Sixth edition - Curacao Pride 2018
United We Are One - Nafl. 10
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Oh My God I’m Gay!
Cool Woman
Shary An Nivillac is very proud of her Curacao roots!
Curacao Pride 2018
Great venues, tropical temperatures and 4 days full of events.
Nice Guy
Raymi Sambo has decided to be open about everything!
Editorial United We Are One In front of you is the sixth edition of The Pride Villager. The only gay magazine on Curacao that gives you all the information about LGBT life on the island and about the Curacao Pride 2018. By organizing the Pride events and publishing the magazine we strive to show you that you can be who you want to be and love who you want to love. Unfortunately, that is not obvious. We see the Curacao Pride grow in size year on year, and that is why we have decided to involve more locations in organizing the different
events. United We Are One is logically also the slogan of the Curacao Pride 2018. Together we can do more, together we are bigger and together we are stronger! In this edition of The Pride Villager, we will give you an overview of the upcoming events and will tell you all about the gay scene in Curacao. The theme of this year’s Pride Villager is the combination of being gay and religious. We hope that you will find this subject very interesting. The testimonies we will share with you will tell you all about their youth, religion and sexuality, and how they have handled these different aspects of life. We asked them questions such as: “How do you combine your sexuality and religion?” and “How does your family handle it?” I would like to thank everyone who helped us to make this new Pride Villager. Without everyone’s help, we couldn’t have achieved making this amazing magazine. We hope you will enjoy reading The Pride Villager and see you all at the Curacao Pride 2018! Marlous Molendijk Editor in Chief
Contents 10
Cool Woman
Shary An Nivilac: “It sounds very simple, but for some people it’s hard, even for themselves to tell who they really are. But I truly believe you should never be ashamed.”
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Oh My God I’m Gay
“God teaches us in his word that we need to love everyone the same way; we are all equal in his eyes.”
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Curacao Pride 2018
4-days filled with the best Pride events in the Caribbean
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Nice guy
Raymi Sambo: “I had earlier struggled with accepting myself. If you are from Curacao then you are aware of the world and what other people think.”
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Local artist Andre Nagtegaal:
“With the five paintings I show what I’ve experienced with other people who are gay or lesbian.” page
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Editor in chief: Marlous Molendijk Editor: Tom Hughes Ross, Nephtalie Demei and Esmee Bloemendal Photography and production: Marika Ringnalda Graphic design: 5 Colors Media
Contributed to this edition: Frank Holtslag Jurandy Regina Frank Hendriks Marinka da Fonseca - Roele Shary An Nivillac Raymi Sambo Dudley Ferdinandus Dagoberto Tavera Salazar Richardson Ignacio Lulu Mauris Andre Nagtegaal Publisher: Floris Suite Hotel, Piscaderbay Z/N, Willemstad, Curacao, Tel: +5999 462 6111 Editorial office and advertising: marlous@florissuitehotel.com
Copyright the Pride Villager The Pride Villager is a publication of Floris Suite Hotel. No part from this publication may be copied, used and/or made public by printing, photocopy, photo and video or in any other way without prior written permission from the publisher. It’s not allowed to include The Pride Villager in a reading portfolio without prior written permission from the publisher. The Pride Villager is not liable for any inaccuracies in this publication. The Pride Villager is not responsible for actions of third parties, which possibly result from reading this publication. The Pride Villager reserves the right to publish submitted material entirely or partially without giving notice in advance. Correspondence about results of competitions and/or special promotions is not allowed.
Gay Facts In 2017 the Curacao Pride Walk had 750 participants. In 2016 it was 250. Ellen DeGeneres was the first woman in Hollywood who publicly came out for her sexuality during her career.
Aruba is the only country in the Dutch Caribbean within the Kingdom of the Netherlands that performs registered partnerships. This gives partners almost the same rights as in marriage. Transsexual people are not a big deal in some cultures. In Hawaii being transsexual is considered an advantage.
Some residents of Curaçao use religion to justify being against homosexuality. However, even the Pope has said: “If someone is gay, is looking for God and wants to be good. Who am I to judge?” For the very first time a Caribbean head of government has spoken openly about the equal rights of the LGBT community. We are incredibly proud that that person was our Prime Minister Rhuggenaath who gave a passionate speech at the opening of the Curaçao Pride 2017! Homosexuality was officially taken off the international list of diseases on May 17th of 1990. That is why May 17th is The International Day against Homophobia. page
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Cool Woman
Shary-An Nivillac
The Curaçaoan singer Shary-An Nivillac became famous in the Netherlands after she finished the semifinals of the television program The Voice of Holland in 2010. At 18 years she was the youngest participant to get this far. In 2017 SharyAn was one of the Amsterdam Pride Ambassadors and sang the Amsterdam Pride anthem “I am what I am”. She has two albums to her name. Recently she launched her new album titled ‘Project Me’.
“I think you have to be who you want to be. Being gay should be okay in any culture. It sounds very simple, but for some people it’s hard, even for themselves to tell who they really are. But I truly believe you should never be ashamed.” Career “After I had reached the semifinals of The Voice, I started performing everywhere. Right after that my relationship ended and I was in slump for a while. I didn’t feel like doing anything and I partied the whole time. In the past few years things have been going well for me and my career is growing. I have my own band with a guitarist, a drummer, a bass player and a keyboard player. All of them are young and incredibly motivated to excel. The great thing about this band is that we all have the same drive, goals and positive attitude. Recently I got my own studio space in Delft. It’s in a warehouse and my father-in-law and my brother are going to convert it into a studio for us. My father-in-law is a real handyman. I just have to draw it out for him and he will build it. I am thrilled with this studio, it’s a great space where we come together and make awesome things.”
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Hit
Sexuality
“My music style is pure pop, with a lining of ska, and a hint of reggae. Producing a hit is our ultimate goal, but that depends on so many factors. You can’t just decide to score a hit. You can work towards it, but in the end, everything has to fall in place at the exact right time. Your style of music has to be popular right then, people have to know who you are, you have to have a certain measure of good will from certain people, have the right people around you and the timing has to be perfect.”
“I’d rather not label my sexuality. I see myself as a girl who likes girls. I do not like the sound of the word lesbian. To be honest I can’t even remember the exact moment of my coming out. We were somewhere, I can’t remember where, and I just said out loud that I liked girls. Nobody really reacted to the statement. I think my mother needed to process the information for a bit. Sometimes we have to give our parents time and space to digest that kind of information. I do, however, remember my aunt saying: ‘You’ll always be my lovely niece, it doesn’t matter whether you like boys or girl, I love you the same.”
