I am not a big club person. I would much rather spend a Friday night drinking wine at home with my friends rather than going out. But one weekend, my friends finally convinced me that I just had to come to out with them, so I finally gave in. We made the trek over the bridge to the 7th district and stood in line for the club. I think it's kind of funny that this was the place my straight friends ended up taking me to, out of all the possible clubs in Lyon, we ended up at one with more queer men than straight men. Le Petit Salon is not generally marketed as a queer club, but I quickly discovered how queer-friendly it is once I was inside. There were a lot of 'older' young adults (mid 20s-30s) which made the club feel more sophisticated. Usually clubs are filled with 18 year-olds looking to party, so it was a nice change to have a more mature group of people. There was a main dance floor leading up to a DJ that was filled with people dancing, as well as multiple bars, an indoor smoking room, and another smaller dance floor. The music they played was not like other clubs; it was purely house music. I enjoyed it a lot more than other clubs I've been to because it felt like a very safe space for queer people. As a queer woman, I can typically quickly identify if the space I'm in will allow me to fully be myself. Sometimes there are situations where I know I wouldn't be able to hold my girlfriend's hand or show any affection towards her because of the place I'm in. It was pretty much the opposite case in Le Petit Salon. There were a lot of queer men dancing and having a good time. They were able to dress in more typically 'feminine' clothing without worrying what others would think, which is very different in comparison to where I'm from. In my hometown, we usually have to censor what we wear because it's a more conservative area. It was very refreshing to see queer people dancing and having a good time and being able to be themselves without worrying about what others would say or do. Additionally, I saw people using poppers for the first time in real life here. A lot of the guys were offering them to the people around them and trying to make it so everyone had an enjoyable time. I didn't personally partake, but it was interesting for me to observe this part of queer culture. The people at the club were friendly and were just looking to have fun, not start fights or bring any negative energy to the space. I've found that cis het men can sometimes bring a violent or entitled vibe to the club that nobody enjoys, so it was nice to be surrounded by guys who just wanted to dance. There were also a few quieter spaces to go to if you were tired of the music, like the indoor smoking room. I enjoyed this aspect of the club because it was less crowded and you could actually have a conversation with someone. I don't smoke cigarettes, but my friends do so we ended up in there a few times. We made a lot of friends that night. Although I did have a drink spilled on me on the dance floor, I still felt safer and more comfortable at this club than any others that I have been to. I would recommend Le Petit Salon to anyone looking for a queer-friendly place to dance and get drinks. The music was good and the vibes were great.
For my second visit, I thought it would be without justice if I didn’t visit any of the churches here in Lyon, questioning those space...
I fully agree with wanting to stay in with friends rather than going out to a club or a busy bar just to enjoy yourself for all of five minutes before calling it quits. I personally find it hilarious that your straight friends are the ones that 'forced' you to go out. They seem to know how to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves that night, given that it may have seemed like an ordinary bar from the outside, but was so very queer friendly as well as inviting to whoever wanted to be there, regardless of their sexual preferences when it comes to relationships.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've observed, the people here know what they want and what they want to do. If they want to go out and go crazy, clubbing is for you. If you want to hang out with friends or meet new people and talk for hours on end, the bars are for you. With that said, typically the younger end of our generation hit the clubs whereas the older side of our generation go to the bars.
When it comes to violence, I feel there is nothing to worry about while behind here in Lyon. In comparision to the states, we are just fine. We have no need to worry about the men with big guns or fights to break out in clubs/bars, or atleast not as frequently.
Overall, I agree that it feels so much safer to be here in Lyon, no matter the color, gender, or sexuality.
Hey, Cara!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad to hear that you enjoyed your experience at Le Petit Salon and felt comfortable
being yourself in a queer friendly space!. In this age it seems like such areas are becoming harder
to find, especially considering you’re from a more conservative area. I think I fall in similar
ways… Reno to me is like the Denver of Nevada, but we’ve also got a gigantic rural farming
community that shapes a lot of the politics in our county. I’d say we have a pretty conservative
culture too. With that said it’s great that you were able to let loose and enjoy the atmosphere that
gay bars can offer.
It’s also nice to hear that the crowd was more mature and focused on enjoying themselves
as opposed to strictly… partying. I can’t say that I’ve been to bars where I’ve witnessed physical
violence get exercised, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see. While I agree that cis het men can
bring violent/entitled vibes I think that’s a generalization that doesn’t really serve anyone… in
fact I think it’s a little alienating to say that. Regardless, the vibes you described at Le Petit Salon
come to reflect the values that we see in the LGBTQ+ community here in Lyon.
It’s interesting to see that you mentioned people using poppers for the first time at the
club. I think that’s hilarious.