APRIL 2019

EUROPE'S LEADING MAGAZINE FOR LESBIANS & BI WOMEN

Kehlani Melissa Etheridge Rosie Jones Adele Roberts   SEYCHELLES THE DISTILLERY Carrie Lyell explores queer life The world’s first 86 in this beautiful archipelago 90 boutique gin hotel TRAVEL

PICTURE-PERFECT 86 SEYCHELLES PHOTO CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO

85 Gaychellesy

AS THE SEYCHELLES LOOKS TO WELCOME LGBTQI TRAVELLERS AND CASH IN THE PINK POUND, CARRIE LYELL HEADS TO THIS ISLAND PARADISE TO FIND OUT JUST HOW QUEER-FRIENDLY IT IS

86 APRIL 2019 TRAVEL | SEYCHELLES

Have you ever seen a rainbow from centre woman. Equally, the boys on “prickly purse”. Mother nature loves an aeroplane? It’s quite something. the trip with me did not once feel the a lol. Coming in to land in the Seychelles need to modify or mask their behav- Hot and sweaty from hiking on the main island of Mahé, after two iour. I think I speak for all of us when around the forest, we head to what long flights with a stranger’s elbow in I say we felt very at home at Eden our guide tells us is the most beautiful my face for most of the way, I take it Bleu and able to express ourselves as beach in Seychelles, and though I’m as a sign of what’s to come, and I’m we would back in the UK. I certainly hardly an expert after 24 hours, I’d excited for what’s in store in what I’m wouldn’t have any qualms about have to agree: it’s pretty gorge. The officially declaring Gaychelles. checking-in here with my wife or a greenest palms, the whitest sand group of gal pals. and the clearest water: it’s as if we’ve SEY YOU’LL BE THERE Bellies full, we pile back into a asked Alexa to conjure up heaven on It’s a super short drive from the golf buggy for another hair-raising Earth. I’ve been to some beaches in airport to our home for the week- ride, narrowly avoiding certain death my time, but this is next level stuff. end, the stunning Eden Bleu Hotel on more than one occasion. Note to A quick swim and a million selfies (edenbleu.com). Situated on a reclaimed self: learn to drive. later, we get back in the car to catch coral reef, 200 metres from the main another ferry, this time to La Digue, island, we make our way through the the third most populated island in the exquisite grounds to our luxury villa, It’s as if we’ve asked Alexa Seychelles, and home to what we’re where we’ll be spending the next told is the most photographed beach few days. in the world, Anse Source d’Argent. I’m giddy as a baby gay at a to conjure up heaven on A slap-up lunch and a few Hayley Kiyoko concert as I choose Seybrews later, we jump on our which of the six bedrooms I’d like, Earth…” bikes – the main means of transpor- before settling on a pool terrace room, tation here on La Digue – in search which is absolutely gorgeous. Pulling of the giant tortoises that call this back the curtains to see the view for PARADISE ISLANDS island home. We stumble upon these the first time, I could almost do a cry. It’s an early start the next morning to majestic beasts, which are only found I was expecting paradise, yes, but I’m catch the ferry to Praslin, the second in the Seychelles and the Galápagos, still overwhelmed by its beauty. largest island in the Seychelles, and in L’Union Estate, and it’s a wonderful After a quick shower to get rid of it’s worth it for the incredible sunrise. experience feeding our new friends. the smell of a million airports, I melt On the hour-long journey, we spot We wave goodbye to these rad into the private infinity pool, and glides of flying fish and try to stay reptiles and head beachwards, where swim my worries away underneath upright as our catamaran bumps its we’re all left a little speechless by the the warm Seychelles sun. way across the Indian Ocean. It’s a bit famous Anse Source d’Argent. Here, like being on the tube but, you know, majestic palms and granite boulders FOOL IN THE RAIN a lot less awful. meet shallow emerald waters, and we The heavens open not long after, but A 10 minute drive from the ferry find a cool spot in the shade to chill we decide to brave the monsoon and port is Vallée de Mai, a nature reserve for a bit before exploring this gor- head to the hotel restaurant for din- and UNESCO World Heritage site in geous stretch of coast. ner. One terror-filled golf buggy ride the heart of Praslin. Described as a later, we arrive soaked to the skin, but “slice of Eden”, this ancient palm MAHÉ GIRL the staff are on hand with warm wel- forest is dedicated to conservation, Back on the main island of Mahé, comes and towels – and don’t laugh research and education, and is home we head into the capital, Victoria, for too much at us for forgetting to put to many unique species of plants and a spot of souvenir shopping in the the buggy’s rain cover down. animals, including the black parrot, market before spending an hour wan- We soon dry off over cocktails and and the famous coco de mer palm – dering around the Botanical Gardens a delightful menu, specially prepared the symbol of the Seychelles – one of (bgci.org), home to many endemic for this gaggle of gay journos. Our only two places in the world where species including the deckenia nobilis bouches are amused with millionaire this delightfully vulva-esque “double – cabbage palm – and the phoenico- salad with confit octopus and cala- coconut” grows in its natural state. phorium sechellarum or thief palm. mansi dressing, before tucking into I try to be mature, really I do, but it We also see several plants on the a seafood bouillabaisse starter with all goes to pot when I come across a International Union for Conservation garlic toast, and a red snapper main of Nature’s “red list” of threatened served with mussel ragout, grilled species, meet some HUGE fruit bats prawns and breadfruit croquette. and even huger tortoises. Finally, dessert: a chocolate delight. Hot and thirsty, we make our way And was it ever. to Takamaka, a craft rum distill- As for our gayness? All of the ery on the other side of the island hotel staff were unflinching in the (takamakarum.com). One ice-cold, face of our faggy fabulousness and rum-based cocktail later, our guide butch brilliance, and at no point did I shows us round and talks through