Love “Nena and I have known each other for quite a while. I met her in the restaurant where I worked my first job as a waitress. I was at work and Nena and her parents came in and had dinner at the restaurant. After I finished my shift I joined them, and we had a fun conversation. We became friends. Every now and then I would see her, but not very often. Eventually she came to watch me perform. Both our relationships had ended shortly before and we stayed in touch. First as friends but soon we became romantically involved.”
Family “My in-laws are very important to me. They are like parents to me. I am grateful for their existence in my life and for everything they do for me. I have a good relationship with my 2 brothers. Often all of us will go out for a cozy dinner together. My brothers also have a good relationship with Nena and they are very proud of me. I love it when they tell me that my music gives them goosebumps. That is so sweet!”
Father “I wasn’t raised by both my parents. My dad left us when I was very young. I don’t remember many details, but that kind of experience shapes you. It made me a strong, sociable woman, and I’m practically unbreakable. I am very determined, when I love someone I don’t let go, but if you screw me, you’re out. Later on, I reconnected with my dad. I realized that I got my sense of humor and charisma from him. He’s extremely funny and has a talent for cooking. I really am very similar to him.”
Curaçao “My roots are definitely in Curaçao. Even if I wasn’t born here, I have a very special connection to the island and I always feel happy when I’m here. I make sure I come back at least every 2 years. The first thing I always do when I get here is go see my mother’s family. I drive up to the house, honk loudly and call out ‘Ta Shusha!’. When I was little I was given that nickname, because I ate everything. My grandma came up with it because it’s derived from ‘shushi’ which means garbage. When I’m here I only eat local food or at my family’s house. Preferably fish, like red snapper or dradu. Curaçao feels like coming home.”
Kids “In the future I would love to have kids. I would use parts of the Dutch and Curaçaoan culture in the upbringing of my kids. The Curaçaoan part would definitely be the fighter’s attitude. My mother always fought to get the best life she could for our family. Even though we had little money, she always made sure our needs were met. And from the Dutch culture I would incorporate talking freely about everything. It’s important to talk about things that bother you and it’s okay to be sensitive. Honesty is also high on my list. I want to teach my children to act upon morals and values.”
Puberty “When I was 13 I went to live in a children’s home. Being home just was not working out and at the time leaving was the best solution. The time I spent in that home affected me in a very positive way. My supervisors were the kindest people and the other kids were nice. I did see a lot of things there. A children’s home is not the ideal place to grow up in, but the structure and discipline worked out well for me. I finished school with decent grades and I look back with fondness when I think of my time there.”
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Favorites The Ritual of Karma The Ritual of Karma is a unique combination of body and sun care products. We want to take good care of ourselves and that’s why we love these products, in particular, the sun protection face cream. It protects your face from the sun while smelling really good! The body products combine the sweet, floral aromas of lotus and white tea and take really good care of your skin. In the combination we have a body cream, a shower foam, a shower scrub and a bed & body mist.
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Favorites Aloe Vera A favourite of ours directly from the island Curacao. Aloe vera is a plant species of the genus Aloe. It grows wild in tropical climates around the world and is cultivated for agricultural and medicinal purposes. The juice of the plant can be used as an aid for burnt skin. It is also included in a lot of cosmetics and drinks. In Curacao, CurAloe operates the Aloe Vera farm in Curacao. Ecocity Projects NV (CurAloe) is a dynamic company specialising in the cultivation, production & supply of a premium range of Natural & Organic raw Aloe Vera ingredients, and the manufacturing of the CurAloe cosmetic & health drink brand.
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Favorites Veuve Clicquot One of the most famous Champagnes in the world; Veuve Clicquot, drunk by nobles alike in the 1800’s, particularly in Europe. The well-known “Yellowlabel” has an intense burst of freshness and delicious aromas. These include: toast (brioche), vanilla and fruits (peach, Mirabelle plum, pear). The two opposing factors, strength and silkiness, are in perfect balance. Veuve Clicquot is featured in several films including the James Bond series. Bond drinks Veuve Clicquot in at least three movies: Casino Royale, Diamonds Are Forever and Thunderball.
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Favorites Craftsmanship is the key to all Buddha to Buddha jewelry. Whether it’s a ring, a bracelet or a necklace, each piece is the result of a long and meticulous process involving creative minds, infinite patience and very steady hands. The jewelry is wearable for men and women and that’s why it is our favorite! On Curacao you can find Buddha to Buddha jewelry at Freeport Jewelers.
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Frankee Young Adult
Frankee (Amsterdam) has never met a cookie that he doesn’t like, got a weird obsession with Ally McBeal and thinks that his cats are plotting to take over the world. You can find him on: Twitter: @FrankEElicious, Instagram: FrankEElicious, Facebook: HisHersOfficial
Photo by Willa Navarro
Getting older is strange. Growing up is even more strange. We might fool ourselves and everyone around us with injecting Botox and giving ourselves a facelift, but at the end of the day getting older is something we can’t stop. The weird thing is that even though I physically get older, mentally, everything seems to stay the same. I still wake up every day with the hope that I will receive an email that will change my life, but the only thing I receive are the confirmations from my ASOS orders. Getting up every morning used to feel like a new beginning of the day. Now, getting up feels more like an extreme sport and the same goes for parties. In the past, I wanted to stroll and walk around the room to greet everyone, but now I am doing my very best to avoid eye contact and conversations. I hide, duck and run past people like an anti-social ninja. Going out feels more like a parkour session lately, instead of a social occasion. It really is the little things in life that make me notice that I am becoming a dressed fossil. Like the last time I went to a club. I didn’t know any of the songs that were being played, but when En Vogue blasted through the speakers I started singing along whilst the younger kids had no idea to whom they were listening. Talking about girl groups from back in the day. Recently I spoke to an 11-year-old girl who said she was Beyoncé’s biggest fan. When I told her that I used to be a huge fan of Destiny’s Child, she looked at me and asked me what that was. I was offended, not only because I felt ancient at that moment, but also because I felt sad for Michelle Williams. The young generation already has no idea who she is.
Or at some random coffee shop pretending to write about his non-existing love life but he is actually spending money on crap he doesn’t need.
