Michigan Is for Gay Lovers

by Supergay Detroit

January 31st, 2008 in Detroit, Entertainment, Events, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Saugatuck, The McLovin Issue, West Michigan

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It’s Valentine’s Day soon, so let’s take a little time to reflect on the myriad advantages that being coupled bestows on those of us lucky enough to find someone as undatable as ourselves.

For gay folks here in Michigan, being coupled can make the difference between a life that feels full of obstacles and a life that feels full of open doors. For a single gay, just finding people for dating is a challenge — we tend to be a pretty dispersed population here; visibility of the community is relatively low, and many of our peers move to urban areas with larger gay populations.

Not that the internet isn’t awfully handy for dating if your idea of a fun night involves staring at a computer screen with a two-liter of Diet Pepsi and a Hot Pocket.

But for gay couples … oh the fun you’ll have! Once you remove the urge to merge from your social agenda a beautiful new world of options opens up before you.

For starters, you can fulfill your dream of that great house in the city. Here in the Detroit area, Ferndale and Royal Oak are the gay mating grounds. But I was stunned to discover the number of people who coupled up and then moved into the city.

Of course it makes perfect sense: There’s a lot of affordable, amazing vintage housing stock if you’re into the whole “This Old House” thing, and lots of cool, authentic loft or modern high-rise living for more modern gals. Moving in, it turns out there is a strongly established gay community in these neighborhoods that flies under the radar — it’s a little more dinner party than circuit party.

Michigan also has the best gay-destination summer resort area in the Midwest in Saugatuck/Douglas. In the winter it has that secluded, small town charm that is perfect for a romantic weekend getaway. And in the summer it’s every gay from here to Chicago in town to meet up with friends, get in a little beach time and do a little disco dancing. There is also a great art scene in the area and excellent vintage and antique shopping. And faster than you can say Double Income No Kids, you can find the perfect vacation home for easy getaways and entertaining friends.

Lastly, Michigan has something that all gay couples love — lots of other gay couples. It’s really easy to meet great new friends who love to have dinner parties, travel, work on charity events, use the word “we” a lot … you know, couply things.

Michigan may not be the most evolved climate for gay people — ok, really, it’s not even top 30 — but when you decide that the glass is half full, you will realize how true it is that Michigan is for Gay Lovers.