Why Palm Springs Became Gay: A Queer History of America's Desert Oasis
There's a phrase that gets used a lot when people talk about Palm Springs: "the gayest small city in America." It ranks first in California and third nationally for same-sex couples per 1,000 households. Its city council has been entirely LGBTQ+.
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5 Questions to Reflect On
- 1. From hiding to governing Palm Springs went from a secret escape for closeted Hollywood stars to a city with an all-LGBTQ+ city council in less than a century.
- 2. Your own sanctuary Many queer people have a "Palm Springs" in their life story, a place or community where they could finally exhale and be themselves. Was there a place like that for you?
- 3. The community that stayed The AIDS crisis scattered many queer communities, but in Palm Springs it actually deepened the community's roots.
- 4. Building vs. arriving The Warm Sands resort owners of the 1960s and 70s didn't just visit Palm Springs, they invested in it, built businesses, created infrastructure.
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