Expanding LGBT Tourism and Business in the Berkshires

The Forum on LGBT Tourism drew a crowd from area hotels, guest houses and arts groups.

"But don't they know we are a gay friendly place?"

"Not if you don't tell them."

When gays and lesbians think of Massachusetts, they think of Boston, Provincetown, Springfield and Northampton. Older, more affluent gays certainly visit Tanglewood, Jacobs Pillow and the like. But beyond this smallish slice of the LGBT pie, the Berkshires aren't even on the radar. They should be.

Since Massachusetts legalized gay marriage, a few of our area hotels and guest houses have hosted weddings and their guests. It could be considered "doing business by accident." Imagine if we did it on purpose. Here is but one source of LGBT business that has barely been tapped. There are many more. To explore some of the possibilities, the Berkshire Visitors Bureau hosted an open forum on LGBT travel last week.

Gay weddings mean gay families who will return again and again.
Attracting LGBT dollars is not as simple as touting the beauty of the Berkshires and its cultural attractions. Despite stereotypes, more gays like rock than Rachmaninoff. Gays and lesbians like many of the same things as everyone else, that's for sure, but they also like to find places to eat, stay and visit in which they can find a warm welcome, and hopefully see others in their extended families.

There are a handful of gay owned guest houses in the Berkshires, and a few larger establishments that are "gay friendly." Some list themselves in gay lodging directories. It is a good start. One of the points made in the discussion was the need to include same-sex couples and families in one or two photos on websites, brochures and the like. It telegraphs that they are part of the mix here.

Having done a festive gay wedding, Pittsfield's LGBT friendly Crown Plaza Resort hopes to attract still more.
Special gay events, like the City of Pittsfield's "Out in the Berkshires" celebration last Columbus Day went a long way to providing a focal point for the extended community to get together. The Laramie Project at Barrington Stage, Boston Gay Men's Chorus in concert and the QQ dance with four live bands were all well attended.

Last Fall, the Williamstown Film Festival included half a dozen gay films in its lineup and I noticed a large contingent of gay boys from New York at the after-party at the Clark. Gay and lesbian filmmakers were in attendance, and some were guest panelists who had their films screened at Images cinema.

Lady Ha Ha, Kate Clinton, comes to Pittsfield's Colonial Theatre November 13.
This year, the Cultural Development office in Pittsfield hopes to pull together another Out in the Berkshires Weekend. I think that single promotion might have started a trend. Here's why: not announced yet is news that the Colonial Theatre has booked Lady HaHa, Kate Clinton in for a November 13 performance. This could bring together a reverse migration from Northampton for the Berkshire's first "Women's Weekend".

Gay ski weekends were discussed, as were other activities such as hiking and kayaking. The Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition features a different hike every month for those who are interested. With some promotion this could become one of the Berkshire's LGBT attractions.

Attending the meeting were Ken Brissette and Serge Gojkovich from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. The state's website has a special mini-site for LGBT travelers with listings of events and places of interest to us. It is expected that Berkshire businesses will find ways to tap into this market via the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, and the state.

Facilitating the forum was Lauri Klefos from the BVB who made sure a full range of thoughts and options were discussed. Members of the BVB can contact her - or staffers Debbie Mossman and Dara Kaufman for questions about how your business can market to this market segment.

The more Berkshire businesses understand, develop and pursue the LGBT market, the more quickly this new business will begin to materialize. One of the keys is highlighting events of interest to the community. I can not tell you how many otherwise smart marketers completely miss this opportunity. Some still are shy about using the words Gay or Lesbian in their PR and promotional materials. But the acronym LGBT helps, as does the subtle placement of such symbols as a rainbow.

In Sheffield, the 1802 House is gay owned while in Adams the eco-friendly Topia Inn is the creation of two lesbians. They successfully serve both mainstream and LGBT markets.
Some of the upcoming opportunities are hosting a Berkshires table at the huge Boston Gay Pride Parade in June. There is also a phenomenal Gay Expo March 20-21st at the Javits Center in New York which provides access to what seems like millions of gay New Yorkers.

The state has a presence at both events and if you have targeted promotional materials you would like distributed, or would like to share the Massachusetts booth/table, contact the BVB to explore this further.

The Catskills are already actively promoting to this market to build their numbers. We have the same natural beauty, plus four resident theatre companies, dozens of world class museums and historical sites and some of the most glamorous - and historic - lodging to choose from. Not to mention the thrills and excitement of climbing Mount Greylock, finding our hidden waterfalls and picnicking in the seclusion of our mountain hideaways.

The focus for this activity is the Berkshire Visitors Bureau. You might also consider joining if you are not already a member. Call Dara Kaufman at (413) 743-4500 or write her at dkaufman "at" berkshires.org

Don't Ask - Don't Tell - Don't Hide

As the discussion of gays in the military continues, many of us wonder just how many are actually on active duty, in harms way. By its very nature of not asking and not telling there is no way for the military to know. And there is certain to be a component of questioning service members who are not yet fully out.

