What is Gay Travel?
What is GAY TRAVEL? What is a GAY HOTEL?
I attended a meeting last week in Chicago, where the OUT NYC gay resort hotel presented to community, a proposal to open their 2nd gay property, right in the heart of Chicago’s gay Boystown.
I was SHOCKED by all the gay people, who said, “why do we need a gay hotel? We talk about acceptance and equality, then turn around and want our own hotel.”
I stayed at the AXEL in Barcelona 5 years ago – and thought WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT!
There have been gay resorts forever in Key West, Palm Springs and Provincetown. Now to have a whole gay hotel in major cities, I think, is an excellent idea.
Maybe it’s a age thing. I’m 50. I grew up in a small town in Michigan. As soon as I was 19, I headed for the big city in search of other gay people. The Castro in San Francisco, WeHo in Los Angeles, Boystown in Chicago, all become thriving LGBT communities.
While it is true, gay people have spread out into the masses now, we are not now, nor will we ever be 100% accepted by EVERYONE.
A writer recently explained how he finds comfort in the gay community, even though he has many straight friends, “Boystown is my go-to, my very own Cheers, but on a larger scale. I’m
certainly not alone, but as the weather starts to warm and the bar scene
beckons ever more urgently, I keep asking myself: Is this really a good
use of my time in Chicago, a progressive city with so much to do? Do I
need to bust out of Boystown for a change? I’m not so sure.
certainly not alone, but as the weather starts to warm and the bar scene
beckons ever more urgently, I keep asking myself: Is this really a good
use of my time in Chicago, a progressive city with so much to do? Do I
need to bust out of Boystown for a change? I’m not so sure.
LGBT people understand what I’m talking about. Boystown is a gay
refuge, rainbow pillars and all. It’s become the place that we, as a
community, have built for ourselves over the years at times when most of
society told us we had no place. And in regards to going out, it’s a
community where many gay folks feel the most safe when tossing back a
few beers.
Sure, society has come a long way in terms of LGBT rights, but things
aren’t really that perfect yet. We, as LGBT people, still have a lot of
things to worry about when thinking of going out for a night on the
town.”
(Please read his full article).
I have many straight friends – but I frequent gay bars more than straight bars. And when I go on vacation, I seek out the gay community in whatever city, what country I am in. It’s HOME. It’s MY PEOPLE. You know you are among similar people with similar stories.
I LOVE my straight friends – but I do not want to take a straight cruise. While it is true, more and more cities and hotels are now “gay-friendly”, rolling out the pink carpet for our dollars, for me given the choice, I try to support my community 100% whenever I can.
Thoughts?
