Green Gay Bulls B&B doesn't leave guests guessing — it's LGBT-friendly
'We haven't had too many jeering catcalls like we did years ago'
Jim Culbert was a pioneer in gay tourism. He ran the Rainbow Lodge in Vernon Bridge, P.E.I., for 22 years, advertising it as gay-friendly and painting its exterior for several years in rainbow colours — an LGBTQ community symbol of pride.
And there's no mistaking Culbert's latest venture, Green Gay Bulls, as anything but in-your-face, I-don't-care-what-you think marketing.
"I get a lot of people saying, quite a play on words!" said Culbert from his property, which sits on three acres on the edge of the Vernon River, just a few doors up from his former business.
And the neighbours?
"They thought it was fine, had a good laugh!" he chuckles. "They've known me for years now."
Positive reviews
It's a beautifully-restored Victorian 1890s church manse featuring two guest rooms, run by Culbert and his male partner for the past three years. There's a large dining room and sunroom, a huge "party shower" and nude sunbathing available on the property.
It's open to anyone of any sexual orientation — straight, gay or other.
"When the straight people through Airbnb book, they say, 'We really love the name of this place, the play on words, we'd like to come and stay there!'" Culbert said.
"They thought it was great to be able to be free enough to do things like this, y'know. It's just been favourable. We haven't had too many jeering catcalls like we did years ago."
Culbert said the reviews of the B&B have been very positive, and he and his mate enjoy visiting with people from all over the world.
'Times have changed'
There are a growing number of gay-friendly accommodations, notes Culbert, but no one who's quite spelled it out like he has.
"We have a lot of gay-friendly straight businesses that work hard, and it's nice to see that they work hard, to promote gay tourism in P.E.I.," said Culbert.
"They know that the pink dollar is worth a lot of money and everybody's welcome."
Culbert is also one of the directors of the P.E.I. Gay Tourism Association, which worked with the tourism department to bring Canada's LGBT television network OUTtv to the Island last fall to film a half-hour episode of Fabulocity. The episode aired this week on the network and Culbert believes it will brings more visitors.
"It's worth it, it's good for P.E.I. tourism in general — it shows that we're not just a little hick province, we've got things that are really worth coming to see," said Culbert.
Approved by the author's family
The name Green Gay Bulls has been approved by the province's Anne of Green Gables licensing authority, Culbert said, on which L.M. Montgomery's descendants sit.
In fact, Culbert visited last year in Ontario with Montgomery's granddaughter Kate MacDonald Butler — their mothers are childhood friends — and says they all had a laugh about it, even Butler's 101-year-old mother.
Kind of a funny story
The name has led to some confusion, Culbert admits.
A few weeks ago, he answered the doorbell and a group of Chinese newcomers asked if they could come in. Culbert showed the family around, and then they asked how much they owed him.
"Nothing," he replied, but the family insisted on paying him $20.
It wasn't until the next day, he said, it dawned on him that they may have believed his home was the "real" Green Gables house and national historic site, which is located in Cavendish.
And what size are the beds at Green Gay Bulls, you wonder? Queen size, of course.
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