However, you can't compare the gay life here in Dubai with that of Western Europe. Same-sex relationships are illegal in Dubai and are, officially, not tolerated. It's one of the many things in Dubai: everyone knows about it, but nobody makes it “official”. The same is in Egypt, where once famously arrested more than a dozen gay men attending a boat party, a move that led to international condemnation and groom criticism from the European Union. Dubais first publicly advertised gay club night the Diamond clubs gay “Fluff Night” featured a transvestite DJ from Birmingham, England, and a “best-dressed transvestite” contest showed example of importance being “not official”. However SAE were warned that any attempt to administer hormone or psychological treatment to foreigners would break international law.
