It's Official - Fort Monroe is a National Monument and the Freepers Go Crazy

The photo above via the Virginian Pilot is from today's signing ceremony at the White Hose where Barack Obama utilized his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate federally owned land of significant historical value as a national monument. As I have noted in prior posts, Fort Monroe is a unique historic treasure (another picture is set out below) that needs to be preserved for future generations. Moreover, the national monument designation will help increase tourism to the City of Hampton and create in the neighborhood of 2.000 jobs as per a study commissioned by the City of Hampton and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

What's amazing - as evidenced by the photo above - is that politicians of both parties supported the designation, including Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and our local Congressman Scott Rigell (who I despise and who was endorsed by an anti-gay hate group when he ran for office). Thus, one would expect that it would be perceived that Obama score a home run with his action. Not so, however, if one looks at the comments on coverage on the national monument designation over at the misnamed Real Clear Politics where the only thing that is clear is that far too many of the readers drink Kool-Aid by the bucket full. The insane attacks on Obama by those who clearly knew NOTHING about Ft. Monroe were scary and evidence just how ignorant and depraved the GOP base has become.

One individual who deserves praise is Hampton Mayor Molly Ward (pictured third from the left above) who quietly worked to help make today's event happen. More importantly, she "gets it" that to be competitive in today's changing global environment, cities and localities must embrace diversity and welcome those who can bring talent and innovation to the economy and society be they black or white, gay or straight, native born or immigrants. Would that more in Virginia - including Virginia's current governor and attorney general, would figure this out and stop placing a "You're Not Welcome" sign across Virginia. I am proud to call Molly Ward my friend.

OBX Pride -Day Two, Part One

The weather today was fabulous and we spent much of the day around the pool at the First Colony Inn - the main site for the OBX Pridefest event. Today's events kicked off with a opening by an actress dressed in fully costume as Queen Elizabeth I from the Lost Colony production company. Her remarks were followed by remarks from the mayor of Nags Head who among other things lauded the marriage vote in New York State last night.

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The pictures below show some of the scenes around the grounds of the Inn which is a historic treasure that was moved from its original location right on the ocean a number of blocks north of its new site. The Inn - which is gay owned - is surrounded by lawns and pine trees which make for a beautiful setting. Across the beach road is access to a wide section of beach on the Atlantic Ocean.

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We back at the beach house taking an interlude before we head back to a luau on the beach later this evening hosted by The Lost Colony. At midnight, there will be a production of Cyclops, A Rock Opera, at the Lost Colony amphitheater on Roanoke Island which is a few mikes away across a causeway for where we are staying. Based on our experience to so far, we are very happy that we made the drive down.

Washington, D.C. Weekend

The boyfriend and I are Washington, D.C. through Sunday morning for a wedding of a Hampton friend's daughter. We took Amtrak up to avoid holiday traffic along with a half dozen other friends coming up for the wedding tomorrow (the boyfriend's parents are house sitting and baby sitting our dogs). We spent the afternoon walking around D.C. and had an early dinner in the DuPont Circle area. It reminded me once again that the Hampton Roads area is a veritable backwater and so terribly behind the times in so many ways. After a bridal related party this evening, we will likely go out and enjoy some of the city's nightspots.
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Once again, I find myself wanting to leave Virginia and its ever present bigotry and small minded thinking ever so much. However, until my youngest daughter (who currently works for me as a paralegal) goes back to school and the boyfriend's parents pass on, we are stuck where we are. Our life's far from terrible, but not living in a state where LGBT individuals are still tread as fourth class citizens does take a subconscious toll. For the weekend, we will enjoy spending our time in a much more LGBT friendly locale.

2011 Key West Retrospective

UPDATED: A sincere thank you for my daughter, Victoria, who did a wonderful job keeping the law office running and coordinating the work I did from Key West. Tori, you are a sweeyheart

We head back to Virginia this afternoon - our original flight was canceled and now we don't leave until almost 6:00 PM which puts us back in Norfolk at 11:35 PM assuming we have no delays. The following are a few sample photos from an overall wonderful trip.

