Sydney, Australia

I was surprised to read this story. I'm sure a lot of Americans thought that Sydney was very friendly and open to gay tourists. That's what all the gay magazines have been pushing on us. One of the things I've wanted to do is to go to Sydney (I may re-think that now). I know that every place is probably to some degree homophobic, but gee.. why travel so far to have people be homophobic to you when you can get it from your own state? :-) Sorry, sometimes you just have to smile and go on about your business.
Story from uk.gay.com

Australian city Sydney is not as gay friendly as it is perceived, according to a new study.

The report, which comes from the Australian Attorney-General's Department in connection with Urbis Keys Young, found that a large number of the city's gay community were often victims of homophobic attacks and discrimination based on their sexuality.

More than half of those surveyed reported homophobic violence in the last twelve months, with the majority of victims, 48% detailing verbal abuse.

Additionally 25% had been the victim of offensive gestures or had been spat at.

Although just 10% had seen violence, 70% of the 600 questioned said they felt vulnerable to violence.

With its images of the annual gay pride celebrations, Sydney has gained a reputation for being one of the world's premier gay destinations, with many visitors expecting to experience a welcoming atmosphere.