Brighton's change from sleepy English seaside town to gay mecca has been slow and steady, overlooked my many along the way. Now, though, some estimates put the resort's permanent LGBT population at as much as 40,000: a quarter of the population. And when Banksy leaves your town a mural of two kissing coppers (above), you know you've made it.
There's a host of great websites serving gay residents and the transient crowd, but we love the gay.brighton.co.uk ("Brighton & Hove's guide to the UK's gay capital") website for its earnest, kindly and oh-so-50s-British-sounding endorsement of the gays. This from the site:
"The City of Brighton & Hove acts as a magnet for lesbians and gay men from all over the world attracted to its bohemian atmosphere, open minded attitudes and raffish air. Brighton has now long been known as Britain's number one gay resort.
Kemptown is known as the 'gay village' and has a thriving and diverse scene ranging from leather workshops, pink parlours, and techno clubs, to specialist boutiques, hotels, estate agents and kickboxing classes.
There's something for everyone. Why not bring your loved one and have a commitment ceremony on the naturist beach!?"
Really? "Raffish"? And "techno clubs"? Ah well, it's worth a trip anyways to get hitched naked on a windswept English beach (!?)