With age, you also have to pay attention to what you eat. I, a living trash can, thought I would never have to deal with the term ‘gaining weight’; it sounded more like a myth to me. But a few months ago, a Buddha belly suddenly grew. It makes sense if you actually put anything you want to eat in your mouth. With a lot of pain and effort I started running, exercising and tried to eat as healthy as I could. Now my goal is to become so fit and slim that some detox tea company will ask me to promote their product on Instagram. Not that something like that will ever happen, because who do I think I am? Kim Kardashian? Getting older isn’t all that bad though. It also has its advantages. It’s the small things you have to appreciate that makes aging not so bad. You are less concerned about what others think of you. You are more independent. You make stupid decisions, but you learn from it for a change. What I have learned and what has really opened my eyes, especially in this era where everyone is profiling so much on social media, is the following: people are not as happy as they appear to be and you are not as sad as you think you are. Give it time and I might age like a fine wine and give Yoda like advice to all the youngsters in the world. But for now, this young adult is tired and needs to take a powernap before he can face humanity again. Frankee
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Movies Call me by your name A young man named Elio, living in Italy during the 1980s, meets Oliver, an academic who has come to stay at his parents’ villa, and a passionate relationship develops between them, as they bond over their sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the landscape. Director: Luca Guadagnino Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer
God’s own country Johnny Saxby works long hours in brutal isolation on his family’s remote farm in the north of England. He numbs the daily frustration of his lonely existence with nightly bingedrinking at the local pub and casual sex. When a handsome Romanian migrant worker arrives to take up temporary work on the family farm, Johnny suddenly finds himself having to deal with emotions he has never felt before. Director: Francis Lee Stars: Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Gemma Jones
Women who kill Ex-lovers and current podcast partners Morgan and Jean get caught in a cycle of suspicion and paranoia when Morgan begins a new relationship with the beautiful. Jungermann wrote and directed this satire of modern relationships set in the Park Slope neighborhood of New York City. Director: Ingrid Jungermann Stars: Annette O’Toole, Sheila Vand, Deborah Rush
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Books The You I’ve never known By Ellen Hopkins For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire. Ariel and Maya’s lives collide unexpectedly when Ariel’s mother shows up out of the blue with wild accusations: Ariel wasn’t abandoned. Her father kidnapped her fourteen years ago.
Safe and Sound By Lucy Lennox and Sloane Kennedy Self-proclaimed playboy, Aiden Vale, has it all – good looks, successful career, plenty of cash in the bank and an endless supply of men who know the score… that one night is just that. So the last thing he wants, or needs, is to forge a connection that might mean revealing more of himself than he’s ready to. But when fate intervenes, putting Aiden in the path of someone who threatens to knock down his carefully constructed walls, he’s quick to realize the young man he’s become infatuated with is hiding a painful secret.
The heart’s invisible furies By John Boyne Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl (Cyril Avery) cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from - and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.
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Shocking Contrast Books Arjen Wientjes (1962) Born on Curacao, he moved to the Netherlands and after a while, came back to the island he loves. In the year 2000 he left Curacao again and he now returns a couple of months a year to write books. He couldn’t imagine a nicer place to do this because he enjoys the culture and the hospitality of the people of Curacao. He became addicted to the island but also to cocaine. In the meantime, his addiction is already far behind him. Besides his passion as a writer he is also the owner of a childcare in the Netherlands. His book shocking contrast takes place on his beloved island Curacao. You can experience all the hotspots of the book in 4D with the app: 4D WIENE. You can discover all the locations where the thrillers take place. You can also watch videos, listen to fragments and stay informed of current events. The app is only available in Dutch, however, all the Wiene thrillers are available as E-books in Dutch and English.
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Overview Sabine, a marketing and sales student, has come to Curacao as an intern at a real estate business. She finds herself receiving a warm welcome. Within the small family business everyone is incredibly close. The internship project suits her to a tee; promoting villas of a yet to be built project. Her target demographic are people over fifty. Her knowledge of modern media, such as Facebook and Instagram comes in handy. Despite the fact that the internship has only just begun, she is praised for her performance. Then, she meets Simone, a feisty bartender who shows Sabine around the island. They soon form a special bond, one that confuses Sabine, but also excites her. After some time, Sabine is ordered to help an older couple from the Netherlands during the purchase of a villa. The villa is to be their life insurance. Things seem to be going extremely well for Sabine. Until she is expected to do things she cannot get behind. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Should she join in the unforgiving game for the big bucks or will she listen to her conscience?
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Oh My God I’m Gay Religion is an important part of their lives. Their sexual orientation is who they are. Both are indelible in their lives, but the combination can sometimes lead to complicated situations. Four people share their stories about how they manage prejudices, the meaning and opinions of others and about how they think God sees them.
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Lulu Mauris Oh My God I’m Gay
Lulu Mauris (46) is a raised catholic, an IT analyst and is attracted to women. Every Sunday I’m going to the church even though I’m not raised strict religious. Back in the day I didn’t go to church with my parents but with my neighbours. Since I was seven years old I was going to Sunday school. I found out that I was gay very young but I never told my parents. When I lived with my sister in the Netherlands when I was 14, my sexuality became much stronger. In the Netherlands being gay was much easier that time. I didn’t have to tell my parent that I was gay, because they just knew. My parents accept me and there have been no problems about my sexuality. People say I don’t live like the bible says I should. But I always think, if God wants to change me, there is a time he does change me. If he doesn’t want me to be this way, he will change it. God made me like this and that’s why he will love me. I’m going to the church because I want to be a better person. I don’t do everything what God says I should do, but I try to do the as much as I can. People think you have a choice if you want to be gay or not but it doesn’t work that way. Some people even ask me why I’m going to the church. The say I don’t have to go to the church because I don’t live by Gods rules anyway. In church, you don’t only learn about your sexuality but also about a lot of other things like standards, values and that you can’t hurt others. Nobody can take away my relationship with God. I want to share my love for God with the person I share my life with. For me it is important my life partner is religious. She doesn’t have to go to church every Sunday but I can’t live with someone who says that God doesn’t exist. It doesn’t matter where she believes in, but she must have faith in something. I had a relationship for 9 years with a woman who did not go to church when we first met. However, after a couple years, she started to go to church with me and was even baptized. We do not have a relationship anymore but I see at my church every Sunday and we are
still good friends. A long time ago, I opened a gay bar in Curacao together with my business partner. It has been closed for a couple of years because unfortunately Curacao wasn’t ready yet. That was very disappointing because there was finally a place where gay people could be themselves. These days’ gay people can be more themselves on the island. If people are demonstrating against the gay walk like they did in 2017, I think they should demonstrate against gambling in a casino and against selling liquor in the stores. Because according to God these are sins to. If people are demonstrating to this kind of things I will go with them demonstration against the gay walk. But only if they demonstrating these kinds of things to. With the pride walk we only celebrating that we can be ourselves on Curacao. There are a lot of Caribbean island where people can’t be themselves on the street. We don’t want to show we are gay. We just want to show everyone we are happy that people accepting us who we are. There are a lot of young people on Curacao who are afraid to tell they are gay. I didn’t go through this when I was young so I can’t know how they are feeling. What I do know is they feel unhappy and trapped. I hope the government will open a point of contact again. Once we had one on the island but I don’t know what happened to it. I think Curacao is desperately needing it. If you don’t want to be discriminated because of your skin color or because the kind of work you do, don’t discriminate others because of their sexuality. I know for sure if we don’t do this anymore, we are standing much stronger on this beautiful Island.
