I wanted to take a moment and reflect on what it meant for me to come to the cruising ground in Tiergarten in Berlin.
One thing that really struck me once I got there was this intangible feeling in the air. I had an extreme sense of belonging – like I’m a part of something bigger than me. Following in the footsteps of people who came before me, now long gone. It was quite a unique feeling and I never really felt like it when attending sex-on-premises venues like clubs or saunas, or at least not to the same extent.
Every connection I make is meaningful to me – yet at the same time extremely fleeting, lasting only a blink of an eye. Cruising is not just about sex – but about self-expression and freedom. I was not there simply getting my rocks off. I was participating in an inherently queer activity unbound by social norms or modal dogma.
Mike Miksche writing for Xtra says it rather nicely:
It made me feel strongly content to know that this world still exists in the city, where sex like this isn’t hidden away like some dirty thing.
When I was late at night in the overgrowth by the lake, for a time no one was there. It was just me standing alone among the silent tall trees lit up by the distant street lights. The stillness offered a chance to stay awhile and be present. I looked up and coudn’t help but smile just simply being so happy in the moment there.
Of course there are a lot of issues and challenges that comes with it: ranging from socio-economic to important ones like health and safety. Whatever path someone chooses to take, it’s important to consider the risks and make informed, responsible decisions.
For me however this place and others like it serve as a reminder that there are still pockets of liberty in our increasingly sanitised and regulated world. And I am grateful to be a part of it.
Leave a Reply