ORLANDO — An online dating site has some advice for gay men looking to get into the dating world: if you want to find a special guy who will truly make your first date a night to remember, consider looking for guys in Minneapolis or Orlando.
According to a new study by WhatsYourPrice.com, those are the top two cities in the nation where gay bachelors spend the most money on that critical first date.
In fact, the dating site noted that it’s the gay men, not their heterosexual counterparts, who open the wallet more often for first dates.
“It seems many gay men are also willing to pay the price for love,” noted Ethan Reynolds, the public relations coordinator for WhatsYourPrice.com, in a release about their research. “A new study reveals many gay bachelors throughout the United States are paying considerably more than straight men for first dates.”
Reynolds noted that the staff at the dating site pulled data from its membership roster to “determine just how much single homosexual men are willing to spend on a shot at love. Results reveal gay men spend an average of $184 for a first date, considerably more when compared to the average of $120 offered by straight men. These gents show that chivalry is not dead.”
They also released a list of the Top 10 Most Generous Cities for Gay Men, listing the city and the average amount that gay men spend the first time they take out a new suitor.
Minneapolis came in first, with an average of $446 spent on those first dates. Orlando – which held its first gay marriage ceremonies at the beginning of the year in front of City Hall – came in a close second, with an average of $395 being spent.
Rounding out the list was Indianapolis ($391), Detroit ($300), Pittsburgh ($271), Memphis ($250), Atlanta ($249), Chicago ($241), Phoenix ($213), and, at the bottom of the top 10, a city known as one of the original Mecca destinations for the gay community, San Francisco ($202).
Reynolds said their study shows that gay men in Orlando are much more generous on those first dates than straight men are with women.
“According to the study, gay men in Orlando are the second most generous in the nation, offering $395 on average for a first date, approximately three times more than their straight counterparts,” he noted.
“The LGBT community has always been recognized as generous, so it’s really no surprise to see gay men investing in a first date.” said Brandon Wade, founder and CEO of WhatsYourPrice.com. “With 36 states currently recognizing gay marriage, men will continue to seek quality matches online.”
WhatsYourPrice.com has more than 87,000 gay members in the United States, Reynolds noted, adding that the study calculated its generosity rankings according to the average first-date offer made through the site.
A “Dating-for-Dollars” website, WhatsYourPrice was launched in April 2011 and now boasts more than 800,000 members across the globe.
The site allows “Generous” members to bid and pay for first dates with other users, revealing not just how much they’re willing to spend on a first date, but on a chance at love.
Money is exchanged during the date, and second dates can be arranged either online or off. The website gives both types of daters an advantage in the dating market, making it The Online Dating Shortcut. According to the site, “Gay men have officially proven to be more generous than their straight contemporaries.”
On Jan. 6, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer stood before more than 40 couples at a civil marriage ceremony in front of City Hall. The Vowed and Proud Wedding Ceremony was a celebration of the second day that marriage was recognized for same sex couples in Florida.
Dyer, who is also a notary public, opted to officiate the same-sex wedding ceremony that morning.
In August 2014, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle struck down the same-sex marriage ban that had been passed by Florida voters in 2008. Attorney General Pam Bondi asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block gay marriages, but on Dec. 19, the Supreme Court declined that request, making Florida the 36th state where same-sex marriage is legal.

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