The Unofficial LGBT Guide to Geneva

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Being LGBTIQ in Geneva

Depending on your background, you will have different views on LGBT-life in Geneva. If you've come from San Francisco or London, you'll probably find the city conservative and be surprised about how closeted many people still are in the twenty-first century. However, maybe you've come from somewhere where you couldn't be open about your sexuality and this will be the first place you've lived where you can truly express yourself. I would probably describe Geneva as a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" kind of city. There is stuff going on, there are lots of LGBTIQ people around, but people tend to be quiet about their sexuality and finding the door to the LGBT community may be a little hard at first. On the other hand, discrimination and LGBTIQ-motivated violence is not usually a problem. For its part, the Graduate Institute has its fair share of "out" LGB students and, while some students may have never met an LGBT person before, for the most part there are no problems being open. For the record, the age of consent in Switzerland is 16 for people of all sexual orientations. Registered partnerships conferring same-sex couples similar rights to married heterosexuals were introduced in 2007 and those with similar partnerships or marriages conducted outside Switzerland will be recognised as registered partners. Adoption is legal for single LGBT parents only. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation ("lifestyle choice") has been constitutionally prohibited since 1999, although there is no hate crime legislation at all in Switzerland and therefore crimes motivated by homophobia carry no extra penalties.

LGBT Organisations
Association 360 is an LGBT magazine of an umbrella of Suisse Romande LGBT organisations. Every couple of months or so, they organise clubbing events called Fever 360. The venue changes but they are usually very well attended with a wide mix of people and they are probably the best club nights in Geneva, gay or otherwise. Unlike certain other clubs, they do not have a ridiculous door policy, people actually dance and drinks are cheap. Entry costs 15-20CHF but it goes towards LGBT charitable organisations. Some events are also organised in Lausanne. http://360.ch/ and http://360.ch/fever/ Dialogai is Geneva's main LGBT advocacy and support centre. They run social events, advocacy activities, can give health and legal advice and they also have a bar/caf. The centre is located in Paquis. http://www.dialogai.org/ Rue de la navigation 11/13, CP 69, CH 1211 Genve 21 Tel. 022.906.40.40, fax 022.906.40.44, info@dialogai.org Got Milk? is glocals ex-pat LGBT group that meets every Thursday. They probably have a wider diversity of age groups than ThinkOut! and the lingua franca is English. http://www.glocals.com/groups/geneva/geneva-gay-lesbian-friendly-meetup-group.htm Lestime is an association of the Geneva Lesbian community. They undertake advocacy work in the areas of youth, law, health, politics and same-sex parenting as well as running a wide variety of social activities. 5, rue de l'Industrie, 1201 Geneva, http://www.lestime.ch Think Out is the student association for all LGBT students in Geneva. They organise social events and participate in awareness-raising and LGBT rights advocacy activities. In principle, they work in French but the leadership is very diverse so many speak English as well as German and Italian etc. Although it is not the largest of organisations, its still a good way to meet people. You can be added to their mailing list or join the facebook group. http://www.think-out.ch/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/20309659280

Totem Jeunes is an LGBT-and-their-friends youth organisation for 25 year-olds and under. It organises a variety of social activities and meetings. http://www.totemjeunes.ch/

