male and female) couples besides us here, not just in Palermo, but also in other barrios. Just in our building there are a few, and we have friends who are same sex couples who live in other barrios and even outside the city. We do not advertise in any way that we are a couple and at the same time I have never denied to anyone anywhere when asked (I was in situations, for example in Iran, where socially I never confirmed nor denied, it was simply something nobody spoke or asked about, it was simply a given).

In the past I have lived and/or worked (while in previous relationships) in some places where same sex unions were legal (like Cape Town for example, Barcelona, or Bogota for that matter) and also in some of the most homophobic places on earth. I only say this in order to make a comparison and hence answer your question, so here we go:

Administratively speaking (renting a flat, going through the registro civil, etc), BA is light years ahead of Cape Town, based on my experience (same sex marriage is also legal in South Africa). In fact, not our landlords, not anyone at the registro civil, not anyone in any other place where we had to make it known that we are a same sex couple (like human resources for example) has blinked an eye when it came to any type of administrative chore in BA. In Barcelona I had equally good experience without any problems ever. I have also worked in Scandinavia and situation is similar - I never had any problems. I did also live in Poland and yes, even though I did not have any specific problems, you could sense the atmosphere was quite different once the landlady figured out that the blonde guy staying with me was not my brother.

One thing I cannot comment on is immigration here because I never tried to go with my DNI with him through the ARG citizen line - I imagine I could?

Now, on the other hand, I have noticed the following in BA: the word 'pareja' is in Spain used commonly by same or opposite sex couples. In fact, in Spain, at work, at immigration, etc, you can be asked in a casual conversation about your 'pareja' and it does not mean same sex partner. Here in BA,when people do ask me, they ask about my 'mujer', not 'pareja', assuming that I am married to a woman. In fact, during a job interview here in BA, when I used the word 'pareja', the person interviewing me followed up with a question if 'SHE' is from Argentina.

If we are talking about social life here in BA and if 'the ambiente' is truly LGBT friendly, my Argie and I are not perhaps a good example since our socializing is mostly done in the circle of few friends, both same and opposite sex couples or singles, hence someone else may give you a better answer.

Having said all of this, what I can share is that I have observed lots of gay couples here in BA which to an 'untrained' observed with preconceived notions of the gay stereotypes, masculinity, gender exp<b></b>ression, etc. may pass for heterosexual male friends. How can I tell that they are a couple (or casual sex buddies for that matter), as opposed to friends? You know the saying 'it takes one to know one'?

To summarize my response: based on my experience, I have never had any negative experiences here in BA, hence for me it is an LGBT friendly place, and I do see lots of same sex (male and female) couples.

 

[Idois]

P.S. Interesting timing of your question as this article was published just today by Huffington Post about 'gayborhoods'. No mention of BsAs but apparently Montevideo is up and coming

 

[stevenj3]

My husband and I recently purchased an apartment in Palermo Hollywood. During the time we were house hunting, I had inquired about looking for a place in a "gayborhood." I was told that such a place really did not form in BA. There may not have been a need. The need for a gay enclave is often formed as an oasis in hostile city. Sometimes they form around gay business concentrations or older, but now less expensive areas. Being new to BA, I don't know much of the history of gay life there, but have not been treated poorly at any juncture in the time we spent here.

 

[Roxana]

Years ago, it was easy to see gay couples on the street, but now I only see shy couples around bosques de palermo. I had spoken to gay people, who told me that because of the gay tourism promoted by municipalidad de buenos aires, they try to keep their own places private, as they feel uncomfortable with strangers staring at them. Once in a while, on weekends, I see couples taking the courage to show up in the subways or buses.

 

[Ceviche]

I have noticed many pairs of girls making out in a porch or similar or in a corner of a street while walking on the streets of Palermo.

 

[Girino]

I had spoken to gay people, who told me that because of the gay tourism promoted by municipalidad de buenos aires, they try to keep their own places private, as they feel uncomfortable with strangers staring at them.

I am not sure I understand this correctly. Does it mean that promoting gay tourism as brought curious people that point at gay people?

 

[Roxana]

I am not sure I understand this correctly. Does it mean that promoting gay tourism as brought curious people that point at gay people?

Yes, that not the official answer from gay people, few of them told me about that. For example, amerika was a disco for gay people, now many "voyeurs" go there, and the gays dont like to be seen like something weird.

I find interesting to share a difference among those who where born before or after 1983. The parents of the younger ones usually told them to invite their partners to their home, that they want their kids to be happy with their own choice. And the olders went through uneasy chapters in their lives to share with their family that they are gays, and they have to hide their partners, and cant spend birthday and holidays with both, their family and partner. Or listen to homophobic comments from their own parents. Some of them are in their 50s and cant share with their parents, or get out of the closet.