- Houston
The Advocate ran an article today entitled “Lesbian Mayor Helps Turn Houston Into a Gay Hot Spot.”
While the election of Annise Parker gave Houston some very positive publicity, I doubt she has helped turn Houston into a gay hot spot.
Ask Parker about getting partnership benefits passed and she will say that at some point that needs to done, but she needs to balance the budget and do something about flood control in the city. Few people will visit Houston because of a balanced budget and improved flood control.
But visitors want things to do and if you’re visiting Texas you want to go where there are things to do. For most people that’s Austin and San Antonio. Liberal Austin is known for its 6th Street music scene and San Antonio for the Alamo and Riverwalk.
Dallas and Houston? Museums and theaters. That will attract visitors regionally, but really aren’t interesting enough or important enough to attract LGBT visitors from around the country. Houston’s got NASA. Definitely worth a visit. Dallas has Dealey Plaza and Southfork. Not so much. Most gay travelers who want theater will still go to New York and will visit our museums only after thoroughly exploring Washington’s and New York’s.
On the other hand, visitors won’t be less likely to visit Houston because of Annise Parker’s election. Her election is certainly something positive. But as much as I like her — and I really do — she hasn’t turned Houston gay.
PLEASE!
This is the Advocate’s Idea of reporting?
Forget any Texas City as a “mecca” for the LGBT Community until our state level politics dramatically changes.
The only thing our state government is missing is Jesse Helms!
Geez David! I’m so glad you work for DV and not Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau…lol. You just made Dallas sound like the WORST place to visit.
Certainly not the worst. I love Dallas. Houston, Austin and San Antonio too.
Dallas and Houston both attract people from around the state and region. The opening of the two new theaters in Dallas drew attention from around the world. But I’m just being realistic. Both cities will draw LGBT visitors regionally. Despite Houston’s lesbian mayor, Creating Change was held in Dallas and not Houston, Austin or San Antonio because we had the hotel that could accommodate it. (They looked at the others). But Houston’s no more a national LGBT destination now than it was before. And if Dallas would like me to work on our next tourism campaign, I’d love to. “Come to Dallas. It’s not bad.” “Biggest arts district … as long as you don’t count actual number of seats in theaters or number of museums.” I’m actually a big Dallas and Texas booster, as long as we don’t rely on out-sized, silly claims. Like Parker turned Houston into a gay mecca.
Dallas (and Texas itself) has one of the largest gay populations in the country. Now granted, I try to have gay friends visit when there’s something going on..State Fair, Main St. Arts in FW, Halloween Block Party, Pride Week, Taste of Dallas, Dallas Movie Festival, etc., but we always find plenty to do here. Most I’ve had down here are usually just shocked at how visable the gay community is here, and how gay friendly Dallas is, despite the state’s reputation. Dallas, Houston, Austin, may not have beaches or attractions like Broadway, but why do we expect all places to be alike? But more importantly, there is no shortage of GAY PEOPLE or GAY CULTURE here. And that’s what many gay visitors are looking for, IMO. My friends always enjoy themselves when they visit.
Reporters like the one in the Advocate and David Taffet say more about themselves than the subject of their articles.
Taffet complains that the Advocate wrote an article with a naive viewpoint and then he turns around and does the same thing.
“‘But I’m just being realistic.”
If this was the 1970’s or if I was coming out of the closet I might not know his opinions are self-delusional and archaic. Our friends from “outside the region” in NYC laughed too when they read the article and comment online.
All I’m saying is that the largest city in the country without a nondiscrimination policy that includes gender identity and sexual orientation and the largest city in the country without partnership benefits is not suddenly some gay hot spot. Lesbian mayor or not.
Although some interesting points were raised, I would like to note that D/FW is the No. 1 visitor and leisure destination in Texas. That’s the fascinating fact about North Texas: there’s much more to do and see than just one or two “high profile” attractions like the Alamo or Sixth Street.