Would you vacation in a “so gay” spot?

American gays and lesbians represent about 10 percent of the travel industry, and surveys have shown that the community travels more, stays longer and spends more while on vacation (in general) than their heterosexual counterparts. From a tourism standpoint alone, it makes sense to highlight locations that might appeal to such a lucrative group of travelers. If you Google “gay travel”, you’ll find numerous web sites direct you to travel agencies that do just that.

Miami Beach has designated gay beaches, and I see how cities like Atlanta, with its thriving gay and lesbian community, would be considered friendly to gay travelers. But what makes a place “so gay”? Is it activities targeted to the homosexual population, the number of gays and lesbians living there, or the general attitude toward homosexuals among the population?

If you are gay or lesbian, would you seek a “so gay” locale? Does that designation mean anything or would such a label impact your travel plans?
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A recent survey rated New York City one among the most visited gay destinations on earth

There is no need to stretch your thoughts to understand why. People often describe New York as the hottest destination for fashion lovers. But the truth is that it is even a better place for gays and people who want to know about the gay society. New York is in fact described as “The Gay Capital” of this planet!

Knowing the fundamentals of Greenwich Village is a must if you want to comprehend the traditions related to gay culture in this part of the world. The village is better known as the home of gay and lesbian community of New York. The natives named it West Village. The finest gay tour to New York must include visits to West Village landmarks, like the residences of the great gay activist Bayard Rustin and the eminent lesbian writer Willa Cather. The visits will assist you in having a perfect notion of the gay history of New York.

West Village may be the most important destination for people in search of gay heritage, but the gay life is not just confined to this place. Some other dominant gay colonies have emerged in the East Village and the North Western part of New York. However, the North of West Village is known to host the most number of gay men.

You will have many other exquisite travel options like a visit to the Broadway musical, or a day out of watching melodramatic operas. But, the essence of traditional gay culture is predominantly found in the bars and clubs of New York.

The march starts from the 5th Avenue and then moves to the right towards the Greenwich Avenue. The very next destination for the march is Christopher Street, from where it proceeds in the direction of Greenwich Village. Greenwich Village or West Village has observed many of the most determining events of cultural reorganization and growth of the gay communities of New York.

Pride marchers mock anti-gay MP:

Iris Robinson, the Democratic Unionist MP who believes homosexuality can be cured by psychiatry, made a ‘guest’ appearance at yesterday’s annual Gay Pride parade in Belfast.

The Strangford MP appeared in the ‘guise’ of several marchers wearing Iris masks in what turned out to be Northern Ireland’s largest Pride rally for years. One float called the ‘Iris Mobile’ joined the procession through Belfast city centre with a giant papier-mâché image of Robinson on the front. The parade took place in a city labelled the most homophobic place in the UK or Ireland.

Organisers claimed the large turn-out was in response to the controversy stirred up by the DUP MP, who recently also likened gay sex to child abuse. Her remarks prompted one organisation to become the first Christian gay group to march in the Belfast parade.

Changing Attitude Ireland, a new organisation representing gay Christians throughout the island, said they had decided to join Pride in response to the MP’s remarks. ‘This is the first time our banner has been displayed at Pride in Belfast because it was important to increase our visibility and to show people that there are alternative Christian views than those espoused by Iris Robinson,’ said a retired Church of Ireland minister, the Rev Mervyn Kingston.

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