I was contacted today by a freelance writer wanting to know what I think of the tiny notice that appears in the new edition of the Prince Edward Island Visitor's Guide indicating that PEI is a gay friendly location. The barely noticeable couple of sentences refers to the Island as being welcoming of GLBT visitors and to provie it, all you have to do is visit Purple Roofs and look up gay friendly accommodations in Prince Edward Island.
As a gay welcoming tourist operator, member of PFLAG Canada-PEI and father of a lesbian I have mixed emotions about the fact that our Tourism Department is finally acknowledging it might be a good idea to promote the Island to the GLBT market.
On one hand, it's a positive step in the right direction. It's certainly more than the previous Conservative government ever did....it being so homophobic it dragged its feet until it had no choice but to recognize same gender marriages. The current Liberal government is at least prepared to utter the words "gay friendly" in relationship to tourism. But we're still a long way from actually, publicly courting the GLBT market in the way Halifax and other locations are doing.
Change comes very slowly to small, conservative communities. I'd like to trumpet the idea that Prince Edward Island is a safe, welcoming place for GLBT travellers but I know in my heart we're not yet ready to claim that label but this gesture on the part of Tourism PEI is at least a step in the right direction.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)