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DOM ESTIC
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IN TERN ATION AL
S e r v in g O u r C o m m u n it y B y M e e t in g Y o u r N e e d s
Travel broadens
The International Gay Travel Association grows from a
handful o f tiny businesses into a worldwide group
T
by Richard Shumate
The explosion of interest in the lesbian and
ack in 1981, when what is today the
gay travel market is being fueled primarily by
International Gay Travel Association
was founded in South Florida, most of economics. The IGTA estimates that gay men and
lesbians in North America spend $17 billion an
its 25 members were what could be
nually
on travel, making more than 35 million
termed “Ma and Ma” and “Pa and Pa”
vacation
businesses— primarily bed and breakfasts
and trips.
That
total figure is based upon the somewhat-
small travel agencies dedicated to finding safe
contested premise that gay men and lesbians
vacation space for gay and lesbian clients.
make up 10 percent of the population and, there
What a difference 15 years have made. Today,
fore, would amount to 10 percent of the total
IGTA has more than 1,200 members in 30 coun
travel
market, which is estimated to be $170
tries, including cruise lines, large tour operators,
billion. But John D’Allesandro, IGTA’s presi
at least four major airlines, several hotel chains
dent,
says he believes the $17 billion estimate is
and a host of agencies that promote tourism. The
conservative because gay men and lesbians, most
number of members has increased 150 percent in
of
whom have double incomes and no kids, have
just the last four years.
more freedom and ability to travel than do hetero
“Our membership [in IGTA] is not only a
sexuals.
statement. It’s a commitment,” says Conrad van
Whatever the exact figure, the gay and lesbian
Tigglen, North American marketing manager for
travel
market is unarguably lucrative. For in
the Netherlands Board of Tourism. “We not only
stance, IGTA’s members, about 60 percent of
appreciate [gay visitors], but we are committed to
whom are travel agents and agencies, booked $1
that market.”
billion in airline ticket sales in 1995 and more
When IGTA held a press conference in Miami
than $35 million in accommodations. And the
recently to celebrate its 15th anniversary, the
organization estimates that only about 15 percent
keenness of interest in the lesbian and gay travel
of gay and lesbian travel dollars are spent with its
market was very much on display. American
members.
Airlines sent a marketing manager to tout the fact
Despite the fact that greater tolerance toward
that the company now has a staff of five people
gay men and lesbians would seem to make the
who do nothing but work with the identifiable gay
need for “safe space” less pressing than it was
market. Van Tigglen was joined by an official of
back in 1981, D’Allesandro says specifically gay-
the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bu
and lesbian-friendly travel entities are still neces
reau, who talked of trips the bureau had planned
sary outside major cities.
to host gay travel journalists from Europe and
“In Podunk, Iowa, you still can’t [vacation
Latin America.
openly as a gay person]. You still can’t do that in
Even the location of the meeting, the Hyatt
a lot of cities in this country and around the
Regency hotel, was significant, as Hyatt is one of
world,” he says. “Collectively, we are making a
those major hotel chains that have signed on as
difference for the gay and lesbian traveler.”
IGTA members.
B
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« 5 1 June 21-28 orjun 28-Jul 5,1997
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Clinton signs DOMA
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Bill Clinton put pen to paper at 12:50 am on
Saturday, Sept. 21, to sign the Defense of Mar
riage Act. In so doing he completed the process of
codifying into federal law for the first time this
major form of discrimination against lesbians and
gay men.
In a written statement regarding the signing
Clinton said, “Discrimination... violate[s] the prin
ciple of equal protection under the law and has no
place in American society.” However, he wrote,
he has “long opposed governmental recognition
of same-gender marriages.” He said the bill “clari
fies for purposes of federal law the operative
meaning of the terms ‘marriage’ and ‘spouse.’ ”
And makes the partners of lesbians and gay
men ineligible for health insurance coverage,
Social Security survivors benefits, and dozens of
other federal benefits and protections.
The president took the opportunity “to urge
Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimi
nation Act.” He came late to that position. When
the bill was introduced in the Senate in 1994, when
Democrats controlled Congress, he prevented As
sistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval
Patrick from testifying on its behalf. Instead Patrick
sent a letter supporting the general principle of
nondiscrimination, but not ENDA itself. It took
more than a year for Clinton to sign on.
“It’s sort of typical of Clinton double-speak,”
said Bob Barr (R-Georgia), a leading proponent
of DOMA, of Clinton’s statement. “It leaves the
country wondering whether he’s really commit
ted to it.”
“I’m angry,” said Elizabeth Birch, executive
director of the Human Rights Campaign. “I wanted
President Clinton to act with the highest moral
leadership, and he has not. It is an unheroic move.”
HRC endorsed Clinton for re-election in Feb
ruary and has said it will not reconsider that
endorsement.
“Remember the day the lesbian and gay Ameri
cans were singled out for second-class citizen
ship,” said the Rev. Mel White, justice minister
with the Metropolitan Community Church.
He led a fast and vigil against DOMA and was
one of nine people arrested in front of the White
House the previous week in protest.
“For the first time in U.S. history, the legisla
tive and executive branches have used their com
bined powers to legalize discrimination against
lesbian and gay citizens,” White said. “President
Clinton has enshrined into law the false and
inflammatory rhetoric of Pat Robertson and other
religious extremists. We must not go silently into
the dark night of intolerance and discrimination.”
Evan Wolfson, with the Lambda Legal De
fense and Education Fund and co-counsel in the
Hawaii legal challenge to same-sex marriage,
called DOMA “the creation of a federal caste
system for marriage [second-class citizens, sec
ond-class marriages]. DOMA is appalling, it is
radical, it is unconstitutional, it is disgusting.
Politicians who voted for it should be ashamed of
themselves.”
Protests to Clinton’s signing were muted. A
handful of protesters greeted Clinton as he left
church in Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning.
About 50 gathered that evening in San Francisco.
Bob Roe hr