Houston mayor praises Shanghai as LGBT-friendly

Houston mayor praises Shanghai as LGBT-friendly

Leading a delegation of some 60 Houstonians to the city, Mayor Annise Parker today praised Shanghai, China as a welcoming and open to its LGBT citizens, a stance she said is good for business.

“Shanghainese and Houstonians are similar. They care about what you do, not who you are,” Parker said during  Houston Day at the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, according to Xinhua.

“To boost development, a city needs to be open to a full range of people, especially the innovative ones who break barriers, like people of the gay community,” Parker said.

Parker, who was elected mayor in December, is on her first international trip promoting Houston’s business community.  She announced her team was working with air carriers to establish new direct routes between Houston and Shanghai.

Houston is the largest city in the U.S. to elect an openly LGBT mayor, and Paris, Berlin and Zurich, Switzerland are among major international cities with out mayors.

This year openly gay and lesbian candidates are serious contenders to be elected mayor in Oakland, Calif., andLexington, Kentucky.http://www.gaypolitics.com