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Dagoberto Oh My God I’m Gay
Dagoberto (47) was born in the Dominican Republic and until two years ago, has lived there his entire life. He now lives in Curacao. My family is very religious. I was brought up strongly catholic including everything that comes with it, for example communion. My family brought me up to fear God, but I have never been afraid. We respect anyone with another religion. My family is becoming more aware of the changes in the world, including how people deal with certain situations. More must be done but there is at least room for acceptance. I only realised I was gay when I was in my twenties. At that time, I was bi-sexual, having relationships with both men and women, however, lately I realised that I only like men. Now I don’t have any more relationships with women. My family saw more women than men. It was then that I realised I needed to be myself and live my life. You must do what your heart says and, so I did. It is not good to live with regret, so I decided to follow my heart. My parents know that I am gay. My family wants me to be happy. My family support me in everything, no matter who I am and whom I love. I have no problems combining my religion with my sexuality. I will always believe in God and will always go to church. This is the way I deal with my religion: I am who I am, and no one can stop me being happy. In my culture this is the point: God created man in his own image and loves everyone for who they are. You will hurt someone if you create a problem about who they are. The annoying people are those who are prejudiced; Who are they to judge others? God has created everyone just as they are. There are no set rules about how you must be as a person. People must respect that everyone are who they are. There is a definite difference between Curacao and the Dominican Republic where I am from. In the Dominican Republic, when people see you they judge you. In Curacao, it seems people talk more about you behind your back, but you don’t feel that. I feel a greater freedom to be myself; I can wear what I want, and people won’t think twice about who I am. In that way I find Curacao to be more modern. Being gay, I can lead a better life here in Curacao than back in the Dominican Republic. Everyone has the right to be who they are and still follow their religion. Those of different beliefs have no right to judge anyone. God asks that we love him, ourselves and others. That is life’s mission.
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Richardson V. Ignacio Oh My God I’m Gay Richardson V. Ignacio (34) was born and raised on Curacao, he is religious and gay. God means everything to me. From the moment I awake he is important to me, because I can breathe, I can walk, my eyes can enjoy the beauty of nature and my voice and soul can praise Him above all. God is all important to me. My parents did not raise me to be religious. They went to church every Sunday, but it was not obligatory that I went; I was never forced to go with them. I loved to read the bible at a young age. My mother always stopped me from doing it, because she told me I would become crazy from reading it. I was raised by both my parents until they moved me to a boarding-house at a small village on the west side of Curacao called Soto. I was 12 when the boarding-house introduced me to church attendance. Every Sunday and during the week I attended the mass service at Westpunt. I continued to do so until I was 16, when I left the boarding-house. At the age of 14 I came out to the world that I am gay. Living in the boarding-house with only guys meant I was having sex with guys. That was my reality and I enjoyed it. When I was 20 I confirmed to my mother about being gay. Her reaction was not positive. My friends and some family members accepted me as I am and they showed me support. All my bi-sexual and gay friends supported me a lot. When I started to attend the Christian church, the elders knew about me being gay and were ok with it. However, the so-called brothers and sisters of the church used to judge all my actions, especially when they saw any behaviour resembling flirting with a man. One of the most uncomfortable situations I found myself in was that I had to live a double life because according to the church law I had to repress my sexual need. I had to live a life which pleased God and sex was not
allowed by the church and especially if it was with another man. I could not live by this law because I love sex and have my needs. So I lived this double life in church and it was very stressful for me in many ways. This is one of the many reasons I left the church; it was too much to handle. I don’t have any problems with my sexuality when it comes to God. It’s given to me by God so I enjoy it with great respect to myself and the person I choose to share this with. God teaches us in his word that we need to love everyone the same way; we are all equal in his eyes. No matter if you are LGBT you have the right to be loved, it is a law of God. No church member has a right to change anyone’s life style or who they are. Those church people are all fake and that is my opinion about them all. When they point one finger at me, 3 other fingers are pointing back on themselves. You may be a church member, but you have no right to change anyone. You need to respect them. God will change any human being in his time and way.
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Dudley Ferdinandus Oh My God I’m Gay
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Dudley Ferdinandus (50) was born on Curacao and was raised Catholic by his parents. I found out about my sexuality when I was thirteen years old. I fell in love with the son of our neighbor. This was my first crush. He felt the same and we had a relationship. I knew I was different then my brothers while our raising was the same. My father died when I was twelve years old and from then my life was very different. I had to take care of my family so I was mainly studying and working. In this time, I got more interest in religion and I was a part of a youth group in church. There was a girl in this group who was in love with me but she didn’t know I was gay. I had a relationship with her for a while to find out if I can get feelings for a woman. But I couldn’t, I didn’t feel anything for her at all. When I was fifteen years old my mother thought, it was time for me to live my youth. First, I finished school
and after that I went to the seminary in Trinidad because I wanted to become a priest. Before I went, I told the bishop I was gay and he asked me one question: “Can you deal with your sexuality? Then you can come.” I was very aware of me sexuality and I went to the seminary. I couldn’t come out with my sexuality even when it was hard for me. After years of studying theology in the seminary I came to decision of leaving. With a religion, you holding on to rules which, at some point, will make you a judgmental person. When I came back from seminary I lived with my family in Curacao again. I wanted to tell them I was gay. I said to my mom I had to tell her something, but she said: “Son, I’m going to make this easy for you, are you gay?” When I admitted, she said: “live your life and remember that you have a family who’s always there for you! Promise me one thing. I don’t want to see you on high heels with dresses and lots of make-up.” My sexuality is a part of my religion. Sexuality is who you are as a person and I use it in my own way. Why should I follow a religion which only talks about god and about evil things while it doesn’t lead to something that is important to me? For example: love, relationships with people, accept everyone as who they are and giving everyone a chance to show their religion the way they want. At that moment, I said: “I quit with religion.” I am a spiritual man and I believe in god. That is the philosophy of life and with that philosophy I build my life from that moment. Because of that relationship with god I became more aware of myself with my own reality. I do this with the people around me, my relationship and the way I show myself to other people. Because, someone is more than just gay. I do for other people the same as I do for myself. What I give to the universe will come back to me. If I give love to other people, it will come back to me. If I give hate to someone, it will come back to me. I see god as a ghost, a friend, a father, a person who I love, a person where I can cry and who I can talk to. I think some people make a misconception about the sexuality of people. They only look at what happens in the bedroom but not to the person self. If people look to us, they can see we are normal persons and we aren’t different from them.
