Gay Archipelago
The Gay Archipelago is an international region of Second Life consisting of 140 sims today which share traffic, conduct archipelago-wide events, and welcome LGBT newcomers to Second Life. The Gay Archipelago (GA) includes a variety of content, including business, shopping, entertainment, role playing, and services for the gay Second Life community. Linden Labs recently gave the Gay Archipelago its own region allowing it to expand and remain focused on and for the LGBT community.
The Gay Archipelago was founded by Fabrice Snook as a place to meet, welcome and help LGBT people as well as to support the talents of its owners, residents and merchants. Currently there are 43 Estate Owners in the Gay Archipelago.
Purpose
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The purpose of the Gay Archipelago is to provide a wide region managed by its estate owners where like minded individuals can live in harmony and community and where they can shop and find services geared to their lifestyle. It helps owners and residents of sims to promote their businesses and events. It coordinates region-wide activities and events, promoting them to all of SL. It works to provide an orderly expansion of the region. It acts as one of the spokespersons for all gay people in Second Life. It provides a center for information not only for the Gay Archipelago itself but for all of gay SL. Through the Linden-sanctioned LGBT Gateway, it aspires to be the first stop for gay people entering Second Life – a place of welcome, orientation, community and help.
What the Gay Archipelago is not
The Gay Archipelago
• is not intended to be the exclusive place for gay-oriented sims and activities.
• recognizes the advantage of, indeed the necessity for gay people to live in and move through all of Second Life.
• does not hold itself to be the exclusive representative of LGBT people in SL.
• is not profit driven. The Gay Archipelago committee is voluntary and there
are no fees required from anyone living and working within the GA.
Council of the Gay Archipelago
Founder/Former Chairman.............Fabrice Snook
Former Chairman.........................Wendell Thor
Officers
Chair (temporary) ...............Myles Capalini
Council Member...................Alan Bolero
Council Member...................Dom Bamatter
Council Member...................Marcus Steeplechase
Council Member...................Marge Beaumont
Council Member...................Thormec Micheline
Council Member...................Tymus Tenk
Advisory Committee
Omatthias Vidor
Philip Eubanks
Truck Meredith
The purpose of the Council is to be a conduit for ideas, suggestions and actions to the estate owners for approval or dismissal. The owners of the estates in the GA decide by majority vote those policies and guidelines which govern the GA. Owners are herein defined as the single owner of record with Linden Labs. On any sim there can be many people who have an interest in it, but only the owner of record is ultimately responsible to Linden Labs for the tier payment and therefore for the existence of the sim. So it is only the owner of record who votes to determine the course of the GA. However, any resident in the Gay Archipelago can be a member of the Council. Because the Gay Archipelago is international in scope, the Council is global in composition. Participation on the Council and in its committees is encouraged. One need only contact the current Chairman to express a willingness to participate.
The GA Council is here to :
- Assist and support Estate owners, as requested
- Promote the Gay Archipelago
- Manage the grid
- Manage and promote GA-wide events
- Establish and maintain communication protocols
- Co-manage the LGBT Gateway (Welcoming & Orientation) with the LGBT organizations
- Represent the Gay Archipelago to Linden Labs on GA-wide issues
- Help and support the Second Pride Committee
Voting Procedure
The voting body of the Gay Archipelago is the estate owners.
Each estate owner has one vote and only one vote. The estate owner is the avatar on record with Linden Lab as owning the estate. If the estate has co-owners, then the co-owners agree on the vote and the owner of record casts that vote. If all or parts of an estate are leased to others, it is still the owner of record who casts the vote. An estate owner casts only one vote no matter how many sims he or she owns.
The Council decides the issues and writes the proposals on which the owners will vote. (Any owner can can submit a proposal or a sugggestion to the Council by submitting it to any Council member who will place it before the Council.
The Council prepares the motion in final form and distributes it via notecard to estate owners who cast their vote - yes/no/abstain - using a non-modifiable notecard submitted to the Secretary.
The Secretary tallies the vote and publishes the result along with a roster of the vote so that the accuracy of the tally can be verified.
If for any reason an estate owner wants his or her vote to be confidential, he or she conveys that to the Secretary who issues to that particular owner a code known only to the owner, the Secretary and the Chairman. The estate owner using the code can then verify that his vote was tallied correctly.
