America's Gayest Cities-- Where Are They And Who Are They Electing To Congress?

Anti-gay Blue Dogs Hill & Shuler represent 2 of America's gayest cities

Yesterday, while I was researching my post about the problem gays have with the Democratic Party, I came across a whimsical article in The Advocate, Gayest Cities in America. And they are not, according "intrepid amateur sociologist Mike Albo," San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Miami or Chicago. Go figure. Well actually, by Albo's criteria the gayest cities in the country are-- from gay to very gay to super gay to FLAMING-- Albuquerque, San Diego, Springfield (MA), Asheville (NC), Gainesville (FL), Seattle, Austin, Portland (ME), Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Madison, Bloomington (IN), Iowa City, Burlington (VT) and Atlanta. "Georgia," he posits, "isn’t the most gay-friendly state, but Atlanta is undoubtedly our gayest city-- with 29 gay bars here, there’s a reason it’s dubbed Hotlanta. Atlanta’s several queer events include one of the nation’s largest Prides in October (returning to Piedmont Park this year), and MondoHomo, a May event celebrating art, drag, burlesque, film, and BBQ. The gay epicenter is Midtown, anchored by Outwrite Books, a giant gay bookstore bucking the national trend-- by staying in business! Atlanta guys are hunky, the ladies are gracious, the gay sports leagues are seriously well organized, and its housewives (and their gay BFFs, complete with handbags and heels) are now camp icons. And who doesn’t love the sweet lilt of a Georgia accent on a knockout guy or gal?"

Uhhh... ok. There are also 3 gay elected officials in town. In fact, that's one of the criterion for deciding how gay a city is. Do they elect gay officials? Iowa City also has 3, as do Austin, and Seattle. Springfield has one. Madison has 4 (and I don't know if that includes the outstanding member of Congress who represents that part of Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin). Burlington has none (neither do Bloomington, New Orleans, Ft. Lauderdale, Portland, Gainesville, Asheville, Albuquerque, nor San Diego).

Now, Atlanta wasn't disqualified-- and it certainly isn't Atlanta's fault that the state of Georgia has chosen to elect two of the most viciously homophobic senators in the United States, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss (each of whom rates a flat out zero on the ProgressivePunch Senate gay rights scorecard. At least the members of Congress who represent the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area itself are mostly gay-friendly. Hank Johnson (D) has a clean 100% score on gay issues as does civil rights champion John Lewis (D); David Scott (Blue Dog) a shady 75.00; Tom Price (R) a startlingly anti-gay 20.00 and Phil Gingrey (R) a flat out zero.

The last big gay rights issue Congress voted on was the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill, on April 29 of last year. The enabling legislation to move the bill passed 234-190, every single Republican voting against it-- including both the closet queen contingent (David Dreier, Patrick McHenry, Adrian Smith, Trent Franks, etc, etc) and Republicans representing significant gay populations, like Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (South Beach and Key West), Mary Bono Mack (Palm Springs) and John Culberson (Houston's Montrose district). But what about The Advocate's gayest cities besides Atlanta? We checked 'em all out (scores are in bracket next to their party identification):

#2 is represented in Congress by two pro-gay senators, Bernie Sanders (I- 100%) and Patrick Leahy (D- 100%) and a pro-gay congressman, Peter Welch (D-100%). Iowa City, #3, sports a gay-friendly congressman, Dave Loebsack (D-100%) and one pro-gay senator, Tom Harkin (D- 100%)) and one crazy old homophobe, Chuck Grassley (R- 0.00%). #4 is Bloomington, Indiana, our first really sad story. Evan Bayh (D- 100%) and Richard Lugar (R- 100%) both surprised me with perfect voting records. The sad part is the local congressman from Bloomington, homophobe Baron Hill (Blue Dog- 60%) who was one of only 15 Democrats to vote against the enabling legislation for the hate crimes bill, has one of the lowest scores on gay issues of any Democrat in Congress, slightly worse than his Indiana Blue Dog colleague Joe Donnelly and a fraction better than homophobic maniacs Allen Boyd of Florida, Artur Davis of Alabama, John Barrow of Georgia and fellow Indianan Brad Ellsworth.

Madison (#5) is in great shape of course, having elected the first openly gay woman to Congress, Tammy Baldwin (D- 100%) and two gay-friendly senators, Herb Kohl (D- 100%) and Russ Feingold (D- 60%, who wandered off into some technicalities on a couple of votes but is generally considered a friend and ally of the Wisconsin gay community). #6 is New Orleans are their Senate representation is split. Landrieu (D- 100%) is a friend of the New Orleans gay community and sex-addict and sociopath David "Diapers" Vitter boasts a perfect zero of hatred and bigotry, working diligently to target gay people in every way possible. He's considered one of the gay community's most vicious and aggressive foes. The congressman from New Orleans, Ahn Cao (R-50) isn't as bad as most of his Republican colleagues-- but he represents more gay people than just about any other Republican and he went along with them to vote against the hate crimes enabling legislation, although he did vote for the bill once it was assured passage.

