Kansas City 25th gayest!

[HemiEd]

Gayest US town? Surprise: It's Salt Lake City

By M. Alex Johnson, msnbc.com

Forget San Francisco (18th) or New York (not even on the list) — the gayest city in the U.S. is Salt Lake City, Utah, according to The Advocate, the gay and lesbian newsmagazine.

Rather than rely on the U.S. Census tabulation of gay and lesbian populations, which inevitably yield San Francisco as No. 1, The Advocate used different measures to establish "per capita queerness" — including a city's number of teams entered in the Gay Softball World Series, gay bookstores, openly gay elected officials and semifinalists in the International Mr. Leather Contest, which is held every year in Chicago.

"While those unfamiliar with the Beehive State are likely to conjure images of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, far-less-oppressive-than-it-used-to-be Salt Lake City has earned its queer cred," the magazine says.
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Among Salt Lake City's charms: the Sundance Film Festival, which brings LGBT film buffs flocking to the city.

Read the full story at The Advocate

"If we were having a more scientific survey, I don't know that we would choose these as indicators," Valerie Larabee, director of the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, told the Salt Lake Tribune.

But "all humor aside, I think that our city has come a long way," Larabee said, noting that Salt Lake City was the first municipality in the state to pass anti-discrimination ordinances based on a sexual orientation.

"If we were to rate the cities that have made the greatest amount of progress over the last 10 years, I think we certainly would rank among the top," she said.

Orlando, Fla., was second, thanks to annual Gay Days at Disney World and "more gay softball teams than you can shake a Louisville Slugger at."

And Knoxville, Tenn., has managed to produce a "robust gay scene" despite being in what the magazine calls a state with a legislature that "has been an unmitigated disaster for our rights." It ranks eighth, thanks to "gay-affirming churches" and a thriving LGBT club scene.

Here's the complete list from The Advocate:

1. Salt Lake City, Utah
2. Orlando, Fla.
3. Cambridge, Mass.
4. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
5. Seattle
6. Ann Arbor, Mich.
7. St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minn.
8. Knoxville, Tenn.
9. Atlanta
10. Grand Rapids, Mich.
11. Little Rock, Ark.
12. Portland, Ore.
13. Austin, Texas
14. Long Beach, Calif.
15. Denver
16. Washington
17. New Orleans
18. San Francisco
19. Pittsburgh
20. Salem, Ore.
21. Madison, Wis.
22. Eugene, Ore.
23. Oakland, Calif.
24. Boston
25. Kansas City, Mo.

Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...salt-lake-city

Sorry if a repost, just ignore it.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Oh look...Kansas...mediocre.

[journeyscarab]

/NTTIATWWT

[chasedude]

San Francisco isn't listed there, that list can't be right.

[durtyrute]

Originally Posted by chasedude

San Francisco isn't listed there, that list can't be right.

#18, but the fact that 17 other cities are ahead of it surprizes the **** out of me.

[chasedude]

Originally Posted by durtyrute

#18, but the fact that 17 other cities are ahead of it surprizes the **** out of me.

Ah, I missed it when I quickly glanced at it. I'm surprised as you that many other cities ranked higher. Especially Salt Lake City with it's HUGE influence of Mormonism.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by durtyrute

#18, but the fact that 17 other cities are ahead of it surprizes the **** out of me.

You ever been there?

Its not even as gay as other cities nearby (Guerneville, CA for one)

[durtyrute]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

You ever been there?

Its not even as gay as other cities nearby (Guerneville, CA for one)

Yes I have, and I saw a lot of "the gheys"

[Bowser]

Little Rock?

[durtyrute]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Little Rock?

Bangin' in Little Rock

[ModSocks]

How San Diego isn't listed there is beyond me. We have an entire town devoted to the gay community FFS.

Does Kansas City have a CVS that flies Rainbow colored Flags?

Didn't think so.

[BigMeatballDave]

LOL Denver gayer than SF

[blaise]

I'm guessing someone went into the survey with some weird attempt to name SLC gayest city.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by blaise

I'm guessing someone went into the survey with some weird attempt to name SLC gayest city.

That was my reaction as well.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by blaise

I'm guessing someone went into the survey with some weird attempt to name SLC gayest city.

Maybe not that explicit, but they clearly wanted to cobble together some metrics that generates buzz by highlighting 'surprising' wayd in which various communities are becoming gay-friendly.

Under the guise of 'scientific tabulation' this is more properly a primer on 'here's a bunch of ways various cities are catering to gay people,' with the sub-goal of reminding everyone of how important becoming increasingly gay-friendly is.

Happens all the time for a number of issues.