GayCities got started because it was too hard to find useful, up to date, comprehensive information on gay bars, welcoming hotels and B&Bs, good restaurants and fun events when traveling. And the information you can find always seemed to be missing something: what people actually say about the place.

Launched in 2005, GayCities uses the power of the community as its driving force. Its a place where people share their opinions on the places it lists, where people contribute new places every day and where the site gets better with every new visitor. Users can “become a fan” of someone on the site, and easily to follow their latest reviews, events and posts. Users can add photos, become a fan of favorite destinations and post questions in GayCities’ discussion forums.

In 2010, GayCities’ updated its popular iPhone app that not only allows users to find the coolest places closest to them in over 150 cities around the globe, it also allows them to “check-in” at any place in its city guides, anywhere.

This simple, mobile app literally harnesses digital technology to create a real-time, global “gaydar” – it’s the first LGBT-focused app that lets users identify and share their favorite gay-friendly hot spots – from London to Little Rock – while they’re on the go.  Users can “check in” at a location, write a review, and arrange to meet up with friends – and even update their facebook or twitter status  – all from the palm of their hands.

Suddenly gay people can see each other – all at once – all around the world.  It’s a sign of the times.

Current Press Opportunities

(Suitable for travel press, entertainment press, technology press, LGBT press)

The first LGBT-focused mobile app that lets users identify and share their favorite gay-friendly hot spots – from London to Little Rock – while they’re on the go.

We’ve all found ourselves at the wrong bar. Or the right club at the wrong time. Where to go? Whether you find yourself in London (78 gay bars) or Little Rock (5), we figured it should be a lot easier to find your crowd and have one of those great experiences gay men and lesbians are, well, famous for.

Recent Press

• GayCities iPhone app: Mapping the whole gay world » GayCities Travel Blog 2010/03/09
• GayCities new iPhone app: Check In and find where the crowd is going » GayCities Travel Blog 2010/03/09

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Media Images

Additional Resources

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• iPhone application

Contact Information

Cause+Effect
415.294.0024 [main]
866.843.6697 [fax]
GayCities@cause-pr.com

“This extraordinary growth is a cause for grave concern.  The people associated with the Patriot movement during its 1990s heyday produced an enormous amount of violence; most dramatically the Oklahoma City bombing that left 168 people dead.”
–  SPLC Intelligence Report editor Mark Potok.

Hate comes in all forms, but at its root it’s not complicated.   Change frightens people.  Cultural shifts in cultural norms related to skin color, language, religion and gender roles have rocked this country to its core on a regular, almost rhythmic, schedule.

One of the more recent of these shifts centers around sexual orientation.  As the overall climate of hate in this country has intensified, hatred specifically directed towards the LGBT community has intensified as well.

On one hand, this new climate has set the LGBT equality movement back on its heels.  Those working to pass marriage equality at both the federal and state levels have faced multiple setbacks.  Activists are still both stunned and frustrated in the aftermath of California’s Proposition 8 still.  Larger LGBT organizations face uphill battles over ENDA and DADT.  LGBT individuals and communities are witholding political contributions around the country in protest.

On the other hand, though, it appears that the general pattern of social change is simply taking its course.  Before each breakthrough -the Suffragettes, the Civil Rights Movement, and others – the tectonic shifts of culture are inevitably preceeded by an intense moment of cultural conservatism.  As  change looms in the distance, those that are most opposed to its approach expend unusual amounts of energy to stop it.

At C+E, we choose to believe that is where we find ourselves today.  This moment – as we face unprecedented backlash against the very idea that LGBT people could be legally and socially equal to their non-LGBT neighbors – is a necessary evil.  Our job is to survive it.  And to ensure that our community’s children survive it free of the physical, psychic and social scars that so many of us have had to bear.

The truth is, there is only one way to survive intact.  And that is to carry our stories – our history – our truths – with us.  Without them, we have no community of our own.  We have no way to reassure our youth that they have solid, safe roots from which to draw strength when things get hard.

If we don’t actively preserve our own stories, our community’s history and legacy, we will lose them forever.  And we will lose a critical part of what we have been fighting so hard to acheive.  Political and legal equality will mean less if we don’t collectively remember what it means to live without it.

The only way to win against those that are working so hard to destroy us, is to faithfully remember how far we’ve come – and that this is simply the last, painful – but so very necessary – step at the end of a very, very long road.

—-
There are many efforts underway to collect and preserve the LGBT history that is all around us.  A small handful of them are below. Please feel free to suggest additional resources in the comments section.

• Impact Stories
• I Want The World To Know
• The GLBT Historical Society
• ONE | National Gay & Lesbian Archives
• June Mazer Lesbian Archives
• No Dumb Questions
  

Building on its successful, 2009 Sweet Caribbean Cruise, lesbian travel company Sweet puts its mission in motion with its newly announced Live Sweet Voluntour. Sweet will rally its “Sweeties” to do fun-filled, community service and fund-raising projects all over the United States.

