4. New Orleans, Louisiana
For some reason both the New York Times and Business Insider seem to have forgotten about beautiful New Orleans, the number 4 on the list of top 10 gayest cities in America (and the neighboring Metairie), but the fact is -according to Gallup- that this metropolitan area holds a percentage of 5.1 when it comes to LGBT population. How the city that originated Ellen DeGeneres was left out baffles me, but it seems New Orleans has a pretty big gay heritage.
“The Gay Liberation movement was slower to develop in New Orleans than in many other cities. This was due in part to local politics. (…) Nevertheless, a small group of activists founded the Gay Liberation Front of New Orleans in late 1970.”
The 70’s were pretty tough on gay in New Orleans, and even though the 80’s were better, it was the 90’s that brought the biggest changes: “In 1991, the New Orleans City Council passed a gay non-discrimination ordinance. Shortly afterwards, Gov. Edwin W. Edwards issued a far-reaching executive order, prohibiting discrimination in state employment and services. In 1997, Louisiana earned the distinction of being the first state in the Deep South to pass a hate crimes law that covered sexual orientation, and New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial extended domestic partner benefits to city employees. And, in 1998, New Orleans became one of the earliest cities to add gender identity to its list of groups protected from discrimination.”
Pretty impressive for a Southern state, is it not?
Curioso/Shutterstock.com
