Featured Summer Destination: New Orleans

By Autostraddle

I've lived in New Orleans for three years. My first memory of the city is my mother telling me, as a child, that we couldn't stay in the hotels in the French Quarter because that's where all the homosexuals were. Two decades later, I'm proud to count myself as one of them. What can I say? This city has a magical pull.
How can I explain how insanely queer this city is? I'll try my best.

Breaking down roles, recreating identities, writing our own stories, and celebrating the uniqueness of our culture is ingrained in the essence of NOLA. The city is incredibly diverse; the culture of the city grows out of African and Caribbean, French creole, German, and Spanish influences. There's a thriving young queer and trans population, and the African-American LGBT community may be one of the largest in the U.S. You might not find the typical gay things in New Orleans -- we don't have a big, flashy Pride, for instance. But we have sissy bounce. We have Southern Decadence. We have Krewe du Vieux. Stop by and say hello. I promise to show you what Southern hospitality really means.

Read the full story at Autostraddle.com