South Carolina cancels "So Gay" campaign

By Octavia Mitchell
JULY 11, 2008
WCBD - Charleston, SC

South Carolina's tourism agency has cancelled an overseas advertising campaign aimed at gay tourists.

The ad reads "South Carolina is So Gay," but not everyone is happy about it. The ad was a part of a gay pride week campaign in London. The South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department joined the campaign along with several other cities including Atlanta, Boston and New Orleans. It would have cost taxpayers five-thousand-dollars, but the state agency now says it will not pay the fee to participate in the ad campaign.

Even though the ad will be pulled, it has people talking. Jan Batson says, "South Carolina is so gay. I don't know why they would say that. It does bother me because I wonder why they would think that. There is so much to offer here. Why would they focus on that main issue." Gladyss Hemphill-Gaither says, "I hope that means that we are people who are inviting loving and kind. I hope that's what that means." Ventphis Stafford says, "I don't think so, no South Carolina is not so gay. We're so gay, nah, wrong state, go to California."

Warren Redman-Gress is with the Alliance For Full Acceptance, an advocacy organization for the gay and lesbian community. He says, "I wish the folks at the tourism board had done a little more of their homework. I get calls regularly, people want to know, before I come and spend my hard earned money, my sovenior dollars in South Carolina, is it a place where it is ok for me to be gay. The answer is yes and no. You live on the edge with the simple fact that you can come to South Carolina, spend your money getting here and someone can come in a and say I'm sorry you can't stay here because you're gay."

State Senator Glenn McConnell says there are two main issues. McConnell says, "This particular ad was wrong and they were right to pull it. The written ad is a political message. The main issue is they shouldn't use public money to push a political agenda. That removed, I'm not going to condemn them for getting out there and advertising South Carolina to a diverse market. Everybody's money spends the same here at the cash register."

The Department of Parks,Recreation and Tourism says its independent contractor in London approved the ad campaign after talking to a low-level employee at P.R.T., but management never approved it. Officials say that employee, has resigned because of it. Greenville Senator David Thomas called for an audit, after learning about the ad.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• south
• carolina
• gay
• tourism
• christian

[asianhannarchy]

how can these people be so fuckin' ignorant?!?! can u even comprehend what ur writing here? WHAT THE FUCK DID GAY PEOPLE EVER DO TO YOU??

[MsToniP]

Ok, since when did anyone say that the advertisement was insinuating that everyone from South Carolina is gay? They were only trying to show pride to encourage people to feel happy and comfortable when in SC. Face the facts, there are gay people literally everywhere. And NO, California as a whole is not homosexual. That is the most absurd and ignorant statement that I have ever heard! I truly feel bad for the unlucky few of you who clearly have no mental capacity whatsoever.

[limelightvideo]

S.C. is so homophobic...

[honorific88]

@firebird2012 Fundies

[SingingAndComedyOfSC]

I was born and live in South Carolina and I am gay.. Seriously.

[amrogaytravel]

Oh Dear...

[cantstoptheseeker]

Sounds like South Carolina is so homophobic. All those other places didn't have a problem with the ad. I got a better ad for them: South Carolina is so a backwater redneck shit-hole.

[Leniciso]

It feels like gay bashing is behind us, really. It's very old fashioned nowadays.

[cabasse]

@xLazyb0nex lazy bone(x) = erectile dysfunction?

[DANCER720ful]

lol big ups for the black lady

[flybywire09]

It's really not that hard to understand. Saying "SC is so gay" is a play on words simply designed to get people's attention. If one were to read the rest of the advertisement they would see that it was saying SC is a safe and fun place to travel for gay and lesbian couples. Antebellum plantations, gorgeous beaches and shopping along SC's coast is what the ad was referring too. This news clip doesn't do a good job explaining the full story. People in SC freaked because they're homophobic.

[SC1337]

haha this just proves homophobes are no smarter than a vegetable to bad for them SC will be just as liberal as Cali in a few years