Tea Dance at La Te Da's

The Audubon House

The launch to Sunset Key and lunch at Latitudes

Sunset from the top of La Concha

The Oasis pool complex

Key West - Escape to Paradise

As regular readers know, it has been a rough week and a half to two weeks for me with the loss of my mother. What has helped me go on emotionally and psychologically more than anything else is the boyfriend, my youngest daughter and my "extended gay family," including readers who have been wonderfully supportive. Would that some of my siblings were as supportive. I have very much needed a get away and the annual pilgrimage if you will to Key West has been a life saver. As is the norm, there are a number of "the usual suspects" from Hampton on the trip and we have connected with friends who likewise visit this same week each year and also stay at the Oasis on Fleming Street abut four blocks off of Duval Street. Today was a lazy day that included hanging out by the pool - see the bottom photo below. Then we went to "tea dance' at La Te Da's - where gays, straight retirees, and others have a great time - where we saw Christian Slater hanging out and listening to the dance music.

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[A]fter tea dance, we went to a new restaurant just off of Duval called Fin where we experienced a beautiful decor, wonderful food and a great (and great looking) wait staff (see the photo above). For anyone planning a visit to Key West, I recommend trying out Fin. And for those who have never visited this wonderful island paradise, I cannot recommend it enough.

Flying Into Key West

Fellow Bilerico Project contributor, Father Tony, a/k/a Tony Adams, is vacationing in Key West - a wonderful place that the boyfriend introduced me to back in January, 2009. In fact, we will be visiting Key West again next month (it will be my 4th visit and the boyfriend's 29th). For those who have never visited Key West and felt the excitement of arriving in this sun kissed, gay accepting, and live and let live minded city, the video below (via Joe By God)filmed by Tony's partner offers a glimpse of the city's natural beauty.

Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau Launches Gay Tourism Site

In a move that ought to be emulated by cities in the Hampton Roads area - or better yet done as a regional effort - the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched a tourism page aimed at the LGBT tourism dollar. The site, called Rainbow Over Richmond, covers everything from restaurants and accommodation, gay friendly areas of the city, shopping to historic attractions.

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With the Hampton Roads area containing Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, historic Fort Monroe, NASA Langley, the Mariners Museum, the Chrysler Museum of Fine Arts, the Air and Space Museum, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA, there are an abundance of attractions to lure LGBT tourists to the area if (1) the region would market to them and (2) more B&B's and hotels would likewise advertise to the LGBT community. Virginia Beach long ago made the decision to market to the "family vacationer" - which translates to blue collar straight couples with children from inland areas - and has no gay clubs in the resort area, but there is no need for the rest of the region not to get on board with smart marketing and pursue a market segment long ignored. The site also links to GayRVA, a local LGBT news and entertainment website.

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The site is currently running the following promotion: Join us for Rainbow Over Richmond: 30 events in 60 days, an eclectic and engaging series of events from late August through October, exploring and celebrating LGBT and LGBT-friendly culture and community.
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What makes this new approach by the Richmond Tourism office all the more fun is that it's happening right under the noses of Virginia's anti-gay governor, Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell, and the hysterically anti-gay attorney general, Ken "Kookinelli" Cuccinelli. Once the business community catches on to the courting the LGBT community makes good business sense, it's a pretty good sign that the Christo-fascists are losing the culture wars. Obviously, some folks in Virginia don't believe that Virginia is only for straight lovers anymore. Would that Hampton Roads would wake up to this reality.

ODUPRIDE PostDoc Art Gallery Event

I have mentioned previously that I have become involved in the effort to establish Post-Doctorate position in Gay Cultural Studies at Old Dominion University ("ODU") located in Norfolk, Virginia within a mile or so of my law firm office. Although I am not an ODU alumni, I have agreed to serve on the advisory board of the endowment effort and my law firm has made a pledge of financial support for the endowment.