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Pride Report 2017 Our Pride is Alive!
Photo by Hans van Leeuwen Ilse visited the historical Curaçao Pride and reported back to us.
The sound of the sea and the welcoming little rainbow flags make me feel at home right away. For the next few days this will be my own little gay paradise. The Curaçao Pride 2017 takes place from the 27th of September until October 1st. Floris Suite Hotel is hosting the event and is also the operator of this beautiful private beach. Five years ago, a section of the management of the Floris Suite Hotel started organizing the Curaçao Pride. ‘From Brionplein you can see the Queen Emma Bridge which has been decorated with rainbow flags. It is an thrilling sensation, almost idyllic.’ Pride Walk and Opening Concert A group of about 750 people gathers at the Riffort. From there the impressive parade of people and rainbow colors starts. The group crosses the Queen Emma Bridge and ends up in the Wilhelminapark. There the Curaçao Pride 2017 is opened by Eugene Rhuggenaath, the prime minister of Curaçao with a historical speech, according to the organizers of the Pride. It is for the first time in the history of the island that a prime minister speaks so clearly about the rights of the LGBT community. He calls himself the prime minister of all the people of Curaçao. ‘regardless of their skin color, background, income, faith, and yes, their sexuality. ‘I can freely walk down the street, proud of who I am and the people who I love: My wife and my family. Who am I to judge others who are proud of who they are and who they love?’, says the prime minister. The crowd cheers and applauds his boldness as he closes his speech. A touching moment for many standing around me. Before this I was never this aware of the importance of pride. After this official opening the party begins.
Navigaytion Sea Parade The rainbow flag waves proudly on the mast of the catamaran of Blue Finn Charters. With the Handelskade in the background this is the ultimate Caribbean ‘gay sight’. At 12.00 pm we board for a full-service cruise. A well-equipped bar, a delicious barbeque and the great DJ N3NA. By the time we leave the dock with our hands in the air the party is in full swing: We are Proud! Everywhere we pass, people are waving at us from the docks and the coast. After an hour of sailing and a couple of drinks and dances, the crew drops the anchors into the clear blue water. We are at a beach that is only accessible by sea. An array of floating devices is thrown into the water. People jump into the water and the floating bar with cold cans of beer is doing its job perfectly. The White Party At 4.00 pm we arrive at the dock. There is not a lot of time to recover from the afternoon. At 8.00 pm the famous ‘White Party’ starts at the poolside of the Floris Suite Hotel. Everyone is beautifully dressed in white. There is even a ‘Best Dressed Contest’ with none other than Miss Curaçao as part of the Jury. This is the biggest party of the Curaçao Pride and it goes on until late. I leave around midnight. Tomorrow I’m going to the beach party, the closing of the week and I don’t want to miss it. Beach Party While on my way to Moomba Beach, where the party is being held, I ponder. Absolutely everyone in the community should attend this Pride event. This is a Pride that makes you realize how proud we should really be. It is the perfect setting to be grateful for all the wonderful people I met during this Pride Week. I am in awe of this experience.
‘I can freely walk down the street, proud of who I am and the people whom I love: My wife and my family. Who am I to judge others for who they are and who they love?’ page
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Curacao Pride Walk 2017
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Curacao Pride Opening and Concert 2017
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Rainbow Lounge XL Pride Edition 2017
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Navigaytion Sea Parade 2017
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The White Party 2017
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The Beach Party 2017
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Nice Guy Raymi Sambo (46) Raymi was born on Curacao and lived on the island until he was twelve. He grew up in Suffisant. He now lives in the Netherlands, has done multiple acting jobs and also has his own theatre company. In 2017 Raymi and his crew played the show “Mijn (Bij)Vrouw� at the Floris Suite Hotel in Curacao. page
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Youth It has not always been nice in Curacao. The relationship between my Father and Mother was not always good. My father was very light skinned and my mother very dark. My father’s mother always thought that my mother was too dark. My Grandmother had a big influence in my parent’s relationship and it resulted in lots of trouble and arguments. This resulted in me moving to Holland with my mother when I was twelve. When I was 15 my mother left Holland because she was homesick for curacao and could not adjust to the dutch culture. As a kid I thought I understood why she wanted to go back. After I got over the fact of my mother not returning I went to live on my own and learn how to stand on my own two feet. Whenever I am in Curacao I drive past the house where I grew up. When my brother and I inherited the house, we wanted to redecorate it but it never happened. Now we have sold it and the new people have made it really nice. Homosexuality I always had the idea that no one should know that I was gay. After I was 39 years old it was made open to the public, but my friends and colleagues already knew. A few years ago, I was asked by journalists if I was gay, and, at the time I denied it. Now I will never deny that I am gay. When I would deny it to those who would ask, afterwards I felt horrible. I had the idea that I had lied to myself and I would call the person to rearrange the part of the interview about sexuality. Every time when I have an interview, they always ask about my homosexuality. I ask myself every time why this has to be mentioned and what the added value is. People don’t ask heterosexual people about their sexuality. I had earlier struggled with accepting myself. If you are from Curacao then you are aware of the world and what other people think. However, now I think “yes, this is how it is, the world can know it”. I am ambassador of the gay pride in Holland. Some people still don’t know that I am gay and think it is brilliant that the ambassador of gay pride is heterosexual. To me being the ambassador feels like some sort of healing process. Relationships On my 27th birthday I came to my sister’s house with a friend. I had never officially done the coming out of the closet thing. I said to my sister: “by the way, this is my boyfriend” and my sister’s response was to ask why I hadn’t said anything earlier. My response was to point out that she had never come to me saying that she was a heterosexual. With my mother leaving Holland and leaving me behind, I was left with a fear