According to organizations like the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the generally accepted number of gays, lesbians and bisexuals is in excess of 60,000. This conservative figure accounts for approximately 13,000 active duty service members, equal to less than 1 percent of those currently deployed. About 53,000 others serve in the National Guard and reserves, equaling about 3.4 percent.

The issue itself is expanding on the network and cable news, and will peak with the Senate committee hearing on Tuesday. Rosa Sow from Newsy sent along this clip which summarizes a lot of the debate. (Newsy has one of the best iPhone apps of any news site.) With the forward movement, the foes have been sharpening their attacks, and it is clear that many gays are disappointed at the glacial pace of progress.



The debate seems to center on why President Obama did not simply issue an executive order and be done with it. It is true that the devil is in the details. Part of the problem is resolving issues like where LGB military will be bunked. When women were integrated into the military, distinctly separate quarters were created. Do gay males get to bunk with other men, lesbians with women, or what? This is the nub of the debate, the source of much unease among the homophobic.

Ed. Note: In the original blog entry I stated that women were allowed to serve on US submarines, but that is not accurate. Though women have been on American warships since 1993, they are only rarely on submarines, and only under special circumstances. They allow women technicians for a few days at most, female midshipmen during summer training for both ROTC and Annapolis and family members during "fam" cruises. The policy is currently under active debate and the hatch is expected to open for women on submarines soon. Women have been successfully integrated on submarines in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia and Canada.

These are questions that will not be easy to answer, and Secretary Gates is sure to take hostile fire on Tuesday from both sides of these issues. The military has long had separate arrangements for officers and enlisted men and women. When I was in the Navy I was surprised to find a special section on each ship was called "Officers Country" where the enlisted personnel were not welcome. Officers usually do not have to line up cafeteria style for their meals. They have it served to them, by third world enlistees. Since I was a gay person booted out of the military, things may have changed. However, officers always have better food, transportation and living arrangements than the rank and file.


Other discrimination concerns are waiting in the wings, too. Things like whether gay service members will be passed over for promotions, or given the least desirable assignments, or even used for suicide missions to deplete their numbers. These are passive-aggressive ways that some might use to rebel against a federal mandate. It has happened before. It happens every day to gay police and fire fighters.

The macho male culture can make life a living hell even if the law is on our side. When the change is made, the full force and might of the military leadership has to stand behind it. Unlike the ban on torture which was a wink-wink arrangement that led to horrible abuses, the military leadership must be solid on this subject once it is decided. Abuses should not be tolerated, from either gay or straight.

Click here to find out how you can help.
For those who are gay and serving in the Middle East, the news of political action comes as long delayed good news. "I worry a lot about being outed and kicked out," says an email from a Marine in Afghanistan, "The military is my livelihood and I don't want that taken away and me being discharged anything but honorably."

There are real lives, real careers and our nation's security at stake here. Making lesbian and gays a regular part of the military is complicated and will not be easy, but must be done.

Gates to unveil plan to implement Gays in the Military

Eric Alva, a gay Marine, just one of many LGBT's who paid the price in war.
On Tuesday morning, the Senate Armed Services Committee was scheduled to hold a nuts and bolts budget hearing, but those plans have been scrapped due to the resurgence of the President's intention to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

According to the Senate web site, a full hour, and possibly more, will be spent on how to make the acceptance of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the military a reality. And if this is complicated, I can't imagine how taking up the subject of transgendered military personnel would fare. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will unveil the Pentagon's plan for repealing that law. In addition to Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen will also testify.

"The Defense Department leadership is actively working on an implementation plan and the secretary will have more to say about this next week," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said yesterday. I called the office of US Representative John Olver (who represents the Berkshires) for a reaction, but their Washington office (where his press spokesman is located) is closed until Monday. I hope to get a local reaction for a follow up story.


One thing we can be sure of is that this will not be a quick process. Already the radical right is ratcheting up the noise machine, from John McCain to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Conway, who are dead set against gays in the military. They often use softer language about "unit cohesion" but their unreasonable fear of lesbians and gays in the military is clear.

In terms of the Senate, John Kerry will vote to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. But newly elected Mass. Senator Scott Brown is another story. Brown opposes "gay marriage" and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and supports the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

And let's not kid ourselves, either. Making the military more reflective of our nation as a whole has been exceedingly difficult. We still have far too many racial incidents, and women in the military are often preyed upon by the men. Still changing from an all white, all male institution to a fully integrated one has been remarkably successful.

As my brother-in-law, the retired Admiral once explained to me: "The resistance is not so much from the young officers and men, but from the old line Infantry types who see the military in different terms." For several years now, public opinion polls have showed a majority of Americans favor integrating gays into the military.

The problem comes when you break down this support which is skewed to women and younger voters. A majority of the older men who make up the military and political leadership are horrified at the prospect and will fight it tooth and nail. Fox and the firebrand radio talk jocks will have a field day with it. Rush Limbaugh could probably go on for a week with pot stirring hate talk.

This all comes as a response to President Obama's State of the Union speech - and the serious needling he has been getting from his LGBT supporters for not following through on his campaign promises to repeal the ridiculous sssshhhh! policy.

Tuesday is another step on the road to integrating gays into the military. Let's hope it is one that goes forward, not backward.

