Gay Travel News: Spend! Spend! Spend!

Marriott International is joining an increasing number of American businesses embracing the power of the pink dollar by targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers.

A campaign featuring Jason Collins, the first openly gay National Basketball Association player, and Geena Rocero, the transgender model, has been launched as more resorts attempt to make LGBT tourists feel more welcome.

The annual spend on tourism by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is set to exceed $200 billion for the first time this year, according to Out Now Global, a specialist tourism trade association. The expansion of marriage equality laws in the United States — 19 states have legalised gay marriage — has led to a wave of other campaigns, including Las Vegas’s “Everyone’s welcome. Even straight people.”

Kristine Friend, senior director of segment marketing for Marriott International, said that the company wanted to shift the perception of its brand. “We are committed to ensuring that all of our guests feel comfortable at all of our hotels and are proud to stay with Marriott,” she said...

The Times.

$200 billion, you say?

Sure.
But can you show us your workings?

This figure has come from Out Now Consulting - famed for making up ludicrous over-estimations of gay spending power.

Why? Because they are a company that's all about marketing to the LGBT community, so have a vested financial interest in telling big business; 'There's gold in them there fags!'

Here's an old favourite of Fagburn's claiming that The Gays in Britain earn 25% more than the national average!

Sure - we all get paid extra just for being fabulous.

The myth of the Pink Pound has been thoroughly debunked on the thoroughly researched blog Gay Money: The truth about lesbian and gay economics - all serious research suggests gay men earn less btw. 

And how strange that much of the gay media is running the new ad campaign for Marriott Hotels.
Invariably accompanied by excitable advertorial/editoral about how wonderful it is.

Here's a fawning article on Gay Star News about Marriott's #LoveTravels campaign - the hotel chain are one of GSN's sponsors. 

It's one of the world's largest Mormon-own companies - you'll often find a copy of the Book of Mormon snuggling up to a Gideon Bible in your room. 

Here's what the Latter Day Saints official website has to say about homosexuality...

The Mormon Church is firm on its position condemning homosexuality as sinful behavior. One of the tenets of Mormon doctrine is the Law of Chastity. It permits sexual relations only between a husband and wife who are legally married...

The topic of gay Mormons is a difficult one right now because of the swing of popular opinion toward acceptance, but the Mormon Church cannot compromise the laws of God and counsels those who wish to follow Christ but suffer from same-sex attraction to work to overcome it.

Though they do really love you, or at least your money; by way of example CEO Bill Marriott issued a statement to reassure you that he didn't donate to California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. 

'The Bible that I love teaches me about honesty, integrity and unconditional love for all people. But beyond that, I am very careful about separating my personal faith and beliefs from how we run our business.'

Phew! That means the gay media don't have to call for a Dorchester-style boycott.

But does it just mean Bill knows being openly homophobic would be bad for business?


Don't know about you, but Fagburn didn't know whether to laugh or barf.

Trestin Meacham: The Mormon Diet

A Utah man has vowed to starve himself until state officials stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples following a recent landmark court ruling.

Trestin Meacham, 35, said he was disappointed when U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled December 20 that the state's ban on same-sex marriage violates gay and lesbian couples' constitutional rights.

Over the past two weeks, more than 900 same-sex couples have tied the knot as state attorneys were busy trying to put a stop to the weddings.

Meacham, a former Conservative Party candidate for the Utah State Senate, decided to take matters into his own hands, declaring a hunger strike to push for the nullification of the same-sex marriage ruling.

For the past 13 days, the 35-year-old man has been surviving on bottled water and an occasional vitamin... 

Nearly two-thirds of Utah's 2.8million residents are members of the Mormon Church – the dominant force in the state's legal and political circles. The powerful church was also the engine behind California's short-lived ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8.

Though the church has softened its stance toward gays and lesbians in recent years, it still teaches that homosexual activity is a sin and stands by its support for ‘traditional marriage.’

On his part, Meacham said he will continue his hunger strike until state officials stop the weddings.

The Monroe, Utah, resident has faced backlash for his staunch opposition to same-sex marriage.

Meacham claimed that he has been getting death threats, and a Facebook group was created encouraging people to send pictures of food to the starving activist.

Daily Mail.

Let's hope this brave Christian soldier sees this through to the end.

Several people have noted that Mr Meacham looks remarkably healthy for someone who hasn't eaten for 13 days. Hmm...

Apparently, the dangerzone comes after three weeks when your body starts to eat itself.

Let us pray Trestin fasts for 40 days and 40 nights at least.

US Presidential Election: Apocalypse Now

If Mitt Romney becomes president it will usher in the Rapture - this is predicted in The Book Of Mormon.
Don't say I didn't try and warn you.

• Fagburn would like to stress that he thinks all religions are equally irrational and insane, and Mitt Romney's Mormonism is quite far down the list of reasons to despise this upper-class warrior.