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By Rick Martínez
While gay men boast a large and visible presence in Puerto Vallarta, lesbians often fly under the Gaydar. If Puerto Vallarta is so darn gay-friendly, where are the lesbians?
Oh sure, we can all probably point to a few lesbian sightings when Rosie O’Donnell’s cruise was in town. I also know two lesbian couples who own businesses in the Olas Altas area. And there is a sorta, kinda lesbian bar and restaurant, Buddha Lounge, on the outskirts of Old Town.
In fact, I think it’s telling that this oh-so-gay city’s only lesbian bar – though all orientations are welcome - is hidden by the river in Outer Emiliano Zapata in an area tourists might feel less secure strolling. And walking from the gay beach to Buddha Lounge you have to pass nearly a dozen bars that gay men call their own with varying degrees of acceptance for lesbians.
When I asked my favorite Vallarta lesbian why the friends of Rosie, Ellen and K.D. weren’t marking their territory in Old Town, she says it’s because they’re too busy camping in Yelapa and drinking on the beach in Sayulita. “Lesbians drink but they don’t like to spend their money at bars,” says Martha Dau, a Vallarta native. Then she playfully adds: “It’s not all about sex for us like with you gay men.”
Dau points to economic factors too. Many lesbians have children and therefore less discretionary income than gay men so they’re less likely to travel abroad. A Vallarta vacation can be prohibitively expensive if they want to bring the whole family. For a few years running, Dau and her partner held lesbian parties at gay bars in Old Town. But after the first two, attendance dwindled dramatically. “Everyone complained that the $120 Peso cover charge was too expensive,” she says.
Sylvie Scopazzo says she sees fewer lesbians in Vallarta now than when she first moved here from Canada 11 years ago. But like Dau, she points to lesbians’ desire for their own, private space. “Just the other night I was invited to a lesbian house party with women I call The Ranchera Girls. We listen to banda music and party at home but we don’t go out.”
There have been efforts over the years to compete during golf season with lesbian Meccas like Northampton, Massachusetts and Palm Springs, California. But the lesbian community’s reception has been tepid. Dau says a recent cultural festival for lesbians was expected to draw 300 women; 40 showed up.
Scopazzo says lesbians are also more apt to stay at all-inclusive hotels when they come to Vallarta so they aren’t nearly as visible as gay men.
Rick Martinez is tired of being gay in Vallarta and will be gay in California for the holidays. Please write him with comments or suggestions or just to say hello at Holachi@hotmail.com.
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