PHOTOS CARRIE LYELL, EDEN BLEU, EIVIND HANSEN feel uncomfortable as a masculine of the process of making the spirit. >>>

87 >>> We also learn a little about the “Everybody knows everybody, so this on the road to same-sex marriage, part slavery has played in shap- SEYCHELLES is the main problem. For me, it was no which is not yet legal. Says Fabi: “We ing the island’s identity on this, the BY NUMBERS problem coming out [to my family]. I do attack the Catholic Church a lot site of a former plantation. An 1827 The Seychelles is don’t know for others.” on issues such as adultery, people census revealed the population of the an archipelago in “We try not to get into the public divorcing and remarrying, illegitimate Seychelles consisted of 6,638 slaves the Indian Ocean eye because whenever we do there’s birth. In Seychelles, 80% of children to 685 “masters”, and while slavery made up of 115 a lot of negative attention,” Fabi, who born are outside of marriage. Teenage was finally abolished eight years later, granite and coral is co-founder and chairperson of the pregnancy is out of control. A woman its legacy remains after almost 200 islands. organisation tells me. “Those who are having five children by four, five dif- years, evident in the various cuisines, against it are really, really loud, and ferent fathers? Completely normal. So place names and languages spoken. The country gained you can’t shout over them. So what if they’re not speaking up about those “Seychelles is the ultimate rainbow independence we do, we try to influence policies issues, then why particularly target nation” our guide tells us. It’s a view from the UK in behind the scenes. This year, we had this one?” shared by many, with the country 1976. input in the national youth policy. We With a long way to go before today described as a “fusion of people The Seychelles also have input in the anti-bullying queer people are fully embraced by and cultures”. has three official policy. We try to influence policy and Seychellois society, how do they feel languages: policy makers, and have conversa- about their country extending an GAYCHELLES? English, French tions with people that can understand invitation to queer travellers? “Part of After just a few days here, I’m a little and Seychellois where we are coming from, instead our advocacy is to make the business bit in love with this island paradise. Creole. of trying to engage the wider public, case for decriminalising same-sex But how idyllic is it for queer folks? because they do not have a grasp on marriage,” Fabi says. “We’re a tourism Sure, we’ve not had any problems, but The population of the issue at all. For them, decriminal- destination. We’re a wedding destina- just how representative is our experi- the Seychelles is ising homosexuality is akin to saying tion. So you can imagine if we actually ence? One evening, I meet up with estimated around pedophilia is fine, or bestiality is ok.” legalise same-sex marriage, the high activists Nadia Ah-Kong and Fabianna 95,000. Most people in the Seychelles are influx, the pink dollar, the pink pound, Bonne from LGBTI Sey. “How foreign- Male homosexual- Roman Catholic, one of the reasons would be coming to Seychelles. That ers are treated, especially foreigners ity was decriminal- for the lack of acceptance, both tell is something we do push for.” from the West, is different,” Fabi, 30, ised in 2016. me, and the biggest block to overcome Some queer people might be re- tells me. Harassment isn’t uncommon for locals, and while both are very publicly out and neither compromise on what they wear or how they act, some in the Seychelles do. You won’t find a gay bar here, but “most places are gay-friendly” and there is an active queer community that is “bigger than you might think”, both tell me. The boys have Grindr, but how do the girls meet partners and friends? “We know people who know people who know people,” they laugh. For an authentic Seychellois experience, they recommend Barrel nightclub in Victoria – “don’t take your valuables!” – plus Boardwalk and Oxygen on Praslin. While they say it is generally not dangerous to be visibly queer, there have been “isolated cases of attack” and many LGBTQI are nervous, despite recent changes in the law. A Colonial-era law criminalising male homosexuality was repealed in the Seychelles in 2016 – like many places, it didn’t recognise female homosexu- ality – and employment discrimina- tion on the basis of sexual orientation is banned, making the Seychelles one of the few African countries to have such protections for LGBTQI people. But societally, there are still issues. “Seychelles is small,” says Nadia, 46.

