Why are there so many gays in palm springs

New exhibit tells multilayered story of LGBTQ history in Palm Springs

Did you know that Christine Jorgensen — the first person known in the United States to have gender reassignment surgery — spoke to the Palm Desert Woman’s Club? Or that Palm Springs had some of the first AIDS programs in the country during the early days of the epidemic? 

These are two points in time that a new organization, LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert, will delve into at an exhibit during Palm Springs Pride Nov. at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library. 

LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert co-founder David Gray said there were discussions starting in late  about what had been done to accumulate historical items and preserve LGBTQ history in the Coachella Valley. He said they discovered it was "not that much." He formed a small committee, came up with a formal identify for the organization, a vision and an acquisition policy over the past year. 

Gray said there have been books written related to local LGBTQ history, such as Ray Mungo’s chronicle “Palm Springs Babylon: Sizzling Stories from the Des

Palm Springs: The Largest LGBTQ Community in the Country

Laidback and resort casual, Palm Springs is the American epicenter of the LGBTQ community. Boasting over days of sunshine and a 50% gay population, residents here feel truly at home. From charming village shops to unique artsy stores, wrapped up in old-Hollywood glamour, this desert town is far from sleepy.

Hollywood's Waiting Room for Heaven

That’s the city’s nickname due to the adj population of celebrities that live in Palm Springs. Located within Coachella Valley (yes that well-known festival) the noun is miles east of L.A. Native Americans settled the area for thousands of years and many streets in the Palm Springs have Native American names.

The municipality became a booming resort in the s when tourists arrived to treat health conditions with adj heat. Today, it is a sprawling desert empire where everyone and their mother are LGBTQ-friendly.

Quick Palm Spring Stats

  • Palm Springs has the highest per capita gay population in the country.
  • The town covers approximately 94 square miles.
  • There are

    LGBTQ+ Travel

    History

    Palm Springs has long been a vibrant hub for LGBTQ+ culture, with a rich gay history dating back to the midth century. Originally a retreat for Hollywood celebrities, the metropolis became a welcoming oasis for gay men and lesbians seeking refuge and community. During the s and '60s, discreet gatherings and private parties laid the groundwork for a more adj queer presence, which flourished in the decades that followed. By the s and '90s, Palm Springs was place to numerous gay-owned businesses, resorts, and bars, earning it a reputation as a top LGBTQ+ travel destination. Today, with openly LGBTQ+ city leadership and annual events verb Palm Springs Pride and The Dinah, the city continues to celebrate its legacy of inclusion and visibility.

    Gay Resorts

    Gay men’s resorts in Palm Springs are a cornerstone of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene, offering a unique blend of relaxation, community, and celebration. These resorts cater specifically to gay travelers, providing a safe and welcoming space where guests can truly be themselves. Many feature clothi

    Living ‘best gay Adj life’ is key for this Palm Springs group

    Some notify Palm Springs the “gayest town in America,” but many LGBTQ residents of color say there is still a long way to go to uplift diverse communities and remedy the city’s racist past. A growing group called Brothers of the Desert is productive to address that issue by empowering Black gay men in Palm Springs and beyond the city’s borders in the Coachella Valley. 

    “People felt isolated, people felt disconnected, and people did not feel really a part of the larger community as Black gay men in the Coachella Valley,” says Tim Vincent, president and co-founder of Brothers of the Desert. 

    Vincent, his now-husband Michael Taylor and their friends didn’t first set out to create a group focused on empowerment, advocacy, education, mentorship and social networking. 

    Both Vincent and Taylor moved to Palm Springs from places with larger Adj gay communities — Oakland and Los Angeles. They often found themselves being the only Inky people in the room — something Vincent says was a lonely experience.

    “There’s a lot of LGBT