of abandonment. I find it very difficult to let people come too close. I always get the feeling that they would also leave me. It is really hard for me and others to deal with it but it’s getting better. Theatre I used to give acting lessons. It was a difficult group where there was an anti-gay atmosphere. We spoke about it. I prepared my lessons, but in the end, we would talk about how their day had been, then the others had to re-enact the scenario so that they could reflect on their own behaviour. They were children from the ages of 15 to 17. I taught them to look to one another, to have respect for others, and to share their views about certain situations and what they could improve on. In the end, I got more out of it than I could have expected. Through theatre I created an environment in which all different people could be open and honest to each other. During my classes four people came out of the closet. Those lessons had been really good for me as well, I learnt a lot. I’ve always found it interesting to discuss subjects about humanity, the world we live in, clashes between cultures, and homosexuality amongst others etc. My interest is always how to make art from it. There are many taboo subjects in Curacao. I interviewed people in Curacao, Surinam and Holland. I wanted to see the similarities and differences. From these things, I make theatre which I find interesting. I also want to make a theatre piece with people in Curacao and Surinam, so I can leave something behind there. Every other year I make a show with a theme about homosexuality. Next year I will make a piece about four men who all have families of their own. The men come together to make love to each other. A lot of people view such a show about homosexuality as pornography but I only want to show the love that two people have for each other. I also once did a 48-hour film project. The film began with an intense and intimate kiss between two men. Simply a very beautiful and decent kiss. This film was a huge success because of how the film began. I have always wanted to take one of my shows to Curacao. It is different and exciting. Firstly, it was uncertain whether I could take one of my shows to Curacao because of funding taking so long. I don’t understand this because there aren’t many theatres on Curacao, it is certainly a step forward for the island. During my shows, I always feel responsible for everything because I am a real control freak. I look after my people and do anything for them. But if someone crosses the line then I am not so friendly anymore.
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The colorful paintings of Andre Nagtegaal 50 Years ago, I was born in Curacao. I’ve never lived somewhere else but I went to the Netherlands a couple of times and I have family in the USA. My whole family lives in Curacao, except for my daughter. She lives in Rotterdam in the Netherlands because she went to college there. I hope she will come back one day. I will always live in Curacao. My roots are here and that is also what I express in my paintings.
“My style changed over the years. It became more sophisticated. I call the people on my paintings ‘DjiDjii’s’.” The paintings show what I have seen in my life and what I’ve experienced. These are experiences I have with, for example, my grandmother and parents in my younger ages. I learned to paint at school but I have never had art training or something. At school, we had painting classes sometimes and this was also the only class I was good at. 10 years ago I created my own style and suddenly I started to sell my paintings. Before that time, I painted as a hobby but now my work is more unique. I often take funny themes and I put them on my canvas. I always begin to sketch with a pencil and sometimes it takes for months before I go further with it. The biggest project I have done was an exposition for Pink Ribbon. I made a series of twelve paintings. Every painting was representing a month. Every month shows what we traditional do in that month on Curacao. For example, the carnival in February and Christmas in December. They made a calendar out of my paintings and all earnings were going directly to charity.
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“With the five paintings I show what I’ve experienced with other people who are gay or lesbian.” My style changed over the years. It became more sophisticated. I call the people on my paintings ‘DjiDjii’s’. My paintings represent an eldery figure who watches over the children when the parents are at work. In Papiamentu, these figures are called Chichi’s. Marlous of Floris Suite Hotel had asked me if I would like to make some paintings to hang in the hotel during de pride. I said to her I was already thinking about making some LGBT paintings. I wanted to do this kind of paintings to show the people of Curacao how I see the LGBT community. I have my own opinion but I also live on Curacao and I know how the mentality is on the island. I’m not raised open-minded about the LGBT related issues. But as time passes by, I reflected for myself and became more open-minded. With this paintings I reflect my opinion and give people an opportunity to see it in another way. With the five paintings I show what I’ve experienced with other people who are gay or lesbian. In the paintings every DjiDji is smiling and is happy. For more information about the paintings and the prices you can inform at the reception of Floris Suite Hotel.
Solid love on solid wood This painting is made on solid wood. I did this to show people love is really strong, strong as solid wood.
Taken, but L or S?? This is the first time I show the world a nude painted by me. The painting doesn’t say if she is lesbian or straight. From the outside you can never see how a person really is like.
Sailing through troubled waters This painting stands for the struggles someone goes through when they come out. The painting shows a broken mast and steering wheel. They also brought their bag with their luggage. The luggage stands for everything they have been through and what they have to carry in their life. But you see they have come through the troubled waters because they are celebrating with Green Rum. This is traditional Curacao rum.
Grandma Dika’s knitted hart for a loved one Dika is the name of my grandmother. She’s not looking like this DjiDji in the painting but she knitted a lot. Giving people her knit works, was her way to show her love. I learned that grandmothers are usually the first ones who accept something. Dika is knitting a Rainbow heart for the LGBT community on the painting.
White candle As a kid I went to Bonaire with my family. We stayed in a house which has the toilet outside. So, at night we had to go to the toilet on a jar like in the painting. In this painting, you see my experience from years ago in a funny way and the ignorance I had when I was younger. The white candle in the painting stands a symbol for peace.
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Moms to be
Within six months, it was our turn at the hospital and I got pregnant. We’re expecting our first child together. For me, it truly feels like together. The process of ‘making’ a baby is, naturally, far different from how it goes with straight couples. It has some advantages, though. We weren’t obliged to have sex while I ovulated, for instance. And we know the exact time and date of conception, which makes determining the due date easy. We laugh about it sometimes. We’re having a son! We’re going to have a boy around the house soon, wow! He is so very welcome. By the time this column is published, he will be three months old. I hope by then I’ll already have gotten used to dirty diapers and sleepless nights. Sometimes I worry about doing everything right. Can I teach a boy everything he should know in life? Can I give him all he needs? But doesn’t every new mom ponder about these things?