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I am excited about the position because none of the local universities - including William & Mary in Williamsburg - have such a program. The position would be filled annually, with the possibility of renewal for a second year, and would be subject to a competitive national application process. The selected candidate would be responsible for teaching a 1/1-course load (one class in the Fall semester and one in the Spring semester). One of the courses would be a recurring graduate seminar in sexuality/gender studies while the other course would be an undergraduate offering in the scholar’s area of expertise. In addition, the scholar would be responsible for organizing an annual outreach event that shines a light on Hampton Roads LGBT community accomplishment and concerns and would act as a liaison between the ODU College of Arts & Letters and the Hampton Roads LGBT community.
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This outreach would help to offset the extremely toxic anti-gay negativity from institutions such as Pat Robertson's Regent University in Virginia Beach which gives this entire region of Virginia a negative image with progressive businesses and organizations. On Thursday, August 26, 2010, we will be holding an informational event and silent act auction to benefit the effort. I encourage local readers to attend and would ask readers in a position to support the effort from out side the area to contact me. More information on the endowment effort and my fellow advisory board members can be found here. Here are details on Thursday's event:
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WHERE: ODU’s Baron Gallery on Monarch Way, Norfolk, VA

WHEN: Thursday, August 26 2010

TIME: 5:30-7:30PM.

ART SILENT AUCTION: All the pieces have been

donated by ODU alumni and faculty as well as by supporters of the Pride campaign.

Wine and cheese will be served.

The event is open to the public.

Artist’s contributing work:
Greta Pratt
Elizabeth Leeor
Harriet McCullough
Anne Bousquet
Manuela Mourao
Clay McGlamory
Jake Gillespie

Other Raffle items include: football tickets & Chrysler Museum membership

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Again, I hope local readers will make an effort to attend and learn more about the position that is being established. This is truly an opportunity to make a difference.

Farewell to Key West

This morning the boyfriend and I are saying farewell to Key West - at least for now - and heading back to the Hampton/Norfolk area. It has been a great trip and very relaxing. The resort where we have been staying, The Oasis, is filling up to capacity as Key West Pride approaches next week and obviously, we wish we could stay longer. As has been the case with past visits, we have met a number of great guys here at the guest house, including a couple from Richmond, Virginia. Like the boyfriend and I, they talk of one day leaving anti-gay Virginia for a more welcoming place to retire.

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For anyone who has never visited Key West, I recommend it highly. The laid back, live and let live attitude is wonderful. So is the natural beauty of the island and the surrounding area. We'll be back again - of that I'm certain. Provided we get home on schedule, I will post this evening.

Key West Sailing Adventure

Today we had a wonderful experience taking the Blu Q "Island Adventure Cruise." When the boyfriend and I travel, we make a point whenever possible to patronize gay owned/gay operated businesses. In the case of the Blu Q, the owner/operators are gracious, knowledgeable and informative and a lot of fun. Our six (6) hour cruise included snorkeling, sea kayaking and relaxing on a sand/bar beach in an incredibly gorgeous spot away from all of the other tourist boats and destinations. Anyone planning to come to Key West needs to check out the Blu Q and take one of the assorted cruises offered. The website describes the cruise we took as follows:
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Away from the crowds, enjoy the exotic backcountry islands of the lower Keys like locals have done for generations. We take you to one of the great snorkel destinations of the Marine Sanctuary, remote and pristine. Afterwards, we sail to a remote island of the backcountry, where you get to enjoy the shallow, clear, warm, tropical waters, bask in the tropical sun or explore the sugar like sandbars and natural beaches of the wildlife refuge.
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More Florida Travels

This morning we are headed down to Key West by car and will cross the oversea highway which is a ribbon of islands and bridges that runs all the way out to Key West which is the southern terminus of US Route 1. Yesterday we had a great day out in M and D's boat - pictured above - and did a tour of the Inter-coastal Waterway and then a cruise up the coastline from the port of Ft. Lauderdale to Hillsborough and then back down the Inter coastal. The weather was perfect and we got plenty of sunshine. If the weather continues to be good, I will look like a Indian (I tan very easily) by the time we get back to Hampton Roads. On the way down to Key West we are stopping for lunch with another of the boyfriend's clients and her husband. Once we get to Key West I will have access again via my own computer (I've been using D's to post). I hope readers everywhere had a great weekend.

