There’s good news and bad news for gays in Montana! Good news: The state Republican party no longer wants to throw you all in jail. Bad news: you’re in Montana. (We kid, we kid!)
The state’s Supreme Court struck down anti-homosexuality laws in the late 90s, but it’s taken fifteen years for the GOP to catch up. Their official party platform for the last decade-and-a half-called for “legislation to keep homosexual acts illegal,” which is why Montanans have always been known for their lousy haircuts and lackluster window treatments.
This weekend at the Republican Party convention in Missoula, delegates had a change of heart, though, and finally removed the hateful plank from the platform. Is it because they all love homos now? No, they claim: it’s just that they needed a shorter platform. Because reading long things is hard.
But whatever the reason, welcome to the 21st century, Republicans!
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
JDM
If there’s one thing RepubliKlans hate more than homos, it’s reading.
Hyhybt
I don’t think “neither party officially wants you arrested” qualifies as a reason to visit Montana. One less reason to avoid the place, maybe.
Gigi
Drove through Montana once on my way to Seattle. Stopped in Bute. That was about 17 years. Didn’t fear for my life from what I remember but had no inkling to ever return.
Mike
Glaciers National Park is worth the trip. Especially since its kinda disappearing.
Hyhybt
Why did you stop in Butte for seventeen years?
John K
Actually Montana is a great place to visit AND to live. Come to Livingston sometime when y’all aren’t hating on the state. Sure, we’ve got some Republican nuts here. What state doesn’t?
Macmantoo
@John K: John I agree. How could they be any worst than Texas, Pennsylvania, West Viginia, North Carolina and the list goes on. Where there are republicans, I think you’ll find hate. And why some of you would vote for them is beyond me.
Cam
Just like racists don’t publicly proclaim they are racists some of the GOP there figured out that advertising their bigotry was going to start hurting them.
Cam
Just like Ra c ists don’t publicly proclaim that they are Ra ci st, some of the GOP there figured out that advertising their bigotry was going to start hurting them as a party.
And P.S. why does Queerty screen out the word “Rac ist”?
Hyhybt
@John K: Montana does have the advantage of a very sparse population. Who cares if your nearest neighbors are nutcases if they’re also miles away?
Hyhybt
@Cam: They don’t always… but it kinda makes sense, because on the internet generally it gets thrown around a lot more often as simple “fighting words” than it’s used legitimately.
Tom
So the one reason I should go to Montana is that I wont be arrested?
Chance
My main reason for ever wanting to visit Montana is the same reason for wanting to visit many other places: the land, not the people. While I have never been TO Montana, I have been THROUGH Montana three times (it’s a necessary part of a road trip between New Mexico where I live now and Alaska where I used to live). And seriously, it’s some gorgeous scenery. No real desire to STAY in Montana for any length of time, but it’s not a bad place to drive through.
DouggSeven
@Chance: You should seriously work for their tourism board.
Chance
@DouggSeven: So long as it doesn’t require me to actually LIVE there. And so long as they don’t mind slogans like “Visit for the scenery…not the bigots.”
Hyhybt
@Chance: Interesting. I’d have thought a drive from New Mexico to Alaska would run further west, through Washington. (Yes, I know you drive where the road is; I just never really thought about where it would be and vaguely pictured it coming down nearer the coast.)
Chance
@Hyhybt: The most direct route actually goes straight north from NM and turns more west gradually as you go further north. From NM into CO, WY and MT, crossing into Canada and going thru Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon, then into Alaska. Those road trips were absolutely amazing.
Flick
This was a rather underwhelming article. I was kinda hoping that Montana was gonna try it’s hand at civil unions or full adoption rights. Considering that Montana got rid of its sodomy law before 2003 makes this a non-story anyway. Montana really isn’t as bad as it could be, considering some of its neighbors.
Hyhybt
I’ll have to try it sometime… though with a different origin point; I’ve been to New Mexico before (got my then-new car’s first oil change in Albuquerque), but nothing that’s both north of Utah-Kansas and west of Wisconsin.