Fort Lauderdale (#7) is gerrymandered up between 3 congressional districts and various parts of the city are represented by gay rights advocates Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D- 100%) and Alcee Hastings (D- 100%) and by tepid supporter Ron Klein (D- 87.50%). The two Florida senators, Bill Nelson (D- 100%) and George LeMieux (R- 0.00%) are polar opposites. This is especially tragic since LeMieux is a political operative and appointee of Florida's closeted gay governor, Charlie Crist, and because Florida has one of the largest gay populations in America.

Maine has two GOP senators with perfect gay rights voting records, Olympia Snowe (R- 100%) and Susan Collins (R- 100%). Portland (#8) is represented by Chellie Pingree (D- 100%) who is a dedicated advocate for Maine's gay community. Austin is #9 and the community there really does have a problem with their representative in DC. Neither Texas senator, John Cornyn (R- 25.0%) nor Kay Bailey Hutchison (R- 20.0%), is any good for gays and Austin itself was carved up and diluted between 3 red-leaning districts to prevent it from becoming a progressive bastion. Michael McCaul R- 0.00%), a dedicated homophobe, represents the eastern part of the city; far right fanatic Lamar Smith (R- 0.00%) represents the UT campus and much of downtown Austin; but Lloyd Doggett (D- 75%), a main target in Tom DeLay's gerrymander, has been re-elected-- with massive gay community support.

Seattle (#10) is a liberal city. Washington's two senators, Maria Cantwell (D- 100%) and Patty Murray (D- 100%), are both strong supporters of the gay community. The Metro Area has 4 congressmen: Jim McDermont (D- 100%) who's got most of the city proper, Jay Inslee (D- 72.73%) in the northern suburbs, Adam Smith (D- 75.00%) in the southern suburbs and anti-gay crusader Dave Reichert (R- 20.00%). Inslee and Reichert are both disappointments for the gay community and Smith could be a lot better. Only Reichert, though, voted against the Hate Crimes bill.

Gainesville (#11) is divided between a dangerous homophobic fanatic, Cliff Stearns (R- 0.00) and a somewhat reluctant ally, Corinne Brown (D- 81.82). Asheville may be an artsy "prime example of the new gay South," as The Advocate terms it, but their congressman, Heath Shuler (D- 50.0%) is a member of the homophobic C-Street cult and he is a dedicated enemy of gay families. He's the only Democrat representing one of these gay cities to have voted against the hate crimes bill (once it was guaranteed passage, Hill voted aye; Shuler still voted "no"). Springfield (#13) is represented by progressive Richard Neal (D- 100%), a gay rights champion. #14 is San Diego and it's divided between two Democrats, progressive and pro-gay Bob Filner (D- 100%) and disappointing Susan Davis (D- 75%), and two violently anti-gay Republicans, Duncan Hunter, Jr (R- 0.00%) and Brian Bilbray (R- 0.00%). And, at #15, Albuquerque is fortunate to have elected a friend of the gay community, Martin Heinrich (D- 100%) and two have two pro-gay senators, Mark Udall (D- 100%) and Jeff Bingaman (D- 100%).

In a comment under the earlier post, progressive grassroots candidate Doug Tudor, who's running for the seat in west Florida being vacated by homophobe Adam Putnam, expressed his own feelings of support for gay people. A lifelong career Naval officer, Tudor has served alongside gay men and women working to protect America. His perspective is clear as a bell-- although something not appreciated by conservatives, whether Republicans or Blue Dog Democrats (one of whom is running against him in a primary; the DCCC, of course, is pushing the Blue Dog and trying to pressure Doug out of the race).

Thank you for very clearly defining the issue. Disappointed and disillusioned Progressives should never join with the conservatives as some sort of a misplaced protest. Instead, they should only support their true friends ... true Progressives.

As every voter should do, Progressives must research the issues, ask the candidates hard questions, and demand real answers, not campaign slogans. Change and Hope are not courses of action.

As for me, I would vote to repeal DADT and DOMA, and I would vote for ENDA. Additionally, I would ensure the Justice Department was fully funded and held fully accountable for prosecuting hate crimes against GLBT citizens.

Statements like this is why Doug Tudor was one of the first batch of candidates who are part of Blue America's Send Democrats A Message page. And he doesn't represent one of America's gayest cities.