Answer from Dubai

• I have been living in Dubai since Jan 2008 and I am gay. Dubai is probably the most liberal in the middle east. BUT.....homosexual practices are illegal in the UAE. ie.....keep it to yourself.....or between your partner (partners????) and yourself. For the younger guys....you can find the popular clubs and it can be seen there. Though...not that overtly. There are rumors flowing about about police going undercover trying to entrap people....but hard to confirm this as this is not something that will appear in the media. It's a bit more difficult for us guys in our 40s......not so much into the clubbing scene. With expats being about 80% of the population....a gay man can adjust here (Dubai that is).
  
  Bahrain??? Hate commenting on something I know nothing about....but a friend visited there during September (Ramadan) and the newspaper advised anyone caught eating in public while the fast was on could face a year in jail. On that note.....I am kinda thinking that Bahrain will not tolerate homosexuality. Keep in mind it's Dubai's intense desire to attract tourists and the large number of expats here now that lends itself to being a little less strict on homosexuality.

  Ken 11 Oct 2008, 02:54 - Report

Being Gay in Middle East