Coro Hombres Gays de Montevideo Celebrates 10 Years

As I write this post, I believe I can hear Mikey’s plane taking off overhead. Since we are about a 10-minute ride from the airport, we can hear planes taking off and arriving throughout the day. The last one comes in around 22:15. I know because I am usually in bed reading when it arrives. That is how exciting my life is sometimes. I know the times planes arrive and depart.

Mikey is heading to Amarillo to spend some time with his parents. He got a one-way ticket so he can stay there as long as he wants to. He promised me he was coming back. He is thinking he will stay two to three weeks. Unfortunately, I have to stay here to take care of Tyson. (Thank God we have Tyson—it gives me a perfectly good reason not to go on this trip!) So, for the next few weeks, it will be just Tyson and me. He is such good company.

His trip comes just after a very busy week with Coro de Hombres Gays de Montevideo (Gay Men’s Chorus of Montevideo). Last week, starting on Wednesday, September 23, the chorus began a week-long celebration of its 10th anniversary! The week was filled with ceremonies, events, and concerts. Five choral groups or representatives from other countries came to take part in the celebrations: Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and two groups from Buenos Aires.

The opening session included an exhibition by the Queer Tango Collective, and CGHM sang a few songs. The Ambassador of Culture and the Director of CHG-Montevideo also spoke.

Thursday was a BIG day. Midday, members of CGHM and the other choirs gathered as representatives of the Uruguayan government and the Director of HGCM signed the organization’s formal constitution. This signing formally recognizes the organization by the Uruguayan government.

Can you imagine the current U.S. federal government taking such a step? Oh please, you know they wouldn’t.

Mikey said members of the choir were tearing up as the constitution was read and signed. Representatives from the other choral groups spoke about the importance of this moment.

Please keep in mind that Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and, come November, maybe Brazil, have presidents whose political ideologies are similar to trump’s. From my perspective, an event like this would be much harder to imagine in those countries. Many LGBTQ+ people in those countries have to “show up in life” as a different person so they do not risk losing their job or housing. LGBTQ+ communities may also face restrictions or pressure when holding large parades or events that could attract government attention.

For many of the visitors, seeing the freedoms we have here was overwhelming. For this week, they were able to express their true selves openly. It was wonderful to see. It reminded me of my coming out process and having to be aware of the me I showed depending on the situation.

Friday night was the Diversity/Pride March, starting around 19:00ish. It was estimated that more than 100,000 people attended this year. We marched with CGHM and the other choral groups.

Now, it is called a march. I would call it a party that danced down the long street from the Plaza to the Legislative Palace.

There were three large trucks. Each truck had a huge speaker system and a DJ. They played tango and salsa music, along with music in both Spanish and English. Madonna, Lady Gaga, and even Judy Garland could be heard.

Disappointingly, they played the Village People.

Mikey reminded me that the group does not carry the same negative connotation here as it does in the old country. Fair enough.

There were drag queens and drag kings. There were people dressed in every imaginable combination of rainbow colors. People wore the gay flag, lesbian flag, bisexual flag, non-binary flag, and Pride flag as capes.

Men in heels and women in Doc Martens.

There were men in high—I mean HIGH—heels, and they walked better in them than some women I have seen wearing high heels. There were men in chaps and harnesses.

It was glorious to see people being their authentic selves.

People were dancing and enjoying themselves.

Once we started walking, I did not see any police. There was no concern about someone driving into the parade or shooting several rounds of gunfire into the crowd. Several of us talked about how safe we felt as we participated in the march.

We did not have that nagging concern in the back of our minds about what might happen.

It is a very different feeling not to carry that worry during a time of jubilation. Shows you the power of conditioned response.

When we arrived at the Legislative Palace, it was lit up in rainbow colors. Each pillar had an upturned light shining one of the six colors. Uruguay did this as part of the celebration. “Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.”

We followed the group to a plaza area where individuals read statements about what advancements the country could make in the area of LGBTQ+ rights. These statements were forwarded to the government. We heard the beginning of one performer and then headed out. Others stayed for the full lineup of entertainment and then went to after parties at various bars around town.

Saturday night was Buenos Aires’ night. The two choirs held a concert. One group just started in the last year. They were small but man they could entertain. They were animated. The other group had close to 100 people. They took up the stage.

Then Sunday was the night of songs. The various choral groups from the other countries, along with groups from Montevideo, performed. It was so nice to see the different styles of choral groups. Some were animated, while others stood holding their music books and sang. There were all-women choirs, all-men choirs and mixed.

They sang songs in Spanish (of course), German, Italian, Portuguese, and English. It was amazing to hear Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” sung in a Spanish accent.

Last to perform was Coro de Hombres Gays de Montevideo.

It was their night to shine.

They sang beautifully. There is something about an all-men’s choir. The final number brought all the gay choirs to the stage, and they sang “Mariposa,” a well-known song in this part of the world. A fantastic way to end the concert. Groups from various Latin American countries celebrating our community.

Finally, on Tuesday, the choir met at 09:00 to head to Punta del Este, a very popular city in Uruguay for tourists. I have not been there myself, but the pictures are beautiful.

The choir got both a walking tour and a bus tour of the city. That night, they performed along with other choirs in the area. Mikey did not get home until 01:40.

A very long day.

I know Mikey was tired by yesterday. But it was a great week for the choir. Being in existence for ten years is a great accomplishment. I hope we are still here when they celebrate number 20—or even 25.

I attached the link to the post if you want to see the various events and concerts. Everything except the parade was streamed.

https://www.youtube.com/@APU_Portal/streams?app=desktop

Be sure to check out the pics on in the gallery.

Cheers to Coro de Hombres Gays de Montevideo (I typed that without looking it up)!

Be kind to yourself and be kind to one another.

Its raining and 13 degrees C.