Marinka (32) is married to Lot (32). She works as a DJ (rebelle020), producer, performer and dance teacher. With her production company RebelTape, she organizes deep underground events in Amsterdam called ‘Lawless’.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a mother. One and a half years ago, we decided to go for it. There will always be enough reasons to keep postponing. We love to travel, I want to go to bed at 7.00 am instead of getting up at that time and lack of money could be a problem. But once we made our decision, all those reasons and irrational fears instantly faded. So, we went for it. Then what? It quickly became clear that we got ourselves into a journey that would ultimately bring us closer to each other. We considered, tried and emotionally experienced all possible options. Shared parenthood, a donor we know, or one we don’t know, there are countless possibilities. In the end, it was about choosing the way that worked best for us. And after an emotional rollercoaster of intimate conversations and disappointments we chose to go for an anonymous sperm donor. This journey is meant for the two of us: No third party involved.
“A child needs a mother AND a father”, you hear that all the time. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. There are a lot of single parents, broken homes and divorced families in the world. They manage perfectly fine. But in those cases, no one ever asks that question. I think a safe home is what a child needs most. The shape or form does not matter, as long as there are parents who love them. A place where they feel safe and cared for with space to grow and develop. I never worry about raising him, even though I know it’s going to be the hardest thing I’ll ever do in my life. And no, I don’t think I know everything. In fact, the little man will probably teach me quite a lot. I can’t wait. I have faith in us as parents, as brand-new mommies and as partners in life. With Lot, I am ready for this adventure. I don’t know what the future will bring us. But no-one ever really knows; you don’t have to be a gay couple for that. Marinka
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Gay Welcoming Places Playa Porto Mari Playa Porto Mari is a secluded natural bay in Williwood surrounded by untouched nature. The lovely white sandy bay with calm water is conveniently facilitated with a lounge chair rental, beach bar, restaurant, restrooms, parasols, a dive shop, a boutique and you can even book a massage. Showers, changing rooms and lockers are provided; all to make sure you will have no worries at all (at least for a day). Our reef is widely considered as one of the best dive sites of Curacao due to our Reef ball project and our unique double reef. Discover it by following two snorkel trails that lead swimmers past turtles, octopuses, rays and various tropical fish. Porto Mari Sports rents out all sorts of gear and offers anything from an introduction dive to a full course. Tan when
you can, do some resort wear shopping at our cute boutique ‘JackieMari’, have lunch in our restaurant or enjoy our famous pink sunset. Open daily: 9.30 am - 6.30 pm Address: Plantages Portomari, Willibrordus Tel: +5999 8647558 www.playaportomari.com Facebook: PortoMariBeach Instagram: PortoMariBeach Instagram: JackieMari.curacao
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Gay Welcoming Places The Water Club
Enjoy an unrivalled wellbeing and lifestyle experience with a diverse range of massages, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi, designed to meet your needs. The Water Club Spa is located at Floris Suite Hotel and is free to use for all hotel guests. The spa is daily open for both men and women between 9am and 6pm. After 6pm the spa is open for men only. The spa also welcomes guest staying at other accommodations and local residents. It is possible to purchase a day pass or a partial day pass and enjoy all the spa facilities. On Sundays the spa is very popular amongst the
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local crowd and makes it the perfect spot to relax, have a drink at the pool bar and meet new people. Open daily: 9:00 pm – 11.00 pm Men only hours: Fridays and Sundays from 6pm Address: Piscadera Bay z/n, at Floris Suite Hotel Tel: +59994626111 Website: www.florissuitehotel.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewaterclubcuracao
Gay Welcoming Places Moomba Beach Life is Dushi at the beach! Moomba Beach Club offers an exclusive destination for sheer relaxation in the tropical sun. At Moomba Beach you’ll find yourself at one of the most astonishing spots of the island. It’s even more special, because it’s one of the first gay friendly beaches in the Caribbean. The tranquil, palm-ringed cove overlooks a white sand beach, a bright blue sea and warm gentle surf. On the beach you’ll find comfortable lounge chairs and large umbrellas for a perfect day of basking, lounging and relaxing. Discover the utterly beautiful underwater world with the snorkels that are available to you. A perfect start of your day: a nourishing breakfast, soft morning sunbeams and your feet in the already warm white sand. In the afternoon Moomba prepares the tastiest lunches with savory flavors. Watch the sunset into the see with a luscious cocktail and cheers to this perfect paradise. Open daily: 7:00 am – 8:00pm Breakfast, Lunch, Sunset Snacks. Address: Piscadera Bay z/n Tel: +5999 462 6111 Website: www.florissuitehotel.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ moombabeachclubcuracao
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Gay Welcoming Places Karakter Elevated beach experience Looking for shade, palm trees, clear blue water, great food and drinks and a unique relaxing atmosphere? Stop searching! During daytime Karakter offers the perfect beach experience with comfortable lounge chairs, cushions, hammocks a lot of shade and the best service. Ocean front restaurant We call it restaurant service on the beach!! Next to that you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch in our stunning ocean front restaurant. With your feet in the sand or comfortable on our elevated terrace, the choice is all yours. Dining on the beach During night time you can enjoy a lovely dinner in our restaurant. We serve a wide selection of quality dishes for the whole family. A limited selection of sea front tables on the beach are available. Reservations are highly recommended for this section.
Sit back, relax & enjoy Karakter... www.karaktercuracao.com Facebook: karaktercuracao Instagram: karaktercuracao Tel: +5999 8642233
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Gay Welcoming Places Koraal
Luxury pool experience During daytime Koraal offers a high end luxury pool experience with quality cocktails, natural fruit drinks and a variety of lunch dishes to share or not to share. We have great lounge corners with sea view all around and a salt water swimming pool with luxury loungers and lots of shade. Elevated bar food At night time Koraal is the perfect place for a drink at our large bar area. Let our bartenders make you a cocktail or have draft beer or a wine from our wide wine selection. Enjoy delicious bites & elevated bar food dishes, like the juiciest Burger on the island, a mouthwatering Surf & Turf salad or a delicious Koraal Taste Platter to share. We are located right on the roof of Karakter at Coral Estate… Open daily from 10AM - 10PM Coral Estate, St. Willibrordus koraalcuracao.com Facebook: koraalcuracao Instagram: koraalrooftop
Discover it yourself… You’re welcome at Koraal… page
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Gay Welcoming Places Tomatoes Tomatoes, Pizza at the beach, is the perfect spot to enjoy a laid-back dinner; a unique and charming pizza restaurant with excellent thin crusted and tasty pizzas, 100 % homemade with fresh ingredients. Open Monday through Saturday: 4:00 pm - 10:30 pm Sunday: 12.00 pm - 10.30 pm Happy Hour: Fri, Sat, Sun 4:00 pm Address: Piscadera Bay z/n, next to Pirate Bay Tel: +59994610152 Website: www.tomatoescuracao.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TomatoesCuracao
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At our tropical waterfront bar, the bartender will make you feel right at home. Sipping refreshing cocktails and enjoying the beautiful ocean view is close to island perfection.
