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New York is a peculiar example because the estimates of its Gay population vary so widely, as does the definition of "New York" (some demographers simply refuse to believe the city's boundaries have importance). The most conservative figures suggest that Gays make up between 3.25% and 4.5% of the city. Considering the national average for the US is 4.1%, this suggests to me that either the more conservative figures are grossly inadequate or that New York just isn't all that Gay... despite it's millions of inhabitants. Certainly if you could persuade even half of the Gays in New York City to leave in favor of just about any other city in the US they would find their influence considerably magnified.

If political control, rather than influence, is the objective, migration to large cities is about the very best way to guarantee failure.

Thats interesting.  I didn't know that detail about the demographies of NY. 

I think we all agree that cities are the best way to guarantee failure.  Essentially if you look at the evolution of cities from the beginning of the industrial revolution they have often been migrations of displaced disempowered people to often to equally or even more acutely disempowering settings.

So the discussion on this thread seems to have reached that a rural option would be the most viable and there seems to still be debate about whether or not to aim for an island or inland.    I'm still undecided but there are some clear benefits and failings of each option.

To a certain extent it doesn't matter it just needs to be started in the best possible setting available now. 

One of the things that I have noticed in my research is that there is a consistent pattern, in the UK at least, of rural to urban migration of gay people.  Gay people are likely to always be outnumbered in these spaces for example the largest gay population in the states is in New York but proportionally its dwarfed so is politically dampened.  The city with the largest proportion of the overall population that is gay is San Francisco and there is certainly a greater political influence there but they only make up 15% of the total population. 

New York is a peculiar example because the estimates of its Gay population vary so widely, as does the definition of "New York" (some demographers simply refuse to believe the city's boundaries have importance). The most conservative figures suggest that Gays make up between 3.25% and 4.5% of the city. Considering the national average for the US is 4.1%, this suggests to me that either the more conservative figures are grossly inadequate or that New York just isn't all that Gay... despite it's millions of inhabitants. Certainly if you could persuade even half of the Gays in New York City to leave in favor of just about any other city in the US they would find their influence considerably magnified.

If political control, rather than influence, is the objective, migration to large cities is about the very best way to guarantee failure.

Nation building is a complicated long-winded and potentially painful process. 

The two things that stand out for me the most are

1)  The project would have to be based on existing successes.
2)  The project would have to be a series of small steps over a long period of time.

Basing on existing successes would mean answering these questions. 

1)  Whats that foundation of the current ‘Gay economy’?
2)  Where and why do gay people live where they live currently?

The first couple of small steps that I would suggest are

  Investigating other successful secessionist movements
  Select an approach that would suit our circumstances



Any project initiated would need to be based on existing successfully functioning foundations so a bit of further analysis of existing ‘gay economics’ and migrations is needed.  From this we will be able to see how/if this could be transplanted to another location and discuss the potential suitability of the economics in this new location.  This can obviously grow and develop over time but there is no point starting from scratch entirely.

Making a crude guess I would assume the core of the currant 'gay economy' is a mainly service sector economy specifically with the majority of spending being on, for example, recreation e.g. in bars, on the arts or on other consumer products.  Theres obviously not going to be any secondary (manufacturing) or primary (mining/agriculture) industry.  I would be pleasantly surprised if there was. 

One of the things that I have noticed in my research is that there is a consistent pattern, in the UK at least, of rural to urban migration of gay people.  Gay people are likely to always be outnumbered in these spaces for example the largest gay population in the states is in New York but proportionally its dwarfed so is politically dampened.  The city with the largest proportion of the overall population that is gay is San Francisco and there is certainly a greater political influence there but they only make up 15% of the total population. 

I am personally excited by the idea of a territory that can be politically controlled by gay people and think it makes no odds if its an island or in land.  I do however think the idea of striking up negotiations is pretty premature.  Maybe in a hundred years when the government of that territory has become unfeasible otherwise.  Being from the uk I know how resistant states are to grant independence and their violent realities.  To me it makes sense to aim for an autonomous political region that could wrestle for increasing its control then it will have its own momentum. 

Thoughts on the above are welcome please. 

Apparently, the book can be ordered now:

The Gay State
The Quest for an Independent Gay Nation-State and What it Means to Conservatives and the World’s Religions

By Garrett Graham
Publisher: iUniverse (May 4, 2010)
Pages: 284
Size: 6x9
ISBN: 978-1450209946 (hardcover, USD 30.95)
ISBN: 978-1450209922 (softcover, USD 20.95)



Sources:

http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=189915
http://www.amazon.com/Gay-State-Independent-Nation-State-Conservatives/dp/1450209947 (hardcover)
http://www.amazon.com/Gay-State-Independent-Nation-State-Conservatives/dp/1450209920 (softcover)

I can make this event and will start planning to.