88 APRIL 2019 TRAVEL | SEYCHELLES

We spot glides of flying fish as our catamaran bumps across the Indian Ocean”

luctant to visit a country where there my age who are struggling with com- for things that might lose them votes. are still issues for LGBTQI people, but ing out, struggling with dealing with Our only choice is the judiciary. But the is refusing to travel to Seychelles, for their parents and being closeted at judiciary has also come under fire with example, the answer? How can people their job, getting bullied at their job. regards to how they were appointed, back home in the UK best support The younger generation tends to be how they run things. So they might our friends here in their push for more out there, more ready to accept also be conservative in their ruling. The progress? “I’ve been in contact with themselves. Although they populous is becoming more conscious, activists from other African countries, are still reluctant, like the more aware, but at the same time I feel like Uganda, where they had a boycott older generation, to formal- like the political system is becoming from the US when they introduced ise, to come together, to be more conservative, and this is going to the ‘Kill The Gays’ laws. This affects activists, to be advocates. be problematic.” the wider population. Local politi- “I have mixed feelings, cians would say, ‘It’s because of the especially with the politi- SEY YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR gays that this is happening’ so it just cal landscape changing in Flying high above the Indian Ocean makes things worse. When they pull Seychelles. Over 40 years, with a brilliantly garish snapback on funding, it’s affecting the marginal- we had the same party in my head and a vulva stamp in my ised population, and usually that’s power, which is also the Fabianna Bonne, passport, I say a fond farewell to the gay people. So that would not work party that decriminalised co-founder and Seychelles. I’ve met some wonderful chairperson for us. What would be best is that you same-sex relations through people, eaten some wonderful food, of LGBTI Sey support the country, but point out the national assembly. But and dipped my toes in the most that it could be better if it was more now we have a new political wonderful waters. But it’s been far too inclusive. [During decriminalisation], party that’s in control of short, and I know there’s more to see, the British High Commissioner said the national assembly and they’re do and learn. So it’s not goodbye, my something that was very interesting. less likely to make changes like this friend. I’ll Sey you later. She said that the law that we were because they’re still trying to get a changing was actually brought in by firm grip on power. A lot of their sup- PLAN YOUR VISIT the British, and now the British have porters are homophobic, xenophobic, Seven nights bed and breakfast in the presidential moved on, and they’ve changed their racist, and so they will tend to have suite start from £3,975 per person based on two laws, but Seychellois are still clinging narratives that support these points people sharing, with a luxury marina view room for on, saying ‘This is the law of my coun- of view. We know that changes are not £1,915 per person for two people sharing at the Eden Bleu try!’ It’s not the law of your country. going to come through the legisla- Hotel. Nightly bed and breakfast stays in a six bedroom It’s the law of your Colonial master.” tive. It’s definitely not going to come villa start from £1,100 for 12 people per night. Do they feel hopeful for the fu- from the executive either because the To book your trip, contact Southall Travel on ture? Nadia smiles. “Yeah. Yeah. I feel executive right now is the party that [email protected] or 0800 408 8042. it. I will push forward and I know not was in power for 40 years, and they’re For more information on the Seychelles, contact the UK now but maybe in 10, 15 years time, trying to reinvent themselves so that and Ireland tourist office on [email protected] or visit things will change.” Fabi, though, is they can remain in power and they’re seychelles.travel not so sure. “I’m still [meeting] people definitely not going to start advocating

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