“The model is simple: Have fun, do good,” Shannon Wentworth, Sweet founding partner and CEO, said. “The volunteers on our cruise had such an amazing time doing our community service projects, we thought, why not do that in our own backyards?”

Sweet kicks off its tour in Orlando, Florida, on April 18, with a community fun run to support Haiti relief efforts and clean water projects all over the world. The 6-kilometer distance represents the average distance women and children all over the world walk each day to secure water.

“The Live Sweet Voluntour 2010 aims to start as many ripples in as many cities in the United States as we can reach this year,” Wentworth said. “We’re traveling to different cities to lead community service projects, gather Sweeties for fun and fund-raising fitness events and host parties to celebrate our lives. We’re also spreading lesbian visibility in the United States, where it seems like every day people are voting on whether we deserve equal rights. The more we connect with people in our own backyard, the less likely they will be to vote against us.”

Sweet launched Live-Sweet.com to support the Live Sweet Voluntour and connect Sweeties who want to participate in their areas. The tour hits Orlando, Fla., April 16-18, 2010; New York City and Newark, New Jersey, April 23-25, 2010; and Denver, Colo., April 30-May 2, 2010. The Live Sweet site also features a form for Sweeties to suggest projects or events for Live Sweet tour, which is expected to run from mid-April to mid-October.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sweet welcomes cash and/or in-kind sponsorship of the Live Sweet Voluntour – specifically in the following categories:

• Travel (Air and Car Rental)
• Food/Beverage
• Lodging
• Personal Care
• Packaged Goods
• Consumer Electronics
• Apparel

For benefits of sponsorship, please download our Sponsorship Kit.

C+E congratulates client Suzanne Westenhoefer, this month’s Orange County Blade covergirl and feature story.

Catch Suzanne’s one-woman show “Totally Inappropriate” at 8 p.m. on March 20th at the Orange County Pavilion. The show includes a chance to meet Westenhoefer after her performance.

Today would have been Gwen Araujo’s 25th birthday.

On Oct. 4, 2002, Gwen, a transgender teenager, was brutally murdered.  Gwen’s family was robbed of the chance to grow up knowing her.  Gwen herself was robbed of the chance to grow into the beautiful woman she was meant to be.

Gwen’s mother, Sylvia Guerrero, has spent the last seven years speaking out about her daughter’s senseless murder.  Today she says:

light a candle, release a balloon, or do a good deed for someone less fortunate than yourself.  Thank you for keeping her memory alive after 7 years.

At C+E we join Sylvia in celebrating Gwen’s life, and mourning her tragic death. Sylvia will be speaking about Gwen’s life, and her own activism, on April 15th at 6pm at the California State University Stanislaus Event Center.  For more information, contact us at any time.

Get to know Dyna (Cathy DeBuono), Kit (Jill Bennett) and Susan (Suzanne Westenhoefer) as this romantic comedy follows two lesbian therapists struggling to keep up the pretense of their own marriage after the success of their book “How To Succeed In Marriage Without Even Trying.”

Written by Award-Winning, Internationally Produced Playwright and Actress, Ann Noble, this off-beat love story stars the sexy and dynamic talents of Cathy DeBuono and Jill Bennett. The ultra-sleek, intellectual Dyna (DeBuono) and the quirky, emotional Kit (Bennett) gain insights into their own relationship in their sessions with their very earnest, very willing therapist, Susan, played by the charming and hilarious Suzanne Westenhoefer.

There are plenty of fireworks in their relationship — the fireworks in the bedroom are great; in every other aspect of their lives…not so much. Dyna and Kit do however gain insights into their relationship — when they’re actually listening — in their sessions with their own therapist, Susan. Things get complicated when Kit’s stoner, and potentially bisexual, sister Cindy (Noble), moves in after being evicted yet again. To make matters worse, when a documentary film crew starts filming every single moment of Dyna and Kit’s home life, no one’s secrets are safe.

Season 1’s guest stars include Maia Madison, Mara Marini, John W. McLaughlin, Catherine O’Connor, Marcus Procto, Darin Singleton and Rob Thelusma.

To see full episodes of Season 1 and sign up in advance for Season 2, go to WeHaveToStopNow.tv

For sponsorship opportunities and inquiries, please contact info@cause-pr.com

[photo credit: Kerry Krenzin]

C+E client, Cathy DeBuono is featured in this month’s issue of G3 magazine, one of the UK’s most popular magazines for lesbians.

Cathy’s UK fans are in for a special treat this coming March as she and Jill Bennett will both be appearing at London’s BFi Lesbian & Gay film festival for a showing of their latest film, And Then Came Lola on March 20th.

Congratulations Cathy!

With a fan base stretching from San Francisco to New York and across the world from London to Egypt, TLP is committed to staying ahead of the curve on LGBT news, while providing love advice, dykus, and hot spots to party and meet other queers.  Listen, love, & learn!