GA Estates Owners
(FP) Full Prim (HS) Homestead (OS) Openspace
Thorn Andel
Sky Beach (FP)
Keokipele Ansar
Kanaloa Marketplace (FP) Vulcania Fine Art (HS)
Alan Bolero
Thira (FP)
Dom Bamatter with Wendell Thor as CEO & Manager
Alcatraz (FP) Bay 1 (HS) Bay 2 (HS) Bay Isles (OS) Belvedere (FP) Berkeley Island (FP) Castro (FP) Domination (HS) Domination Isle (HS) Faulkenau Bay (OS) Fisherman's Wharf (FP) Folsom (FP) Folsom East (FP) Golden Gate (FP) Golden Gate 2 (OS) Golden State Park (FP) Halfmoon Bay (FP) Magic Folsom (HS) Pacifica Island (FP) Pure Domination (FP) Pure Heaven (HS) Pure Indulgence Estates (FP) Pure Isle (FP) Pure Luxury (FP) Pure Sin (FP) Pure Temptation (FP) Rendezvous (FP) San Francisco Bay (OS) San Francisco Island (FP) San Francisco Marina (FP) San Francisco Zoo (FP) Sausalito (FP) Straight of Falkenau (OS) Tiburon (FP) Wayfarer Bay (HS) Wayfarer Island (FP) White Water (FP) White Water Delta (FP)
Marge Beaumont
Tiffanyluv (Sidhe) (FP)
Tiberius Brouwer
Isle of Tabor (FP) Northern Tabor (HS) Silver Tree of Tabor (HS)
Myles Capalini
Cabria Bay (HS) Cabria Lagoon (FP) Cabria Landing (FP) Cabria Reef (OS) Cabria Shores (FP) Cabria Sunrise (HS) Cabrian Dreams (FP) Cabrian Outpost (FP) Chilipepper (FP) Theos Cove (HS)
Tom06 Castro
TBONE Island (FP)
Baz Ceawlin
Jake's Club Resort (FP) Bahia Beach (HS)
Rockridge Constantine
Saint Niguel Isle (FP)
Maxel Cortes
Gay France (FP)
Callinet Dagostino
Rainbow Isle (FP)
Oiswiss Decuir
Gay Fun Beach (HS) Gay Fun World (FP)
Mandy Dorfler
Sheherazade Island TresQueens (FP)
Philip Eubanks
Orpheum (FP)
Emperor Galtier
Romanum (FP) Romanum II (FP)
Ellyse Glas
Araluv (FP)
JeanLuc Guyot
IGBC Heliopolis (HS) - managed by Liamone Troglodite IGBC Gay Rehoboth (FP)
Jimmie Hammill
Hulneth Bay (HS) Isle of Scimitar (FP) Scimitar Plains (HS)
Huntington Harbour
Huntington Harbour (FP)
Hubs Howlett
Hubs Development (HS)
Jaij Jameson
IGBC Rehoboth Bay (HS) IGBC Rehoboth Landing (HS) IGBC Rehoboth Reef (HS) IGBC Rehoboth Seal (OS) IGBC Rehoboth Shores (HS) Jameson Architects (FP)
Telur Lane/Minoa Palen
Gay Tropicana (FP)
Sascha Laval
Crazy Garden (HS) - managed by Arnel Cloche Berlin Dance Arena (FP) - managed by Eniaga Moreaux Flag Factory (HS) - managed by Frenchy Kazan Gay Germany (HS) Gallywood (FP) Gay Zone Beach (FP) Gay Zone Germany (FP) Le Dome (HS) Miscellanious (HS) - managed by AresDE Streeter Nyundo (HS)
Selket Laville
Navan (HS)
Kael Martinek
Sons of Sunrise (FP) Dos Toros (HS)
Rik Masala
Ferik Island (HS)
Ion Michalski
Abderos (HS) Hylas (FP) Phrix (HS)
Thormec Micheline
White Water Canyon (FP)
Bearded Munro
Hillcrest of Tabor (FS)
Levy Munro
Three Winds North (HS) Three Winds South (HS) White Water Falls (FP) White Water Highlands (HS) White Water Peaks (HS)
Dakota Rosca
Pilgrim Bay
Chance Rasmusen
Selene (FP)
Evan Rutledge
Pallas (HS) Spice Islands (FP)
Natiala Seiling
Ceasaria (FP)
Didier Spitteler
Gay Friendly (FP)
Fabrice Snook
Gay Archipelago (OS) Pandore (FP) Sandbox Archipelago (HS)
Dragonlord Sparta
Tabor Tropics (FP)
Marcus Steeplechase
Caerus (FP) Eloi (HS) Pride (FP) Age of Iron (FP)
Tymus Tenk
ARMENELOS (HS) Calas Galadhon (FP) Dimrill Dale (FP) Glanduin (HS) Grey Havens (OS) Gulf of Lune (HS) Mirromere (HS) MISTY MOUNTAINS (HS) South Farthing (HS)
