"With its plain white walls and barred windows, the building in Moldova's capital, Chisinau, also offers a splash of color in thje sign with the bold pink lettering right above the entrance: Queer Cafe. "After we put it up above the entrance, all the threats came," Grigorita, the manager of the cafe, told DW. "But no," Grigorita said. "That sign is not going anywhere. It's the whole point of having a queer space in the city: It should be visible from the outside.""
"In fact, the name Queer Cafe is somewhat misleading. The venue is neither exclusively for queer individuals, nor is it a coffeehouse serving coffee and cake. The name stands for what people associate with cafes: a meeting place where diverse individuals come together. "We want to be a place where people can have fun," said Grigorita, who studied journalism and communication. "If we'd called it a 'queer community center,' people might not have come because they'd think it was only for those in trouble.""
Queer Cafe in western Chisinau opened in July 2022 as a visible, inclusive meeting place for LGBTQ+ communities and allies. Manager Lorelei Grigorita insisted on prominent pink signage despite threats, saying the sign must remain as a visible queer space. The venue functions as a community gathering spot rather than an exclusive club or traditional coffeehouse, aiming to attract diverse visitors and normalize queer presence. Discrimination against LGBTQ+ people persists in Moldova, with notable incidents such as a 2021 military recruit who deserted after being outed and bullied, prompting public condemnation from President Maia Sandu.
Read at www.dw.com
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