No Gay Sex, Please; We're from Virginia
Guidebooks to Minneapolis returned to publisher due to gay nightlife section.
September 3, 2008— -- A campaign official for the Virginia Lieutenant Governor cancelled an order for 150 guidebooks to entertainment in Minneapolis-St. Paul after discovering they included a 6-8 page section for gay and lesbian nightclubs.
"Having a section dedicated solely to GLBT will be a BIG problem for many of our folks. We simply can't hand them out," wrote the aide, Melissa Busse, in an email to the guidebook publisher, Rake Publishing, obtained by ABC affiliate KSTP.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling said he was not aware of the decision by his aide and disagrees with it.
The books, intended as welcome gifts to members of the Virginia delegation, were called "Secrets of the City."
Rake's website features information and listings for an array of nightlife activities for gays and lesbians in the Minneapolis area, including "queer speed dating", trivia night, and dildo bingo.
Rake's COO did not immediately return calls for comment.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has a large and vibrant gay nightlife, where club managers said many Republicans were expected this week.
"We've had quite a spike, mostly people who are curious come down and they wind up leaving and having a good time," said Robert Parker, the manager of the Gay 90's club in downtown Minneapolis which features a popular "drag queen" show.
"Mississippi, Alabama, California, Arizona, I've seen people from all over, said Parker.
"Shame on them" for not distributing the guidebooks", said Parker. He said his club "is all about inclusiveness, including everybody no matter who and what you are, and I think if perhaps Republicans come and see that and they would come in and see that the world could be that way, and they may learn something."
In a statement, Virginia Lt. Gov Bolling said he was sorry the cancellation occurred "and wish it had not happened." He said the delegation would reimburse the publisher for his costs.