News Briefing

© 2008 Philadelphia Gay News

Navigaytour expands in Calif.

The Altus Group, the local marketing company that produces City Navigaytours — LGBT-themed travel guides — has partnered with tourism agencies in Los Angeles and San Diego to offer California residents Navigaytours that include a special section on same-sex marriage.

This will be San Diego’s fourth year having a Navigaytour and Los Angeles’ first; the Navigaytour was first produced in Philadelphia in 2004 and quickly caught on in other cities.

David Jefferys, president of the Altus Group, said the new wedding component was inspired by the legalization of same-sex marriage in the state as well as the community’s propensity for travel.

“Gay and lesbian people travel more than traditional couples,” Jeffreys said. “And now that we have the right to marry in the state of California, there’s a natural union of travel and marriage.”

The wedding section, which Jefferys said is the first in any travel guide, will contain information on hotels, jewelers, caterers, limousine services, videographers, photographers, florists and clergy.

The new edition of the San Diego Navigaytour is available online now, and the Los Angeles guide will go online in a few weeks; the print versions of both guidebooks will be completed by the end of the summer.

For more information, visit www.navigaytour.com.
— Jen Colletta

Library keeps book

Free Library of Philadelphia officials have refused to remove a pro-LGBT book from general circulation, even though they received letters from several people concerned about its placement on library shelves.

“It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie J. Harris, has been available in most of the library system’s 53 branches since 1994.

The book discusses puberty and sexuality for young adults and features same-sex relationships in a positive light. In addition, it contains anatomically specific cartoon-style illustrations.

Library officials said eight people sent letters expressing concern about the book.

Anne Silvers Lee, chief of the library system’s materials-management division, said the letters were given careful consideration, but that the book will remain in circulation.

— Timothy Cwiek