Gay life in Cusco

Culture

By Ricardo Segreda

The official flag of the city of Cusco is almost identical to the Rainbow Flag, universally adopted by the gay community as its banner.  And as globalization, via the information superhighway, has brought the rest of the world to Peru, including a nascent gay-rights movement, cusqueños themselves have become uneasy; some locals have proposed adopting a new flag without actually announcing why.

However, Cusco did open a gay bar/discothèque by the name of "Queen," (at the intersection of the Lorena and Cementerio Streets), a small venue located in a poor and dangerous section of the city that would not appeal to most international visitors. However, it is at least a sign of an emerging, if fragile, tolerance for a minority community.

Indeed, some gay cusqueños will let you know that at least in the tourist-heavy sections of Cusco, hand-holding and light-kissing is tolerated. And such gay-owned cafés and restaurants as Macondo and Fallen Angel evince a stylishly camp sensibility.  A gay visitor who is planning on an extended stay in Cusco might patronize these establishments and could, over time, use his gaydar to identify fellow gay men to socialize with. Options for lesbian travelers are more circumscribed, unfortunately, since there is an even greater machista resistance in Latin America to the acceptance of homosexuality in women than in men.  However most short-term travelers--gay or lesbian--will have to settle on enjoying Cusco for itself, not for any particular gay interest.