Gay Bloomington

The Bloomington, Indiana Convention and Visitor Bureau website has a link called www.visitgaybloomington.com, which is really just another page of the Convention and Visitor Bureau site. When you click on that link, you are taken to a page entitled “gay bloomington,” which is dedicated to encouraging gays and lesbians to visit the city.

The “gay bloomington” page begins with this quote from Out Traveler Magazine:

The verdict: Whether you're gay, straight or somewhere in between, Bloomington offers something rarely found in this country: a small town with a bold history of openness and acceptance.

Following this quote, is a four paragraph promotional message which begins by proudly proclaiming.

Welcome to Bloomington, Indiana – home to the nation’s fifth largest per capita population of same-sex couples and one of the most progressive cities in the Midwest, both socially and politically. While Bloomington obviously has an appeal to gays and lesbians looking for a place to live, its potential as a vacation destination for the discerning traveler is just beginning to attract attention.

The message goes on to say, “At this site, you’ll learn more about all the great activities available to the gay/lesbian traveler.”

The “gay bloomington” page has external links to the IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Alumni Association website; PRIDE - Bloomington’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender film festival website; the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association website, and other such websites.

Facts about Gay Bloomington is an internal link found on the “gay bloomington” page where one can read about BloomingOut, “Indiana's first and only radio show dedicated to lesbians and gay men”; the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction; and the Miss Gay IU and Miss Gay Bloomington pageants.

Another internal link, Things to Do, provides information on a wide array of activities and events that "might appeal to the gay/lesbian visitor."

So, the city of Bloomington is actively promoting itself as a tourist destination for gays and lesbians.

I can only imagine how quickly the ACLU would file a lawsuit if a city were to begin promoting itself as a tourist destination for straight people.