India Begins to Chase the "Pink Dollar"

It's a lesson that Virginia should learn from - entrepreneurs in India are learning to chase the gay tourism dollar and working to set up gay friendly tours and resources to help attract free spending gay travelers. Being here in Ft. Lauderdale and then heading to Key West tomorrow, the evidence of the good business sense this approach entails is everywhere. Acceptance and tolerance clearly equates to increased business revenue - a concept lost on Gov. Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell and Ken Kookinelli. As we have noted previously, the ONLY segment of the tourism market that grew during the worst of the recession was the gay travel segment. Despite this, too many areas like Virginia basically put up a "gays not welcome" sign and screw over their own tourism industry. Here are some highlights from Lanka Business Online that looks at the smart business sense starting to take off in India:

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NEW DELHI, May 30, 2010 (AFP) - Sanjay Malhotra, the owner of an Indian travel company, knows his target market -- so he seeks out and recruits gay-friendly guides, taxi drivers and hotel managers. "Nobody who works for me laughs or passes a silly remark if two men are obviously partners. They treat gays as anyone else because I have hand-picked these people," he said.

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Malhotra's company, Indjapink, is a bold venture offering custom-designed travel packages for gay men who are keen to explore India but who are often victims of what he calls "cheap abuse and insults." "We identify the needs of gay travellers," he said. "People who look after our clients are all aware of and respect their sexual preference, ensuring they can travel without fear of discrimination."

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Malhotra, who is also a professional fashion designer, said that while the fight to gain acceptance continues, savvy marketers and entrepreneurs are now chasing the "pink money". In many parts of the West, the purchasing power of the gay community has long been acknowledged in areas of retail from clothes and travel to bars and nightclubs.

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"Gay men are the biggest spenders on lifestyle products. They have maximum disposable incomes and do not hesitate to pay a bit extra if their needs are addressed," he said. Lucknow-based historian Saleem Kidwai, co-author of a 2001 book called "Same-Sex Love in India", said he was flooded with offers from Indian publishers to write books about -- and for -- gays and lesbians.

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"Until recently, publishers would outright refuse to print such books, fearing controversy and attacks by hardline groups," said Kidwai, who is researching Sufi saints who have penned verses in support of gay lifestyles. "But now they demand it, and are commissioning writers to focus on these sorts of subjects," he said.

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"Worldwide, pink money is valued in billions of dollars across a variety of sectors. It is high-time India cashed in," said Ravi Dhaliwal, manager of a swish nightclub in the eastern city of Kolkata. Dhaliwal has been organising private parties for the gay community since 2009 and said business was growing every month. "We are now planning to start queer-friendly brunches, fashion shows, painting and photo exhibitions. There is a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow," he said.

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In a potentially positive note, on June 9th the City of Hampton department of economic development is holding a meeting with gay business owners as part of its revitalization of the Phoebus area of the city which Hampton would like to see develop like Ghent did in Norfolk. As is often the case, Ghent's revival was pioneered by LGBT residents and the arts community. Would that Virginia as a whole would wake up to economic reality.

Ft. Lauderdale Sunday Reflections

We arrived safely in Ft.Lauderdale yesterday and got to the home of our friends, M and D, around noon. Having awakend at 4:00AM to catch our flight out of Norfolk, we lazed around the pool most of the afternoon after having a couple of Bloody Mary's with lunch. M and her mother have been clients of the boyfriend for roughly 30 years. Her husband D is a riot and a great sport. They have a beautiful home that backs up to a canal that connects to the inter coastal waterway. I can see why they escape Washington, D.C., whenever possible to come down here (they also have a condo in Virginia Beach for shorter get aways).

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Steps from the patio is their 35 ft boat which we will go out on tomorrow. Tonight we are having several gay couples over for a dinner party. One couple is from Newport News, Virginia and own a condo here, and the others are couples that the boyfriend knows from prior visits. M and D are completely at ease around us gays and are graciously allowing us to host the party tonight. The boyfriend, a/k/a Martha Stewart, has the menu all planned out and did the grocery shopping after lunch yesterday.

