Philly Shafted On “Gayest Cities in America” List … Again

The Advocate just released its annual Gayest Cities in America list and, wouldn’t you know, Philly doesn’t make the cut. This isn’t terribly surprising news. Philly hasn’t been on the list for at least the last two years. But you may be surprised to learn that Pittsburgh made it. Coming in at No. 15, the City of Bridges earned points for its collection of women’s colleges, and the fact that it’s played home to gay icons Andy Warhol, Gertrude Stein and Willa Cather.

That’s all fine and good (we’re happy for you Pittsburgh, really) but Philly doesn’t even get an honorable mention?! It just doesn’t make sense, especially considering the Human Rights Campaign gave us a perfect 100 on the Municipality Equality Index in November. (Pittsburgh got a 72. Just saying.)

Ours is an especially bruising omission, considering 2013 was one of Philly’s gayest years in history. The LGBT Equality Bill passed — and made national headlines — in the spring; residents began moving into the region’s first LGBT senior housing center, The Jonathan C. Anderson Apartments; and, hello, Brian Sims. I know you know Brian Sims, Advocate. Then there’s the fact that Penn is one of the gay-friendliest universities in the country, drag kings and queens just made history leading the freaking Mummers Parade and three (three!) of our gay bars were mentioned in Out Magazine’s 200 Best Gay Bars list. (That last one was actually a criteria in The Advocate‘s scoring.) It really doesn’t make a lick of sense, but I digress …

Here are the other cities that made the cut, from most to least gay-friendly:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. Pasadena, CA
3. Seattle, WA
4. Cambridge, MA
5. Atlanta, GA
6. St Louis, MO
7. Madison, WI
8. Salt Lake City, UT
9. Oakland, CA
10. Arlington, VA
11. San Francisco, CA
12. Rochester, NY
13. Orlando, FL
14. Long Beach, CA
15. Pittsburgh, PA

HONORABLE MENTIONS

1. New Orleans, La.
2. Denver, Colo.
3. Tacoma, Wash.
4. Lexington, Ky.
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Las Vegas, Nev.
7. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
8. Tampa, Fla.
9. Akron, Ohio
10. Boston, Mass