Galveston. Oh, Galveston. One of the greatest things about the island nation is how laid-back the people are. Beach culture. More than “tolerant.” Accepting. Friendly. For a fairly teeny population of less than 60,000, it’s a very impressive fact that at many times over the last 10 years, the small city has sustained four to five gay clubs at a time. Some have come and gone, mind you, just as any other queer-bar scene. But seriously, for the relative number of folks that reside there, compared to say, Austin metro (almost 1 million) – which at any given time supports not too many more clubs than Galveston – that’s a helluva lot of gay per capita.
If you know me personally, you know about my love for the Gulf Coast. I am terribly saddened by the realities of the last week and am participating in as much relief effort as I possibly can. I encourage you to look through our listings and do likewise. But more so, I encourage you to watch the island. After the floods recede and the city dusts herself off, she will be back better than ever. She always is. And I cannot recommend a better place for you to plan a weekend club crawl in the name of charity.
This article appears in September 19 • 2008.