Here, the latest news. Is anybody on the list able to attend the event in NY City?

“The Gay State” To Launch From New York City,

FREEDOM  Commences on May 21st;

Book is Gay Manifesto for Independence and Gay Nationalism Calling for Politically Autonomous Gay Homeland.

April 28, 2010

(New York) – The highly anticipated launch of “The Gay State:  The Quest for an Independent Gay Nation-State and what It Means to Conservatives and the World’s Religions” is scheduled for May 21, 2010 in New York City.  According to Dottie Shapiro, agent for author Garrett Graham, “This book has been a rally cry for Gay people around the world who are yearning for peace, freedom, liberty and above all, equality – and a lightning rod for those who oppose their advances.  And in keeping with his pride in the Gay community,  Garrett (Graham) has agreed to hold the launch reception at the Leslie/Lohman Gay Arts Foundation.”  The general public is invited to attend the exclusive Friday evening event and will take place beginning at 6:30 pm and will conclude by 8:30pm.  The address is 26 Wooster Street, New York.  It is one block north of Canal Street and two blocks east of 6th Avenue.  RSVP’s will be taken by phone after May 15th to ensure admittance.  The number to call to RSVP is 347-949-3747.   Due to the adult nature of the topic, all attendees must be 18 years of age or older.

According to Graham, “We’ve been invited to hold our launch at a number of prestigious venues, but in the end, the Leslie/Lohman Gallery has such an astounding record of accomplishment for standing up to support the Gay community and allow for an expression often shunned or marginalized in the mainstream art world.  For us, it was an easy decision – as humbled and gratified as we were to be invited by The National Press Club in Washington, DC, The Yale Club, among others, we felt an allegiance to the good people at Leslie/Lohman for their astonishing work and their courage.”  According to Shapiro, “it will be an evening filled with amazing Gay art, books and discussion, all the while imbibing in spirits and meeting the leaders and thinkers of the Gay community.”

“The Gay State” is Graham’s continued galvanizing of the global Gay community.  The Gay independence movement which has been gaining momentum around the world, has formed the international F.I.G.S. Party – for friends and supporters of a “Free, Independent Gay State.”  Graham’s hypothesis is that Gay people everywhere are a people – one people – with a distinct culture, traditions and ideals and deserve a politically autonomous territory, free from the ongoing oppression and persecution of the “non-Gay” majority.  In the book, Graham outlines 3,000 years of a “kaleidoscope of horrors” as he puts it.  He also details some of the atrocities up to today, when he claims 95% percent of the nations still discriminate against Gays at the very least, and root them out for extermination at the worst.  “There remain at least 80 nations that have outlawed our very existence,” the author and international Gay activist explains. Graham’s “The Gay State” covers the socio-political solution to the ongoing tensions that exist between the Gay community and the “so-called” conservatives and the religious.

Graham added, “Millions of my people have had their lives destroyed and to what end?  Enough! As Bishop Desmond Tutu has said in defense of oppressed people everywhere, ‘I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master.  I want the full menu of rights.’”  With Graham’s book, more people around the world will open their eyes to what the world could be, an alternative to what it is.

For more information, go to the website: www.thegaystate.eu.   Books can be pre-ordered and reserved by calling 347-949-3747.

They have an interesting take on the art of crafting press releases.

I have to confess I've grown more interested in their forthcoming publication over time rather than less. What I've read from them does follow Dr. Herzl quite closely. They mention, for example, a "Society of Gays." If this term (which is awkward at best and makes little sense in English) is a direct analog of Herzl's "Society of Jews" (which makes a great deal of sense in the original German, along with a number of European languages) then they propose to create something interesting indeed.

A couple of things look 'slightly exaggerated', but... Any effort to our common goal is welcome. Hopefully, a little bit more will come out of this than a copy-paste version of Dr. Herzl's thesis.

I can't say that I have anything substantial or productive to say about them. In principle, I hope they succeed or at least produce something of value for the Gay people.

Has anyone here looked into this FIGS group connected to the book? Looks pretty interesting and strong but I haven't heard of it until today. Looks to be actively updated but for all I know it could be pretty small.

Personally I'm not ready to ally myself to any group attempting to found a gay state as I have my own plan and vision I am trying to implement and want to see how it pans out.