Being gay in this Southern city was once a lonely existence. Most people kept their sexuality to themselves, and they were reminded of the dangers of being openly gay when a gay church was bombed in the 1980s. These days, there are eight churches that openly welcome gay worshippers. One even caters to couples with children.
The changes may seem surprising for a city where churches that have long condemned homosexuality remain a powerful force. But as demographers sift through recent data releases from the Census Bureau, they have found that Jacksonville is home to one of the biggest populations of gay parents in the country.
In addition, the data show, child rearing among same-sex couples is more common in the South than in any other region, according to Gary Gates, a demographer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Gay couples in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are more likely to be raising children than their counterparts on the West Coast, in New York and in New England.
More on the story - here
Current governor Rick Scott, who spent over $12million of his own money getting elected in the mid terms for the Republican party doesn't believe in gay rights and is vehemently opposed gay marriage, gay adoption and gay employment rights. He'd rather not have any gay people in the state, according to members of his own office.
© 2011 Copyright Jason Shaw
1 comment:
I guess we can call that progress then!
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