Health
Sexual Health Note that because the Swiss health care system isn't public, sexual health checkups and all vaccinations are not provided free. If you have private health insurance, this may be at least partially covered but note that the results will therefore not be anonymous. Unfortunately, EEA citizens with a European Health Insurance Card have to pay the full price. However, UNIGE's Antenne Sant (Health Advice Centre) can provide you with a coupon for a free AIDS test at the hospital but you have to book an appointment with UNIGE. (Note that they are not medical staff, they are health advisers who can tell you everything you need to know about health issues.) For all contact info and to book an appointment online, go to: http://www.unige.ch/dase/sante/contact.html The Antenne Sant is located in the tudiant+ building, 4 rue du candolle, opposite UniBastions in Plainpalais. (Bus 1, Tram 12, 13, 14, 15, 17) Anonymous testing is available at the hospital for 50 CHF. Book an appointment here where you can also find detailed information in English, French, German and Spanish: http://www.testvih.ch/ You do not need an appointment in an emergency, just turn up during opening hours, Monday to Friday between 9.00-12.00 and 14.00-17.00. Hpitaux Universitaires de Genve , Consultation de dpistage anonyme, Policlinique de mdecine 24, rue Micheli-du-Crest (Take bus 5 or 1 to Hpital or bus 3 to Claparde) It is possible to obtain an anonymous appointment by telephone, at the number 022/372.96.17. Anonymous testing is also available for men who have sex with men at Dialogai's "gay-friendly" Checkpoint weekly drop-in clinic. It costs 50 CHF for those over 26, 30 CHF for those who are under and is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4pm to 8pm as well as Fridays from 12 noon to 4pm. 9 rue du Grand-Pr, Grottes TPG: bus n8 (Grottes stop), take the elevator to the third floor. 022 906 40 30 http://checkpoint-ge.ch/ info@checkpoint-ge.ch If you suspect you have been exposed to HIV, the Post-Exposure Prophylaxis has been shown as being effective at significantly reducing your chances of contracting the virus but treatment MUST BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND DEFINITELY WITHIN 72 HOURS. Note that it does cost 1400 CHF and, like all medications, is not 100% effective but is more effective the earlier it is administered. Treatment is given following an appointment, English-speaking doctors are usually available (and often German speaking ones too). During office hours from Monday to Friday between 8.00 and 18.00 , contact the HIV/AIDS department by calling 022/372.33.11 and asking pager no. 6858 444, or you can go to the Emergency (weekends and during the week after 18.00). If you come across someone who only speaks French, show him/her this: Je crois que j'tais expos au VIH et je veux parler avec un mdecin aussitt que possible. (I think I was exposed to HIV and I want to speak to a doctor ASAP.) The French word for HIV is VIH ("vay-ee-ash"), AIDS is SIDA (see-dah) and PEP is the same, ("pay-uh-pay") or prophylaxie post-exposition. Mental Health Blues Out are a Genevois LGBT mental health portal that give information (in French) and have useful links on all aspects of mental health issues for LGBT men and women. This includes information on depression, suicide, self-acceptance, violence and addictions. They also have a list of LGBT/gay-friendly

organisations that can provide support as well as a list of gay-friendly healthcare providers. Note that you can also contact Dialogai for information in this area - they also have a list of gay-friendly healthcare providers but do not publish it online. http://www.blues-out.ch/ http://www.blues-out.ch/pages/liste_medecins.php (Health Care Providers)

Entertainment
For entertainment, events and gay-friendly services, see Gay Map. http://gaymap.ch/city/geneve/?lang=en There are also listings in Association 360's magazine, 360, available at bars and gay events every two months. The biggest and best nights to be had are probably the ones organised by 360 every couple of months but most of the venues are not normally LGBT ones. http://360.ch/fever/ The main LGBT spots include: Le Phare - chilled out LGBT bar between the station and the river, hetero-friendly and not too expensive. 3, Rue Lissignol, 1201 Geneva http://www.le-phare.ch/ K-36 is a small LGBTIQ club in Paquis; free entry. 9, rue Richemont , 1205 Geneva http://www.k36.ch/ La Livresse is a lesbian-owned LGBTIQ bookstore with a caf. 5, rue Vignier, 1205 Geneva http://www.livresse.com/ La Garonnire is Geneva's "legendary drag cabaret." It's pretty pricey though, has a cover charge usually and a strict door policy on weekends. Still, if your Prince Charming is actually a prince... 4bis rue de la Rtisserie, 1204 Geneva http://www.lagarconniere.ch Les Recyclables is an LGBT-friendly second-hand bookshop-cum-caf that also holds occasional events in the evening. 53, rue de Carouge, CH-1205 Geneva http://www.recyclables.ch

Online dating
GayRomeo is probably the most popular free gay dating website in Switzerland for men looking for men. http://www.gayromeo.com/ Women looking for women might want to try L-pour-L although it is "semi-pay-for" and francophone. http://www.lpourl.com There is also a site for women in English and German called shoe.org which is from German-speaking Switzerland. http://www.shoe.org

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