New LGBT Films Debut at Palm Springs International Film Festival

(This review by Chris Carpenter originally appeared in the Movie Dearest blog and is reprinted here with permission.)

The 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival ran January 5-18, ending just before torrential rains hit southern California. Chances are the celebratory crowds who attended wouldn't have minded if the storm had arrived earlier. This year's fest featured nearly 200 movies from over 70 different countries, and saw Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren mingling with the likes of Mariah Carey and the super-cute stars of The Big Gay Musical!

Indeed, the festival's 21st annual edition included 20 GLBT-themed movies, an all-time high. It's Gay!La centerpiece on January 14 was the California premiere of I Love You Phillip Morris, in which Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor play imprisoned, star-crossed lovers. The fact-based comedy, co-directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, was enthusiastically received by a sold-out audience. It is scheduled for theatrical release in March.

I Love You Phillip Morris - Trailer
by Zelluf

Other GLBT films from the fest that I was able to screen were:


Eyes Wide Open (Eynaim Pekukhot), an extraordinary Israeli story about two orthodox, Jewish men in Jerusalem who have an affair. One is a married father of several children who works as the local butcher; the other is a younger rabbinical student recently kicked out of his yeshiva due to his homosexuality. As the older man eventually admits of his feelings, "I was dead, and now I'm alive." Written and directed by the talented Haim Tabakman, the film is sure to be controversial and is not to be missed. Eyes Wide Open won the fest's John Schlesinger Award for Best First Feature.


Brotherhood (Broderskab), a Danish film by Nicolo Donato features — in contrast to Eyes Wide Open — two neo-Nazis who fall in love with each other. Initially members of a racist, gay-bashing club, the young men gradually come to see the errors of their ways. Of course, their leaders are less than pleased when the relationship is discovered. The movie effectively shows how easily the disillusioned can become conscripted by such ideologies, as well as their hypocrisy.


Paulista (Quanto Dura o Amor?), which had its world premiere at the fest, depicts the romantic successes and failures of several different people in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Writer-director Roberto Moreira pays tribute to both playwright Anton Chekhov and filmmaker Hector Babenco (who cameos) in this sometimes affecting, sometimes heavy-handed dramedy. Silvia Laurenco, as a transgender legal secretary, and the sexy Gustavo Machado, as her would-be husband, give noteworthy performances.


In the documentary Dzi Croquettes, also from Brazil, former members and supporters reminisce about the late gay performance group of the title. The scantily clad Croquettes emerged in the late 1960's, in the wake of a particularly conservative turn in Brazilian politics. They provided subversive amusement to their countrymen and became an international sensation when they eventually went on a European tour. Sadly, AIDS claimed many of the troupe's members in the 1980's and 90's. The documentary becomes repetitive and overlong, but archival footage of the Croquettes' performances and commentary by one of their champions, Liza Minnelli, will keep most gay viewers' interest.


The Big Gay Musical, directed by Casper Andreas and Fred M. Caruso, is a thoroughly silly, occasionally overbearing but ultimately entertaining tale of two gay actors who strive to overcome their personal issues while starring in an off-Broadway production of Adam & Steve: Just the Way God Made 'Em. The musical numbers are fun, the men are hot, and the film's good-natured attack on the religious right is timely. Gossip columnist Michael Musto has a funny cameo, as does Trick's Steve Hayes as God in the show-within-a-show.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival got 2010 off to a fabulous cinematic start! Look for these GLBT films on the big screen in your area and/or on home video later this year.

Ed. Note: We hope one or more of these might find their way to the Berkshire International Film Festival in Great Barrington or the Williamstown Film Festival. Or perhaps to the Beacon, Triplex or Images just because there is an audience for LGBT films that goes beyond the obvious.

This review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

Miss Bubble Wrap Pops up in the News

Miss Bubblewrap in all her glory - one of the great creations of Jeff DeMoura when we were both in Provincetown.

A decade ago I was living and working in Provincetown, where creativity is expected and mediocrity is barely tolerated. Since the last Monday in January is officially Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, I thought I would write about my former business partner, Jeff DeMoura who was always in creative ferment.

He ran a packaging store, me a gift store by day and a mail order bubble wrap business by night. For P-Town's Carnival he decided to use some of the stuff to make his costume and debuted it at the huge Sunday Drag Brunch that year, and won first prize. Of course the bubble dress was gorgeous, like him, but it was also hot - especially when he had to hike it up to cool down.

Jeff as I remember him with one of his naughty cocker spaniels.
It's a long time sine he and I have done business with the folks at Sealed Air, the company formed in 1960 to manufacture and market what we know as "the real" Bubble Wrap. They're marking this year as their product's 50th anniversary. More than 250 Facebook pages are dedicated to Bubble Wrap.

Jeffrey is now in Plymouth, New Hampshire where he owns and operates the totally original Junkyard Dawgs. He is also a regular on Facebook.

The Provincetown Carnival Festival is August 15-21, 2010 and the theme is on the Wild Side. Read more on the Business Guild site.

And memories of Miss Bubbles keep "popping" up. Happy anniversary, Jeff!