It looks like I'm officially living in a homophobia-free zone. There are now officially several gay/lesbian/transgender friendly zones where high concentrations of the gay community in Sydney live and/or socialise.Local businesses will be encouraged to put up signs and stickers to announce themselves as homophobia-free.

So what does this mean in practise? Is it now OK for gays to be beaten up or discriminated against outside these zones? Beyond raising awareness that there are a lot of gay people around Oxford St (as if we needed to be told) , are there extra resources being allocated to police this area over others for homphobia? Not as yet.

Perhaps those of the GBLT community get preferential treatment, discounts and/or free parking? I can't wait till my pink membership card comes in the mail. Maybe publicly heterosexual activities to be discouraged, like holding hands or kissing between men and women.

This is yet another blatent attempt at political point-scoring by Lord Mayor Clover Moore and her cronies to get the gay vote. It does nothing to integrate the GLBT culture with the mainstream, as it just reenforces the 'us' and 'them' mentaility. There are no tangible benefits except pandering to those who define themselves by their gay identity as if they have nothing more to offer the world than being gay.

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