Cape Town's Gay Scene: The Good and Bad

First Impressions: Cape Town’s Gay Scene

I always knew Cape Town was the gayest city on the continent of Africa and the country of South Africa, but I hadn't actually formed any expectations.

Prior to our arrival, my friend forwarded me a calendar exploding with events for Pride month, which happened to overlap perfectly with our stay in Cape Town; our last weekend would even be the Pride parade and related parties. We went in with a relatively open mind and would just see how it went.

First Taste of Gay Cape Town Nightlife at Pink Candy

Our first taste of gay nightlife was in the form of a club called Pink Candy, located at the edge of the Central Business District (CBD). It was unfamiliar in every sense, from the over-the-top decorations, to the super camp music, to the cleaners immediately mopping the floor next to you if even a drop of your drink fell to the floor while you danced.

The crowd was incredibly sexy, but I noticed a much more reserved quality to the people that I don't see as much in Europe, from the higher amount of clothing to the nervous body language. You can tell that people wanted to talk and strike up a conversation based on the glares, but seemed apprehensive to do so.

Even so, Pink Candy is a fun place to dance to nostalgic hits until 4 am, long past the closing time of most other places.

Midweek Drinks at Café Manhattan

Midway through the week, we met up with a new friend at a place called Café Manhattan (or just Manhattans) in De Waterkant, an area known for being the gay haven of Cape Town. The place served up some nice cocktails (go for a brandy and coke 🙃) and food and was a good place to make up for the lack of conversation we had at Pink Candy.

Manhattans is the place to be when you want to have a mid-week drink or get your weekend started, as it closes relatively early. Overall, it had pretty good vibes and I stopped by a few more times during my trip.

A Small Community

As the days went on, we began to realize just how small the community was, often seeing people that we had seen in Pink Candy or Manhattans around town, especially at the gym. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, as it was easier to make connections this way. I can imagine it is a bit different if you are local, as it is difficult to be discreet around town when you are constantly bumping into one another 😏.

The Buddies Street Event: A Cramped Reunion

At one point, we ended up at a street event called Buddies, where it seemed like the entirety of the Cape Town gays were rammed together in a few square meters.

The men were gorgeous, but often grouped together. Fabio and I tend to always be a bit awkward at big events, but with a little of alcohol, we eventually broke through the courage barrier and got chatting to some friendly people.

We were definitely happy when our girls showed up to alleviate the awkwardness we initally felt at the Buddies event.

Zer021: A Welcoming Space for All

I think my favorite place had to be Zer021, which gave inclusiveness vibes all around. Here gays, lesbians, bis, queers, and more from all backgrounds co-mingled together and watched some hectic drag performances.

The club was tiny, but it gave off the community vibe I love from any super progressive gay city.

Cape Town Pride: A Unifying Celebration

The weeks went by and Pride came around on our last weekend. We ended up at a friends place for pre-drinks and then made it to the party at Green Point, next to the stadium.

In a country blighted in discrimination in many forms, it felt like all the progressive optimists of Cape Town and the world, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, gender came together in a place and could laugh and dance and be themselves. I'll always remember when the rain started pouring (a first in my whole month in Cape Town) as the performances were happening and ultimately a double rainbow emerged through the clouds.

It was a beautiful event.

Obligatory pride kissing photo ❤️

Final Thoughts: Progress, Challenges, and Hope

So my overall assessment of the gay scene in Cape Town?

There is a lot of what makes Cape Town and South Africa memorable, and the gay scene is the cherry on top! Cape Town is a beacon of hope and progress on a continent riddled with homophobia. It is a relief to see that there is a safe-haven for the LGBTQ+ community that is only continuing to grow, and I think time will only continue to work wonders on the Cape Town gay world!

While this may be the freest place in Africa for gays to live, of course there is still a lot of homophobia and discrimination. One guy I spoke to at a random bar, blatantly said to Fabio and me that, "There is no place in South Africa for homosexuality." Hearing things like this are proof the scene has a long way to go before it can rival places in Europe, but that is okay.