Ukrainian Gay Business

Commercial interests rarely take notice of gay people here and do not consider gay community as a group of potential consumers due to prevailing homophobia in Ukrainian business circles. New domestic businessmen made their capital on criminal or semi-criminal basis since the very beginning of market reforms in later 80s. Homophobia is extremely widespread in criminal circles, because anal sex between men in jail means traditionally very strong way of humilation. That's why even new Ukrainian businessmen who achieved their success later and have legitimate money have to follow the rules of avoiding gay segment in their businesses.

In recent times only two night clubs in Ukrainian gay capital of Kharkov have regularly been in business. Even in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, entertainment business aimed at gay audiences is far from stable. Various organizers attempted to fill the gay niche at various times. But organizers failed to unfold such business widely nor to hold their place in the niche for long. A discothec named "Rostok" (aka Big Boy Club) left the only gay disco there. Its owners do not try to publicize "Rostok" for the public - they disseminate information only through the gay people.

Evergrowing demand for gay venues in big Ukrainian cities leads the owners of local cafes and bars to serve gay public several evenings per week or to be more polite to the openly gay visitors. But the negative tendention is visible - allowing gay visitors to come to their venues the owners usually make the prices higher and the service worse. Although in other time they still serve straight visitors on highest level (because of competition with other public catering businesses).

In absence of real gay business in Ukraine the fake (or scam) businesses are springing up like mushrooms after the rain. Glaring example of scam gay business is so called Pride Card discount system. Once a year you buy this discount card for US$50 expecting to get discounts for gay businesses, but the only thing you can expect is discount for entrance fees to discothec with mixed public once per month, although any other evening in the same place the entrance fee is similar to its price with discount on that one "very special" evening.