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Last evening we went to Georgie's Alibi in Wilton Manor and and a ironically immediately ran into a couple from Hampton Roads who also own a place in Sunrise - crazier yet, we ran into them again today when we went to Sebastian Beach, one of the local gay beaches (more on that below). After the club, we ended up at a great men's clothing store where be took advantage of a great sale and bought some clothes (the boyfriend paid since every spare dollar I an using to pay off the former wife) that one cannot find in backwards Hampton Roads. Being out last night I was struck by the difference in gay acceptance in this area. It truly underscored for me the amount of revenue southeastern Virginia loses out on because of its pandering to the Bible beaters. As I have said before, bigotry clearly carries an economic price.

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The beach was gorgeous today and it was my first time at a gay beach. The water was beautiful and a great breeze kept it from being oppressively hot. The array of body types and ages at Sebastian Beach certain showed the fallacy that there is a gay stereotype. The crowd was just as diverse as any cross section of the straight world. More on the trip another time.

The Elephant in the Room for "Demographically Challenged" Hampton Roads

The May 16, 2010 Daily Press lead editorial bemoaned the fact that the Brookings Institute report released a week ago was less than kind to the Hampton Roads area. In fact, the report called the region "demographically challenged" both in terms of levels of education and in terms of diversity. The Daily Press editorial rightly noted some of the obvious problems cited by the Brookings Institue: lower level than average number of college graduates, lack of high paying high tech jobs, etc. Missing, however, from the analysis was one of the underlying causes for the region's relative backwardness and lack of progressive business: the religious intolerance that pervades in the area.

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The Daily Press wimps out and ignores the closed mindedness and intolerance of the still powerful Christian Right in this region which in large part fuels the "brain drain" that witnesses educated and progressive individuals leaving the region. Not surprisingly, part of this intellectual flight process includes gays leaving the region if possible - usually for Washington, D.C., New York City, Atlanta, or the West Coast. Why stay where one is treated as a second class citizen? Those who are tied here for now by their businesse- like the boyfriend and I presently - leave as soon as we retire or once elderly parents die off. Why? Because Virginia is an extremely hostile place for gays to live and prosper. Similarly, progressives who do not conform to or want their families raised surrounded by a reactionary Christianist world view likewise often find the region unattractive.

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The irony is that NONE of the local economic development departments of the cities of Hampton Roads or the state economic development offices have the balls to flat out state that religious based bigotry and intolerance is not a positive recruiting tool. Matters have only been made worse since the election of Gov. Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell and AG Ken "Kookinelli" Cucinelli to office last fall. Local politicos may feel safe kissing up to the likes of Pat Robertson, but progressives and members of the creative class flee and/or avoid the area. Richard Florida has documented the correlation between tolerance and acceptance of gays with economic prosperity. A number of media outlets have cited Florida's work. Here are highlights from a Salon article:

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And countless Republicans and conservatives have taken umbrage at the suggestion that economic vibrancy no longer resided in traditional development strategies or that the road to economic recovery did not involve reopening a steel plant but soliciting young people with tattoos and piercings. Those even further to the right blanched at Florida's notion that successful resurgence was predicated and even helped by concentrations of gay and ethnic populations. Clearly, the thought that queers and people of color were anything but talking points to scare the populace into reelection on an gay-marriage-cum-anti-immigrant platform was completely beyond the pale.
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Cities are the places that attract talent. I mean, consider that 90 percent of GDP comes out of metropolitan areas. And yet somehow some people think that we don't need cities. Not only do we have to open our borders, we have to strengthen our cities massively because they're the cornerstones of our ability to compete for talent. But for the past four years the Bush administration has done everything to prevent that, from huge decreases in infrastructure spending to drastic cuts in block grants. And now most cities aren't equipped to compete anymore. The only policy we seem to have to revive our cities is to build another stadium.
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The bigger issue is the class divide, which is destroying our country. And that divide is between people who are members of the creative class and fortunate enough to migrate from Pittsburgh or Cleveland or Buffalo or St. Louis to these great thriving creative centers like New York and Boston and Washington and San Francisco and Chicago and Los Angeles. Those people are doing just fine. But the people left behind got really pissed off and got angrier and angrier and madder and madder, and they looked at these cities filled with single people, filled with young people, filled with successful people, filled with immigrants, filled with people cohabitating, having fun, vibrant night life, filled with gay people, and they said "Enough's enough!"
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What's happening in Canada, in Australia, in Scandinavia -- I went and met with the premiers of West Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. I met with labor governors and liberal party mayors. All of them are building platforms, and the one in South Australia was remarkable -- they invest in productivity and prosperity, invest in economic opportunity, use the market and make sure they're a creative society with ecological sustainability and social inclusion.
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Gays and to a lesser extent women and to some degree immigrants, but gays most of all, become the target of all of this hatred. But it's not hatred that comes out of thin air: It's fear. It's fear that the economy is going somewhere that gives advantages to these people who live in gay neighborhoods, who live in places like Washington, D.C., who have all of these advantages -- education, skill, cosmopolitism and abilities. And if they're not gay, they surely must be French. So that becomes a scapegoat issue and a way to organize.
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The point is that if all this continues, America's economic advantage is gone. It'll become an intolerant place, the kind of place where lines are drawn in the sand, where gays don't feel comfortable, where young people don't feel comfortable, where immigrants and newcomers don't feel comfortable. The fact is that according to our rankings, the U.S. is 20th in tolerance out of 45 countries. As a country we're not ranking with the equivalent of the San Franciscos or Austins, we're ranking with the equivalent of the conservative Southern areas. And that's a huge problem.

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The sad truth is that Bob McDonnell, Ken Cuccinelli and too many city council members are chasing after visions of a time that has passed on by. Instead of fostering prosperity and economic development, their policies are slowly killing the prospects fro the future if they do not open their eyes and accept the new reality. Following World War I, the UK tried to go on doing things as they had been done for decades before the war. But times had changed and so had the economic competition. Doing the same old thing and expecting different results after past failures is a sure sign of stupidity and/or insanity. The Daily Press can whine all it wants, but until something is done to address the religious intolerance and closed minded bigotry of far too many people in the Hampton Roads region, it is foolishness to expect that things will change for the better.

Northrop Grumman Will Move Headquarters to Northern Virginia

Throughout this controversy of where Northrop Grumman would relocate its headquarters I have had mixed emotions: a rejection of a Virginia location could be blamed on the reactionary regime of Taliban Bob McDonnell while having the corporate giant come to Virginia would ad another business voice to bring the state into the 21st century. No doubt, Taliban Bob will seek to take the credit, but as the Washington Post reports Northrop CEO Bush told Maryland Governor O'Malley that they "had been impressed with Maryland's package of incentives but were making what amounted to a real estate decision." Historically, it has been Virginia's large businesses - e.g., Capital One - that have pressured the Neanderthals in the Virginia General Assembly to pass more LGBT friendly laws. There's a LONG way to go, but if Northrop Grumman ads it voice to modernity, long term LGBT Virginians will likely benefit. It's also fun to note as does Blue Virginia - that McDonnell got snubbed by Northrop Grumman:
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Northrop Grumman's chief executive officer, Wes Bush, telephoned U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., late this afternoon to inform the former governor of the company's decision to move to Virginia.
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Hmmm, let's take a closer look at this. With an important bit of very good news to tell, Northrop Grumman's CEO Wes Bush didn't reach out to Bob McDonnell with the big news: instead, he called Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner. The meaning of this snub is clear: Northrop Grumman is coming to Virginia in spite of McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli, both of whom have done so much lately to make Virginians look silly in the national press.

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Here are some more details from the Washington Post piece on this subject:

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Bush gave credit to competitive offers from Maryland and the District but said in Monday's statement that the company's "final decision was driven largely by facility considerations, proximity to our customers, and overall economics."
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Some real estate brokers close to the deal and a Fairfax government source said they expect Northrop to pick a spot at the Fairview Park office complex in Fairfax because it is close to facilities the company already has in Tysons Corner, Rosslyn and other locations.
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According to Abbruzzese, Bush told O'Malley that they "had been impressed with Maryland's package of incentives but were making what amounted to a real estate decision."
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The gulf between Northern Virginia and the rural areas of Virginia that are still re-fighting the Civil War will continue to grow and I look forward to the day when the modernity embracing parts of the state can totally out vote the forces of reaction and bigotry.

