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July 14, 2006

Trouble in Shangri-La

Ironic sign on a tourist trolley owned by an anti-gay activist.
(credit: Boston Glode Staff Photo/Wendy Maeda)

There is a town hall meeting tonight in Provincetown, Massachusetts to address concerns about a rise in discrimination. Of course, in Provincetown (this is the same, small town hall that in a few weeks will feature several concerts by Cindy Lauper) it is the rise in discrimination against straight people that has residents concerned.

This largely-gay fishing village of 3,000 at the tip of Cape Cod (which swells to a largely-gay population of 30,000 in the summer) has long been a haven to LGBT people, including such luminaries as John Waters. Straight tourists have always made day trips to the town to take in a gay cabernet show and to take their pictures on the street alongside drag queens and confirmed homosexuals. However, in recent years, more of these straight tourists have decided to take up residence in Ptown and the rise in the straight population has led to increased tensions.

The gay and straight populations in Ptown have always mutually adored each other. The biggest cause of tension in recent years has been the conflict between the needs of growing gay families with children as contrasted to the old days when only single gay folks flocked to the town's shore. However, some residents have felt that a small portion of new tourists are not exactly gay friendly - and 43 town residents were found to have signed an ant-marriage petition circulated by anti-gay groups this past year. Reports of anti-straight harassment have been on the rise.

Although 43 people only constitutes 1% of the year round population, you still have to wonder what kind of jerk would choose to live in a largely-gay community and sign such a thing. Perhaps tonight's town meeting will help address that question, along with other concerns.

Posted by John at July 14, 2006 10:07 AM