I recently stated that Atlanta is the gayest city in America to a room full of people mostly in their 20's.
The average response was, "really?!"
I find it hard to believe that an individual who lives in Atlanta doesn't notice the ridiculously obvious gay factor in this city. There are rainbow flags displayed in chinese restaurants. There are drag queens serving sushi. One a year the entire midtown area is crawling with what is obviously several hundred thousand gays and their supporters. There are billboards on the highway advertising gay churches using pink steeples. Elton John lives here....
WHAT ARE YOU MISSING HERE?!
Mind you, most of the people in the room were straight--regardless, they were all residents of Atlanta. Some were even raised in Atlanta! At that point, it's not about having a good "gaydar"--its about having basic knowledge of gay trends, symbols, language, and demographics.
Beyond the ignorance of the plain-as-day gay status of Atlanta by its heterosexual residents, the gay population of the city (especially the youth) doesn't seem to grasp the more important historical and contemporary elements of Atlanta: just because this is the gayest city around, doesn't mean it is progressive. In georgia, you can still be fired from a job for your orientation. The police force is unsympathetic to the gay minority. You are more likely to find a church willing to marry to men than a politician willing to support it--just because we consider ourselves "the hole of the bible belt" DOES NOT mean we aren't part of the same outfit.
The purpose of this site is to familiarize readers with what makes Atlanta, Ga the gayest city in America--as well as educate readers on the basics of gay culture, history, and current events. I encourage readers to comments on my posts, ask questions, or express your true opinions of the subject matter.
So, here begins my dissection of Atlanta: the gayest city in America...
