By Barry Joinson
Gay Life in Andalucia Background to Andalucia’s Popularity withthe Gay Traveler The Gay traveler has always had an affiliationwith Spain, and since the countries increasing popularity as aholiday destination in the 1960’s and ‘70’s, Andalucia’s gaycommunity has thrived. Not only due to the widely open andaccepting Spanish people, holidays are typically a time whenbeliefs and prejudices are put aside and the desire to relax,unwind and to have a good time doing whatever you do takes over.Perhaps the fact that people are displaced from their usualsurroundings whilst on holiday, results in the removal ofbarriers and stereotypes that they may normally have. Several ofthese stereotypes exist around the lifestyles and habits of gaypeople, and therefore, rightly or wrongly, it is widely acceptedthat the climate, beaches, club culture and shopping facilitiesof the Costa del Sol have increased Andalucia’s popularity withthe gay market. Likewise, the trend towards rural tourism andmulti-centre holidays has increased gay travelers awareness ofcommunities that exist in other significant destinations such asCadiz, Seville and Cordoba. Another stereotype revolves aroundthe notion of the ‘pink pound’ which in the UK refers to thespending power generated by gay consumers. This group has beenhistorically assumed to be part of a family unit of just two, isless likely to have children and thus is more likely to beprofessional individuals who have concentrated on their careerrather than their family. It has been concluded that theseindividuals are more likely to have greater earning potentialand less daily outgoings upon which to spend. During a time whenAndalucia has seen so much change so rapidly, and where theCosta del Sol has been considered a fashionable and exclusiveresort, it’s perhaps not surprising that much of this ‘pink’money has been spent in Andalucia. Gay Marriage A keyinfluencing figure in the prospect of increased gay settlers inAndalucia will be the recent legalization of gay marriage, withSpain being one of a handful of countries that has done so.Homosexuality was illegal in Spain before 1978, when theconstitution within which it was legalized was agreed. Thisacceptance of gay unity as a viable and now legal alternative tothe more traditional one man one woman marriage earned Spainmuch notoriety within the Catholic Church where it was stillseen as unacceptable. But, to there credit, Spain decided thatit was the right way to go, and the recognition of gayrelationships in a legal and formal capacity was realized. GayLifestyle Much of gay lifestyle centres around the café/clubculture, and in Andalucia, this is in abundance. Due mainly tothe climate, the café scene thrives where outside and pavementdinning and socializing is the norm. Licensing laws in Spainhave a larger effect on the gay scene and most clubs stay openinto the early hours of the morning, with few opening muchbefore 10.00pm. Club life in Andalucia centres around currentmusic fashions and trends, and most famously amongst thecommunity, within the Nogalera area of Torremolinos on the Costadel Sol. Cabaret, which still proves to be an extremely populartheme in many gay friendly establishments, will be found in anysignificant resort, and it’s not unusual to see very colourfulcabaret with a gay or camp undertone even in the smallest ofprovincial towns! Support Groups There are several groupsoffering support to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderpeople in Andalucia. You can normally find associations withinmost large towns and cities, and likewise within the provincialtowns there will be a presence of some description, no matterhow small. Such organizations will help gay people to integrateinto the community, offer help and assistance in most matters,and give advice about socializing and community groups where youcan meet new friends Information can be obtained from one of thelarger groups, COLEGA (Colectiva de Lesbianas y Gais enAndalucia) which will be found in all the major cities and onthe internet at http://www.colegaweb.net Conclusion It goeswithout saying that the gay community has embraced all that ison offer in Andalucia and has really made it its own. Admirably,gay people have utilized and added to the already colourful andvibrant Andalucia life in a way that other communities havenever even considered. It’s not unusual to assume that the gaycommunities’ love of Andalucia will continue to grow, with morepeople using the region for holidays, a place to live and workand to ultimately retire and settle.
More information of living, working and settling in Spain can beobtained at http://www.acsentra.com Acsentra S.L., Plaza deEspaña, 41564 – Lora de Estepa, Sevilla, Spain
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