Rehoboth Beach Weekend Reflections

Overall, it was a whirlwind trip and the weather could have been much, much better. None the less, we had a great time and were also able to catch up with longtime friends of mine - who it turns out are getting married in Washington, D.C., this week for both romantic and pragmatic reasons. Their situation is a perfect example of why civil marriage rights for same sex couples is so necessary. Here's how the story goes:

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A's former employer provided domestic partner benefits so A had B - who has been his partner for 18 years - on his health coverage through his employer. A's company was bought out by another company which only gives such health coverage benefits to "married" couples married in either their home state or the state where they are employed. As a result of not being "married", B lost his coverage and had to go on COBRA for inferior coverage at a far higher premium. By getting legally married in DC, where A works, B can again be fully covered by A's company benefits.
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Getting back to the weekend, for a small historic resort area, Rehoboth has great restaurants and equally great gay and gay friendly clubs. Saturday night we went to three different bars/clubs and they were all in less than a 10 block radius. Besides being gay friendly - something that the Virginia Beach resort area is decidedly not, Rehoboth has so many fewer "tourist trap" stores that all sell the exact same junk that few refined travelers would want to buy. If Virginia Beach had any sense, a part of the resort strip would be set aside to cultivate gay travelers.
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In any event, we are going back to Rehoboth Beach for the July 4th weekend and looking forward to seeing the place in summer with the benefit of locals to show us around and give us a place to stay. It should be fun. Oh, did I mention that the place was originally founded in the 1800's to be a "Christian beach resort?" Things have certainly changed.

Rehoboth Beach Weekend - Update

We arrived here safely and after checking into our room have walked around visiting shops and the boardwalk, had lunch, and then cocktails at the Blue Moon - a top restaurant with a gay bar attached to it which has Friday night drag shows. At the moment, the boyfriend is taking a "disco nap" as he calls them before we rally and go out for dinner and the evening. What I enjoy about Rehoboth - and the same applies to Key West - is that it is pedestrian friendly and one need not drive a car to get around in the main resort area. That and the fact that, unlike Virginia Beach and Ocean City Maryland where high rise hotels shade the beach in the afternoon, there is a height limit on buildings and nothing is higher than 34 to 5 stories other than perhaps some church steeples.

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The other major plus that Rehoboth has going for it is the simple fact that it is gay friendly (something that is definitely NOT the case with Virginia Beach) with openly gay stores and venues in the midst of the resort area. While eating lunch we saw numerous same sex couples and one lesbian couple walking down the street holding hands. No one seemed to bat an eye at the phenomenon. In my view, Virginia Beach forfeits a huge amount of revenue by catering almost sxclusively to blue collar heterosexual families who spend less money than LGBT tourists and typically stay for shorter periods. Even if Virginia Beach had a limited area of the resort strip that was gay friendly, the city could take in more money - even if Pat Robertson went off the deep end. Meanwhile, places like Key West and Rehoboth laugh all the way to the bank and receive gay dollars that might otherwise have been spent in Virginia. As I have said many times, bigotry does carry a price with it.

Key West Retrospective

We are traveling back to Virginia today and it will be a shock to leave the warm summer like weather. It will likewise be a shock to return to an area that lacks the accepting and tolerant atmosphere of Key West. While less "gay" than perhaps twenty years ago, the island continues to be a wonderful example of gays and straights live, work and play side by side and no one seems to give a damn who someone loves and sleeps with. The stay at the Oasis has been wonderful and relaxing. We have had the opportunity to get to know a number of couples from as far away as Australia, France and Germany, not to mention from many parts of the USA. The vast array of foreign tourists who flock to Key West ought to send a message to areas like Tidewater Virginia that intolerance and homophobia are not good for business - especially tourism. With the gay travel dollar still strong, Virginia is exceedingly short sighted - particularly when tourism has been otherwise sagging.
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We took tons of pictures throughout the trip and have the e-mail addresses of many folks that stayed at the guest house. I truly hope we can stay in touch with many of them in the future. It goes without saying that I am so grateful to the boyfriend for having brought me along at his sole expense. Anyone gay thinking of a warm weather destination, I really recommend Key West and the Oasis and its affiliated guest houses.