Hyhybt
@Flick: *Nowhere* is as bad as it could be. Well, maybe places like Syria…
Scribe37
@Macmantoo: Don’t forget Michigan! Beautiful state horrible republicans hating on women and gay rights. I live in the state and if I didn’t have a good job and family in the state I would move. This year state house republicans fought to take health care rights from same sex couple given
by colleges and barred a female member from a debate because she dared use the word vagina when talking about a new anti-abortion bill. Throw in hating on teachers and every other union and the state is going really red!
Aaron
As an out and proud gay man that lives in Montana i have a few things to say about my state that are absent from this article. our state has the most progressive state constution out of any state in America. This year the democratic party did include marriage equality into the partys platform this year. and there is a court case that was just herd in the state supreme court that is exepected to grant civil union rights to lgbt couples. the ruling is expected some time this summer. granted this state does have some crazy right wing tea baggers, but whate state dosent. we also have a history of very liberal representation in congress, Sen. Max Bacus, and we had the first woman member of the house. we are also the only state that is challanging the Citizens united decision. So before you trash montana maybe you should do some research.
dave
who would live in Montana anyway??
1equalityUSA
I know a couple of women who moved there, a writer and a painter. Life is good, they found others of like mind.
ME
Some people here need to catch up with reality. Not all GOP members are anti-equality, etc. If it weren’t for Republicans changing their views… Washington State and New York would never have based marriage equality laws. My guess is that in 2, 3, 4 years and more…. that more GOP members will become pro-equality. This is exactly what has been happening to Democrats over the past 10 years. A slow progression. Keep in mind, not all Democrats support full equality… not in my state anyway. And, in the last presidential election not one Democratic candidate supported marriage equality. Times are changing and the GOP is moving slow. But, several are still moving.
I don’t say this as a supporter of the GOP… but as someone that isn’t afraid to see that change is slowly occurring in this country in most regards. Just more slowly in some places than others.
Chris S.
Well, also, the MT Democrats just added an equality plank to their platform. So there’s that. And it’s an absolutely beautiful state. Well, the mountainous parts, anyway.
jay
What a stupid headline. Apparently, according to Queerty and the majority of comments here, the only places worth a gay visit are the East or West coasts and even there in only a couple of places. Lots of gays live in between the coasts, in places where they’re accepted and play active roles in the community. Not every gay success merits a headline; we know we’re winning when we can live and love and be a part of a place and it’s a non event. Montana is like that and so are lots of other flyover places. Said from a Wyomingite. And yes there are real gay cowboys here and most wouldn’t be comfortable in SF or NYC, for lots of reasons. We’re not all the same, something to note and remember.
B
I wouldn’t worry too much about that state, at least at a personal level. As one person from Montana told us, “I’m from Montana, where men are men and sheep are wary.” If they are that, err, “open minded,” they just might be a bit more broadminded than (say) Texans on the average.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquedama de la Cueva
Is Benji Douglas the gay Sean O’Neal? (Admit it, Benji: You love the guy.)
John K
@Aaron: Right on Aaron. And don’t forget, we are one of only a few states with TWO Democratic U.S. Senators, Baucus and Tester, plus we have a Dem governor. and @22Dave, if you haven’t been to our incredibly beautiful state, stay the heck out of this conversation already. I can only imagine what polluted hell hole you live in.
Rich
John K., Aaron, and Jay, thanks for sticking up for one of the most beautiful states in our country. Someone asked “who would want to live in Montana?”…hmmm, I’m not sure, let’s ask Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Glenn Close, Michael Keaton, Jeff Bridges, Peter Fonda, Robert Redford, Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Tom Brokaw, Whoopi Goldberg, Mel Gibson, Joe Montana, Christopher Lloyd, Huey Lewis, Andie McDowall, David Letterman, my mother and father in law. and just under a million other folks. Montana is absolutely gorgeous, and I would choose to live there over MANY other places in the US, NYC included. Before you guys start bashing someplace, you may want to actually visit there first so that you have an inkling of what the hell you are talking about.
B
Re No 30: I’ve been through the state and it really is a beautiful place. People I know from there have a nice sense of humor.