Gay Welcoming Places Pirate Bay
Beachclub and restaurant Pirate Bay at Piscadera This little gem is located on the picturesque natural Bay of Piscadera. Relax on our beach with sandy toes, salty kisses and the most beautiful sunset
Open daily: 8:30am – 11:30pm Daily happy Hour: 5:00 pm Address: Piscadera Bay z/n, next to the Hilton Tel: +5999 4610183 www.piratebaycuracao.com Facebook: piratebay.piscaderabay
imaginable. End the day with a romantic candle light dinner under the stars, while enjoying a variety of local and international dishes. Friday’s we start of the Weekend-Fun, swinging with live music during happy hour and on Sunday we jam on the beats of live Reggae. At Pirate Bay, fun and romance go together like sunshine and rainbows.
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Gay Welcoming Places Papagayo Beach Club One of the trendiest hotspots on Curaçao with a large infinity pool and an enticing white sandy shoreline. From sleek lounge areas to beautiful design furniture there are plenty of spots to bask in the sun. Throughout the day the beach bar team will keep you hydrated as you work on your tan. The club’s restaurant serves casual beach fare. Besides the tasty weekly specials enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner while indulging in the spectacular scenery of the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Tuesdays and Friday nights are filled with live music to cheer on your best dancing moves. Saturdays and Sundays the DJ will make sure to turn afternoons into beach lounging bliss.
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Gay Welcoming Places Papagayo Beach Hotel Located in the vibrant Jan Thiel area, adjacent to Papagayo Beach Club this sprawling property looks out over the glittering Jan Thiel Bay, its manicured grounds in colorful contrast against its clean, white lines. The modern designed hotel has several outbuildings situated in a luscious tropical garden and a main building with an open air lobby and a colorful reception. Spacious design hotel rooms at a dream location overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at Papagayo Beach Club, cool down in the beachfront pool
or take a dip in the salt water infinity pool. In for some shopping? The Papagayo Beach Plaza is a versatile shopping center with an array of boutiques for clothing, shoes and gifts. It also houses several restaurants and bars, a large gym, a contemporary spa, a classy casino, a dive shop, car rental companies and even a well stocked supermarket. At your service 7 days a week within walking distance. This beach hotel truly is your one-stop-shop destination.
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Gay Welcoming Places Celeste Beach Bar at Hilton Curacao Let us pamper you at Celeste Beach Bar
For reservations during Pride week, beach parties or weddings do not hesitate to contact us at Eloi.williams@hilton.com.
Celeste is the perfect place to relax and enjoy exotic cocktails and delicious wines after a swim in our warm turquoise Caribbean waters or infinity swimming pool.
Opening times: Monday, Thursday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
The cuisine of Celeste is centered around coastal living with a focus on use of local and daily fresh ingredients. Our Executive Chef Iwan Hok-a-Hin recently created a new menu with a combination of authentic Latin and Caribbean specialties with a unique culinary twist. Celeste beach bar is the ideal spot to recharge and indulge in our Steak & BBQ nights with a live grill and entertainment. Enjoy the greatest sunset of Curacao here at Hilton. With your feet in the sand or on our beautiful terrace, it’s up to you! We are here to make your experience unforgettable.
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Adress: John F Kennedy Boulevard 2133, Willemstad, Curacao Tel: +5999 462 5000 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HiltonCuracao/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiltoncuracao
Gay Welcoming Places Saint Tropez Ocean Club
Welcome to Saint Tropez! Saint Tropez Ocean Club, a vibrant peace of paradise nearby the center of Curacao. The panoramic ocean view makes this a memorable and amazing place to visit. Whether it’s to eat, drink, meet, swim, sunbathe or even vacation in the boutique hotel; Saint Tropez Ocean Club is a ‘Must visit’. Weekly high lights: Mondays: Sushi & Cocktail Night! Besides the regular menu, there is also a Sushi menu on Mondays and specials on the Cocktails.
Wednesdays: All Spare Ribs you can eat for just Ang.39 per person, and a Coca Cola on the side. Fridays: Lounge Saint Tropez! 2 happy hours; from 6 to 7pm all around and from 9 to 10pm on bar orders. Our DJ’s start playing at 9pm, with the nicest trendy lounge and deep house music till 1am. Saturdays: Mojito Saturday! Various Mojitos for only Ang. 10! Mojito + fried cheeseballs for only Ang. 22!
Saint Tropez Ocean Club Enjoy the quality of life!
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Gay Welcoming Places Villa L ´Orangerie Villa L’Orangerie apartments is a beautiful, tropical getaway. Several elegant and spacious apartments overlook a manicured tropical garden that surrounds a big swimming pool. Guests will find tranquility within the beautifully landscaped grounds. Tropical flora and local fauna provide a restful environment to escape the outside world. Villa L’Orangerie apartments is centrally located on the island; 5 mintes by car from Floris Suite Hotel & Spa, the airport and the historical downtown of Willemstad. Nearby you can explore the most popular beaches including: Blue Bay, Kokomo beach, Playa Porto Marie and Moomba Beachclub. Because we wish to offer our guests the utmost in luxury and comfort within a tranquil and natural setting, we cannot accept children under the age of 18 years. The property is gay-owned by Sjaak and Marcel and represent Dutch hospitality; coziness, warmth and the finest service during your stay in our apartments. Please contact us on info@villalorangerie.nl for a special offer (apartment and car) during the Gay pride in september
Address: Rondeweg 15, Julianadorp Tel and whatsapp: +5999 6608454 www.villalorangeriecuracao.com Facebook: VillaLOrangerie
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Gay Welcoming Places Caribbean Sea Sports Curacao We like to think of ourselves as the Curacao Dive Shop with personality. Once you visit us we will make you feel at home and part of our team from day one! We are proud to say that a large part of our guest base is repeat guests. This is not only because of our fantastic location, top notch boats and equipment, high safety record and professional service – but also we care! We are here to make your experience with us the enjoyable you’ll ever have.
Open daily: 8am – 5:30 pm Address: JFK Boulevard z/n (Hilton Hotel) Tel: +5999 4622620 www.caribseasports.com Facebook: caribbeanseasports Particularities: private charters available
Experience our passion!
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