Sunday Morning Contemplation

I spoke with my sister a short while ago and they have confirmed that my mother had a minor stroke, but that the prognosis is good. My sister is a nurse practitioner and understands all the medical jargon as does my other sister who is a respiratory therapist. They end up "translating" for my brother and I who have no medical backgrounds. Things sound promising and she should be released today or tomorrow once the doctors coordinate her medications. Obviously, the news is a huge relief and will definitely allow me to relax more and enjoy the vacation trip. Today is overcast with light rain, but it is supposed to clear and move on out. The only definite plans we have is to hit the tea dance this afternoon at La Te Da.

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One thing that is interesting is the diverse crowd staying at the guesthouse where we are staying. There are literally guys from all over the USA and a couple from the UK as well, so it's an opportunity to chat and get a perspective on what gay life is like in other areas. It's a very laid back atmosphere unlike the bathhouse like atmosphere at a place called the Island House. In talking, it quickly becomes obvious that coming from Virginia, we hail from one of the most gay hostile states. While Florida is not exactly a gay affirming state either, Key West is in many ways a world unto itself where the daily newspaper runs stories about LGBT organizations and the historic restoration projects of gay couples are written up approvingly. It offers a window on what America should be like in terms of its treatment of LGBT citizens.

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I mentioned that we did a historic homes tour Friday evening that is orchestrated by the Old Island Restoration Foundation which puts together tours a number of times a year. It is well worth the cost of a ticket and the homes demonstrate how main stream the local LGBT community is in Key West. Perhaps the most magnificent house on the tour was one restored by a gay couple that is now worth $4.8 million. The couple in addition to their professional jobs restore and flip historic properties. Another home had been built in the 1950's by the owner of a concrete factory that made use of amazing terrazzo throughout the house. All of the homes include gardens that serve as an extension of the living area of the homes with lush vegetation and a sense of privacy.

Saturday Afternoon Reflections

Today has been an enjoyable day over all, although I received a worrisome call from Charlottesville - my mother is in the hospital and is being checked for a possible minor stroke. I spoke with her and it seems she has all of her faculties and no apparent impairment of any kind. I will get an update once the MRI results are back. They will also keep her overnight for observation. Fortunately, the University of Virginia Medical Center is one of the best in the state and has top notch care. My brother is with my mom now and my sister - who had gone snow skiing - will relieve him in a while. Needless to say, I freaked out at first. Plus the call brought back dreadful memories of a vacation in April, 2001, when I received a call that my middle sister had died. I am going to work to stay positive and send out positive energy and suppress the bad energy of the past.

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Earlier today - before the call from Charlottesville - the boyfriend and I took the gay history trolley tour of Key West which was a lot of fun. Among the gay notables who have lived her are Tennessee Williams (we were allowed to go by the house he owned which is not on any other tours). Then, of course there are the many gays who have visited or lived here for a while such as Truman Capote and Kelley McGillis. Then we stopped by the office of the Key West Business Guild - the local gay chamber of commerce - and chatted with the staff and learned about the chamber's history and ideas that can be applied to HRBOR back in Hampton Roads. I am going to talk to a local gay politician and find out more on politics and report back to a board member of the Victory Fund who asked me to do some fact checking for him.

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The guest house where we are staying has couples from all over, including New York, Minneapolis, Boston and other cold climate regions. As the boyfriend states, I tan standing next to a light bulb, so I have already begun to get some color. Tonight we are meeting at the home of a friend who moved here in March and then go to a large seafood festival featuring all kinds of Conch dishes and other seafood as well. The atmosphere here - while still in a non-gay friendly state - is so, so different from Virginia. No one seems to care who is gay of straight and even by day same sex couples can be seen holding hands walking down the street.

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Keep my mother in your thoughts and prayers (for those who believe in pray).