‘S.C. is so gay’? State says no way

[hiaasenrocks]

By JOHN O’CONNOR - [e-mail]

South Carolina’s top tourism agency has canceled an overseas advertising campaign targeting gay tourists.

...

After learning last week the state had agreed to spend tax money on the campaign — and spurred by a post on The Palmetto Scoop blog — the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said Thursday it would not pay the tour operator.

...

The agency will not pay the roughly $4,942 fee to take part in the campaign.

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/458063.html

[sasquatch]

1. I wouldn't go to South Carolina if you bribed me

[hiaasenrocks]

2. That's OK. Our traffic is awful as it is. :) (EDIT)

We do have tons of former Ohio residents here. There's even a little battle going on about it. http://gobacktoohio.com/

[DesertFlower]

6. i've been there quite a few times.

my mom and my sis lived there for 22 years. never liked the place.

[terrya]

3. I was in South Carolina once. Once.

Work related. Charleston. It had a couple of gay bars. But I still felt uncomfortable.

Let's just say it made me appreciate home. Sorry to sound snobby.

[hiaasenrocks]

5. That doesn't sound snobby.

I live in Charleston and while I recognize that much of our economy is tourism-based, I hate what it has done to the area. Growth for the sake of growth, people moving here in droves. We are the new South Florida in that respect. I prefer the spend-money-and-leave system. Sorry if THAT sounds snobby. :)

[terrya]

8. When I was down there, I was staying in some fancy hotel in the tourist district.

It didn't help that I was down there in late July...very humid. Not that it doesn't get humid here in Chicago....

I hear you about the touristy stuff. This was several years ago when I was down there...this was actually when the whole flying the Confederate Flag on the State Capitol controversy was going on. I can imagine what people moving down there now must be like. :-(

As a gay guy, I do appreciate that attempt to try to lure gay tourists to your state. But that's a shame as to what happened.

[China_cat]

10. Would that Spoleto had gone elsewhere.

Tourists were bad before that but not like they are now.

[hiaasenrocks]

11. I really wish we didn't have it anymore. No doubt.

[pitohui]

4. wow, just the fact that the ad was proposed impresses me

south carolina may be coming out of the closet very slowly but it's making more progress than i realized since back in the dark dinosaur days

p.s. would love to see a link to a photo or copy of the new orleans poster, of course no one is surprised that new orleans might be "so gay," i would just be tickled to see the ad that is apparently in the london underground

[KamaAina]

14. New Orleans: MUCH gayer than S.C.

or pretty much anywhere else, for that matter, outside SF or the West Village...



All of 'em are on this page:

http://www.amroworldwide.info/sogay

paradoxically, no NYC or SF :shrug:

[dsc]

7. gay beaches?

where? Depending upon where I might actually live in driving distance for a day trip.

[hiaasenrocks]

9. No idea. Never heard of any.

[ccharles000]

12. ...

I think we gays here in North Carolina have it better than those in SC.

[hiaasenrocks]

13. Could be the case. The gays I know here pretty much stay here

because of family, not politics, that's for sure. But I've never really delved too deeply into it. They are actually not very political, and I have no way to judge what's better for them.

[Ian David]

15. AUCHTUNG, Juden! Come to Auschwitz to Celebrate Passover in 1938!

Yeah.

South Carolina + Gay People... Tourism Destination?

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. Ich Don't fink so

[ShaneGR]

16. I'm not gay, I don't like South Carolina politics, and I'm from Ohio originally... BUT

I live in SW Florida now and South Carolina people I meet are extremely friendly. Like a weird sort of southern charm. It's very odd, most of them vote for Republicans just because their parents told them to. I swear to god, I've heard South Carolina women say "my father would kill me if I voted for a Democrat."

[Bluebear]

17. They may be less friendly & charming if you were one of them thar homos.

You know, Adam and Steve and all that sort of thing. :)

[Ian David]

19. When I was in Myrtle Beach, S.C., I wore this hat all week...

Got some funny looks, but no questions or compliments on it.