Bring lifestyle, bring money [cities compete for gay tourism]

The Press-Enterprise ^ | 4/13/04 | KIMBERLY PIERCEALL

[dukeman]

Picture a busload of gay European tourists dropped off in Waterloo, Iowa.

[SIDENET]

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Cities are selling their souls for short-term quick revenue, but the long run, disgusted families will leave and cities' tax bases will erode.

[gaijin]

the city expects 20,000 gay men to gather for the annual White Party, bringing $4 million with them.

White party? White? Symbol of purity?

I gotta hand it to gays --they're masters of marketing. Even the term, "gay" is pretty misleading, as most gay dudes are self-destructive, nihilistic, and depressed.

Rainbows, too --what could be nicer? Everybody likes that...

It's funny --we collect statistics for EVERYTHING; how much your life is shortened by 30 minutes in the same room as an active smoker, for example, and yet we never hear how many years on average the lives of actively gay men are shortened.

The one statistic I've heard is that 25% of gay men in SF are HIV+.

That's it.

[SweetCaroline]

BUMP

[Unam Sanctam]

Too bad the Christian dollar is not so sought after.

[durasell]

It is -- in place like Branson, MO, Nashville, etc.

[starfish923]

The country's most popular destinations for gay and lesbian travelers for the 12 months ending August 2005:
1. New York City 2. Las Vegas 3. San Francisco 4. Los Angeles/W. Hollywood 5. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 6. Washington, D.C. 7. Chicago 8. Miami/South Beach 9. Palm Springs 10. San Diego Source: Community Marketing Inc.

What?! San Francisco is number THREE?!

Interesting that 1% of the population has SO much "voice," money and power.

[starfish923]

White party? White? Symbol of purity? I gotta hand it to gays --they're masters of marketing. Even the term, "gay" is pretty misleading, as most gay dudes are self-destructive, nihilistic, and depressed. Rainbows, too --what could be nicer? Everybody likes that... It's funny --we collect statistics for EVERYTHING; how much your life is shortened by 30 minutes in the same room as an active smoker, for example, and yet we never hear how many years on average the lives of actively gay men are shortened. The one statistic I've heard is that 25% of gay men in SF are HIV+.

I don't get the "white" part either.
I'm not sure about the 25% AIDS/HIV positive, but it's close. The City has so much help for them.
Homosexual men now lead really long lives, into their 70's. BUT, they are always ill, always having to take very complex "coctails" of medication.
There is just quantity of years....not especially any quality.

[durasell]

I don't get the "white" part either.


Throw back to Victorian age when all formal parties were "white tie" etc. Then came military dress and those rabble rousers from Tuxedo NY.

[USS Alaska]

The country's most popular destinations for gay and lesbian travelers for the 12 months ending August 2005:

1. New York City

2. Las Vegas

3. San Francisco

4. Los Angeles/W. Hollywood

5. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

6. Washington, D.C.

7. Chicago

8. Miami/South Beach

9. Palm Springs

10. San Diego

Final destination-Gomorragh

Source: Community Marketing Inc.

[marsh_of_mists]

They're just like everyone else at yet they travel as a segregated, monolithic bloc with its own "lifestyle" to cater to. They're oppressed and downtrodden and yet have scads of cash to burn vacationing. They're unique individuals who just want to be treated like complete human beings and yet are defined by their peculiar sexual attractions. They represent 2% of the population and yet seem to have a demographic influence outweighing all but the largest minorities; there are a lot of sub-groups that 2% of the population is is a part of that no one every notices. Why is this? Could it be an agenda???

[sagar]

Life imitates art? Simpsons had an episode where Springfield goes gay to attract gay tourists.

[Savage Beast]

This reminds me that movie--you know the one--the woman has several problems, finds out her boyfriend is gay; then she meets a man she likes in a bar, and he tells that he is gay; and she runs into the parking lot screaming: "Is everybody gay??? Is this The Twilight Zone???"

[lepton]

and yet we never hear how many years on average the lives of actively gay men are shortened.

The CDC stopped collecting the information, since it was so dramatic. The last reports I saw was that if you EXCLUDE those with HIV, the average life expectancy of a homosexual male is in their early 40s.

[CrazyIvan]

That's odd, I didn't see Sodom or Gomorrah on the list.

[driftdiver]

"They represent 2% of the population and yet seem to have a demographic influence outweighing all but the largest minorities; there are a lot of sub-groups that 2% of the population is is a part of that no one every notices. Why is this? Could it be an agenda???"

One reason is they are organized unlike most other groups of similiar size. Second they are extremely vocal and outspoken.

Food for thought on your agenda comment; one of the highest priority issues of the UN is over population on earth. One thing gay people don't do is breed.

[driftdiver]

"That's odd, I didn't see Sodom or Gomorrah on the list."

Cause they werent in the top 10.

[noblejones]

10. San Diego


???

[Salman]

What?! San Francisco is number THREE?!

Sure. You don't go to San Francisco for vacation if you already live there.