Bloomington takes new approach to tourism

More gay and lesbian visitors traveling to Bloomington may be the next facet of the tourism business in the community. The city is now considering the welcoming atmosphere for the sexual minorities as business opportunities.\n"(We are reaching out to sexual minorities) because of the potential economic impact," said Rob DeCleene, services manager at the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau. "(They) typically have more discretionary income because of (having less) children. They travel throughout the year."\nAs far as the prospective profits in Bloomington's gay and lesbian market, it is yet to be clear.\n"It's a new market for us," DeCleene said. "We don't have any specific figures yet."\nThe city, therefore, plans to follow the national trend of how sexual minorities travel and spend their leisure time. The new market can face a variety of issues in the local community. The city has seen heated protests over the treatment of sexual minorities.\nIn early June, anti-gay protesters from the Old Paths Baptist Church in Campbellsburg, Ind., held demonstrations along Kirkwood Avenue. In response to the hate messages, supporters from organizations, including Bloomington United and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services Office rallied to defend homosexuals in the community. However, DeCleene is not terribly concerned about this type of possible antagonistic response from the community.\n"We don't anticipate a severe backlash," he said. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be pursuing this market."\nDeCleene said Bloomington is a suitable place for this campaign.\n"We do have a culturally accepting community," he said. "We're in a community and in a campus, which is more open-minded (than most other places)."\nResidents agree that the community has a friendly environment.\n"All sorts of people (are in Bloomington)," said Mike Clinton, a Bloomington resident who has lived in various Indiana cities. "Overall, it's more open-minded than most other towns in Indiana."\nBut DeCleene feels the Midwest in particular needs to do more to embrace the homosexual community. Monroe County will get a head start in showing off its appreciation for homosexuality in Bloomington. "Sexual Minority Youth in the Heartland: Issues & Methods for Youth-Serving Professionals" will be sponsored by the GLBT at the Indiana Memorial Union this weekend.\nThis educational conference is intended to help the campus and city understand sexual minorities better.\nClinton said people should be concerned about their own actions regarding how to embrace sexual minorities.\n"As long as you don't do any harm to anybody, it shouldn't make a difference," Clinton said. "Live and let live"