Current Press Opportunities

(Suitable for entertainment press, women’s interest, LGBT press)

The Lesbian Podcast is the news, culture, lifestyle and entertainment outlet for the next generation of lesbians.

Cherry Grrl has announced its 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards to celebrate lesbians who have made positive, entertaining, impactful, and memorable contributions in 2009. Cherry Grrl’s readers nominated those they wanted to see recognized for their efforts last year and now it’s time to put it to a vote.

Lesbians on film, in television, on the web, in comedy, advocacy, travel, music, and more are all part of this inaugural Cherry Grrl Readers’ Choice Award – and C+E clients account for at least 20 (did we do that math right?) of the nominations.  We couldn’t be any prouder.

Voting will be open until 12 midnight on 3/10/10. Good luck to all of our amazingly talented clients!

• Suzanne Westenhoefer – nominated for “Best Comedian/Comedy Team” + “Best Comedy Special”
• Dani Campbell – nominated for “Favorite Reality TV Woman”
• Sweet – nominated for “Event of the Year” and “Event Producer of the Year”
• Cathy DeBuono – nominated for ”Best Actress in a Web Series” + “Best Grrl-on-Grrl Kiss” + “Sexiest Woman of the Year” + “Woman of the Year”
• Jill Bennett – nominated for “Best Actress in a Web Series” + “Best Grrl-on-Grrl Kiss” + “Sexiest Woman of the Year”
• Jenny McNulty – nominated for “Female Athlete of the Year”
• Babes Around Denver’s DJ Trina J – nominated for “Favorite DJ”
• God-des of God-des & She – nominated for “Rapper/MC of the Year”
• We Have To Stop Now – nominated for “Best Web Series”
• NoH8 – nominated for “LGBT Campaign of the Year”
• Meredith Baxter (of We Have To Stop Now) – nominated for “Woman of the Year”
• And Then Came Lola (featuring Jill Bennett and Cathy DeBuono) – nominated for “Best Film”
• Pandora Events / Alison Burgos – nominated for “Event of the Year” + “Event Producer of the Year”
• The Lesbian Podcast – nominated for “Best Podcast/Radio Show”

At C+E, we know that LGBT Pride Season is gearing up around the country.  Whether you’re looking for top comedians, musicians, speakers, or activists, C+E represents the best in the business. Let C+E help you plan your best Pride season yet! Contact C+E today.

Suzanne Westenhoefer

Bold, bawdy, and just plain hilarious are words that barely capture the comic genius of Suzanne Westenhoefer. This year, Suzanne takes to the road one more time with her new tour, most appropriately named, “Totally Inappropriate.”

• More about Suzanne Westenhoefer
• View Suzanne’s video reel
  

Dani Campbell

Dani Campbell is a reality TV personality, speaker, firefighter and activist who became America’s next lesbian superhero as a contestant, and eventually the final women standing on MTV’s mega hit reality show ‘A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila.” 

• More about Dani Campbell
  

That’s What She Said

That’s What She Said is part comedy show, part lounge act, part inside-joke, and all hilarious.  Don’t miss the chance to share an evening of music, mayhem and fun with these two talented and irreverent women.

• More about That’s What She Said

• View “U-Haul” the hit video from That’s What She Said
  

Jason Stuart

Jason Stuart is one of the country’s top openly gay comedians, with over 100 film & TV shows to his credit.  He’s now in high demand for his corporate lecture, “Coming Out In Hollywood: To Be Out Or Not To Be Out,” which explores what it means to be openly gay in the workplace.

• More about Jason Stuart
• See video clips of Jason in action

God-des & She

A unique melding of hip-hop, soul, rock, dance music and electro pop, God-des and She are shaking the charts across the country. With their third album, Three, making a splash on the LGBT charts, this duo is one act to catch in 2010.

• More about God-des & She
• See God-des & She’s video “Lick It” – as featured on the L Word

Sylvia Guerrero

Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of young Gwen Araujo, senselessly killed in a hate crime in 2002, has been a tireless advocate for transgender rights since the tragic death of her daughter.

• More about Sylvia Guerrero

The Reverend Eric P. Lee

Inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Reverend Eric P. Lee continues to support marriage equality and LGBT Rights, despite the risks. Rev. Lee has committed his life to fighting for justice against oppressive forces that continuously hinder people from achieving equality, freedom, justice and dignity.

• More about Reverend Lee

Jennie McNulty

Huddle up and tackle a new kind of comedy tour as funny girl Jennie McNulty brings her fundraising, football-loving show on the road. Schedule a stop on the 2010 Touchdown Tour, and get ready for a ball field full of laughs.

• More about Jennie McNulty
• See Jenni McNulty in her show, “Walking Funny With…”

Jenni Olson

Jenni Olson is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on LGBT cinema and its history. Whether speaking, programming, researching, collecting, creating, judging and writing about film, she offers a unique perspective on how far the LGBT community has come in terms of its imagery.

• More about Jenni Olson
• See clips from Jenni’s latest film, 575 Castro Street

Contact C+E today