One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
"How Gay is Long Beach?" And Other Questions Answered in The Advocate's Annual Gayest Cities in America List
Photo from Long Beach Pride 2008 by Michael Zampelli via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Los Angeles' boys' town is, of course, West Hollywood, and there are similar communities in cities all over the country. But just like last year, L.A., or WeHo, didn't make The Advocate's third annual list of the "Gayest Cities in America." The alternative publication takes an alternative look at the typical census data to make their rankings, by examining "the per capita queerness of some less expected locales."The Advocate explains their methodology:
Using totally accurate (if decidedly subjective) criteria, The Advocate has created a diverse and somewhat surprising list of the metropolitan areas that are home to a bevy of LGBTs. The Advocate’s research team examined numerous factors—including out elected officials, WNBA teams, and nude yoga classes—in determining the gay-friendliness of each city. Those factors were then each assigned a point, the points were tallied, and the raw scores were divided by the population to calculate each city’s per capita homosexuality.
When it comes to Cali representing, it's all about Long Beach. Well, San Francisco (#18) and Oakland (#23) get honorable mentions. "How gay is Long Beach?" the mag asks itself. The answer:
Its pride celebration is one of the country’s biggest, and the Long Beach Pride float seems to make its way to every other Pride event within 500 miles! There are a ton of gay and lesbian bars, restaurants, a big boat suitably named the Queen Mary (QueenMary.com; it’s also haunted, and a hotel). The sunny, welcoming city provides a more relaxed alternative to nearby Los Angeles.
Other cities at the top of the list include Knoxville, TN, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Ann Arbor, MI, and, at the #1 spot, Salt Lake City, UT. Yep. SLC is the Gayest City in America.
Incidentally, here's their "equation" for the rankings:
Sponsored message
via The Advocate
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