Toothfairy Tizzy
Fairyland (HS) TT Designs (FP)
Marin Urdaneta
Tabor East(FS) Tabor Bay (OS)
Jimmy Warbaum
Tromsoe (FP)
Sterling Whitcroft
Alex Ander (OS) Andros (FP) Marathon (HS) Rodos (HS) Sparta (FP) Thrace (HS) Troy (FP)
Fourleafclover Woodget
Highlands of Tabor (FP)
Claude Zepp
Gay Island Beach (HS) Gay Island Lagoon (HS) Gay Island Resort (FP) Gay Island Sunbay (HS) Gay Island Tropic (HS)
Sims Alphabetically
Abderos (HS) - Ion Michalski Age of Iron -(FP) - Marcus Steeplechase Alcatraz (FP) - Dom Bamatter Alex Ander (OS) - Sterling Whitcroft Andros (FP) - Sterling Whitcroft Araluv - (FP) - Ellyse Glas ARMENELOS (HS) - Tymus Tenk Bay 1 (HS) - Dom Bamatter Bay 2 (HS) - Dom Bamatter Bay Isles (OS) - Dom Bamatter Belvedere (FP) Dom Bamatter Berkeley Island (FP) - Dom Bamatter Berlin Dance Arena (FP) - Sascha Laval Cabria Bay - (HS) - Myles Capalini Cabrian Outpost - (FP) - Myles Capalini Caerus (FP) - Marcus Steeplechase Calas Galadhon (FP)- Tymus Tenk Castro (FP)- Dom Bamatter Ceasaria (FP) - Natiala Seiling Chilipepper (FP) - Maxim Ansar Crazy Garden (HS) - Sascha Laval - managed by Arnel Choche Dimrill Dale (FP) - Tymus Tenk Domination (HS) - Dom Bamatter Domination Isle - (HS) - Dom Bamatter Eloi (HS) - Marcus Steeplechase Fairyland (HS) - Toothfairy Tizzy Falkenau Bay (OS) - Dom Bamatter Ferik Island (HS) - Rik Masala Fisherman's Wharf (FP) - Dom Bamatter Flag Factory (HS) - Sascha Laval - managed by Frenchy Kazan Folsom (FP) - Dom Bamatter Folsom East (FP) - Dom Bamatter Gallywood (FP) - Sascha Laval - managed by InsyX Piranha Gay Archipelago (OS) - Fabrice Snook Gay France (FP) - Benoit Lednev Gay Friendly - (FP) - Didier Spitteler Gay Fun Beach (HS) - Oiswiss Decuir Gay Fun World (FP) - Oiswiss Decuir Gay Germany (HS) - Sascha Laval Gay Island Beach - (HS) - Claude Zepp Gay Island Lagoon - (HS) - Claude Zepp Gay Island Resort - (FP) - Claude Zepp Gay Island Sunbay - (HS) - Claude Zepp Gay Island Tropic - (HS) - Claude Zepp Gay Tropicana - (FP) - Telur Lane - Minoa Palen Gay Zone Beach (FP) - Sascha Laval Gay Zone Germany (FP) - Sascha Laval Glanduin (HS) - Tymus Tenk Golden Gate (FP) - Dom Bamatter Golden Gate 2 (OS) - Dom Bamatter Golden Gate Park - (FP) - Dom Bamatter Grey Havens (OS) - Tymus Tenk Halfmoon Bay (FP) - Dom Bamatter Haven - (FP) - Walentine Gazov Haven Beach - (OS) - Walentine Gazov Haven Paradise - (FP) - Walentine Gazov Highlands of Tabor - (FP) - Fourleafclover Woodget Hillcrest of Tabor - (FP) - Bearded Munro Hubs Development (HS) - Hubs Howlett Hulneth Bay - (HS) - Jimmie Hammill Huntington Harbour - (FP) - Huntington Harbour Hylas (FP) - Ion Michalski IGBC Gay Rehoboth (FP) - JeanLuc Guyot IGBC Heliopolis (HS) - JeanLuc Guyot - managed by Liamone Troglodite IGBC Rehoboth Bay (HS) - Jaij Jameson IGBC Rehoboth Landing - (HS) - Jaij Jameson IGBC Rehoboth Reef - (HS) - Jaij Jameson IGBC Rehoboth Seal - (OS) - Jaij Jameson IGBC Rehoboth Shores (HS) - Jaij Jameson Isle of Scimitar - (FP) - Jimmie Hammill Isle of Tabor - (FP) - Tiberius Brouwer Jake's Club Resort - (FP) Baz Ceawlin Jameson Architects (FP) - Jaij Jameson Kanaloa Marketplace (FP) - Keokipele Ansar Magic Folsom (HS) - Dom Bamatter Marathon (HS) - Sterling Whitcroft Mirromere (HS) - Tymus Tenk Miscellanious (HS) - Sascha Laval - managed by AresDE Streeter MISTY MOUNTAINS (HS) - Tymus Tenk Navan (HS) - Selket Laville Northern Tabor - (HS) - Tiberius Brouwer Nyundo - (HS) - Sascha Laval Orpheum (FP) - Philip Eubanks Pacifica Island (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pallas (HS) - Even Rutledge Pandore - (FP) - Fabrice Snook Phrix - (HS) - Ion Michalski Pilgrims's Bay ( ) - Dakota Rosca Pillars of Hercules (FP) - Scottie Menges Pride (FP) - Marcus Steeplechase Pure Domination (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pure Heaven (HS) - Dom Bamatter Pure Indulgence Estate (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pure Isle (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pure Luxury (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pure Sin (FP) - Dom Bamatter Pure Temptation (FP) - Dom Bamatter Rainbow Haven - (FP) - Walentine Gazov Rainbow Isle (FP) - Adare Breil Rendezvous (FP) - Dom Bamatter Rodos (HS) - Sterling Whitcroft Romanum (FP) - Emperor Galtier Romanum II (FP) - Emperor Galtier Saint Niguel Isle (FP) - Rockridge Constantine San Francisco Bay (OS) - Dom Bamatter San Francisco Island - (FP) - Dom Bamatter San Francisco Marina - (FP) - Dom Bamatter San Francisco Zoo - (FP) - Dom Bamatter Sandbox Archipelago (HS) - Fabrice Snook Sausalito (FP) - Dom Bamatter Scimitar Plains - (HS) - Jimmie Hammill Sea of Hercules (HS) - Scottie Menges Selene (FP) - Chance Rasmusen Sheherazade Island ( ) - Mindy Dorfler Silver Tree of Tabor - () - Tiberius Brouwer Sky Beach (FP) - Thom Andel Sons of Sunrise - (FS) - Kael Martinek South Farthing (HS) - Tymus Tenk Sparta (FP) - Sterling Whitcroft Spice Islands (FP) - Evan Rutledge Straight of Falkenau (OS) - Dom Bamatter Summits of Hercules (FP) - Scottie Menges Swedish Archipelago - (HS) - Walentine Gazov Swedish Pride - (HS) - Walentine Gazov Tabor Bay - (OS) - Marin Urdanetta Tabor East - (FP) - Marin Urdanetta Tabor Tropics - (FP) - Dragonlord Sparta TBONE Island (FP) - Tom06 Castro *The Secret Receiver - (FP) - Infamous Riddler (Inactive) Thira - (FP) - Alan Bolero Thrace (HS) - Sterling Whitcroft Three Winds North - (HS) - Levy Munro Three Winds South - (HS) - Levy Munro Tiburon (FP) - Dom Bamatter Tiffanyluv (Sidhe) - (FP) - Marge Beaumont *Treasure Island (HS) - Infamous Riddler (Inactive) Tres Queens (FP) - Mindy Dorfler Troy (FP) - Sterling Whitcroft TT Designs (FP) - Toothfairy Tizzy Vulcania Fine Art - (HS) - Keokipele Ansar Wayfarer Bay (HS) - Dom Bamatter Wayfarer Island -(FP) - Dom Bamatter White Water (FP) - Dom Bamatter - managed by Wendell Thor White Water Canyon (FP) - Thormec Micheline White Water Delta (FP) - Dom Bamatter - managed by Wendell Thor White Water Falls (FP) - Levy Munro White Water Highlands (HS) - Levy Munro White Water Peaks (HS) - Levy Munro
Monthly Payment to Linden Labs
81 Full Sims x $295 US = $23,895 US
55 Homestead Sims x $125 US = $ 6,875 US
11 Open Space Sims x $75 US = $ 825 US
In all : 147 Sims
Total = $31,595 US per month
Gay Archipelago on the Web
GA main Website :
GA on Facebook :
Gay Archipelago Facebook group
Blogs from GA Estates :
Blog Cooperation Gay Francophone
Pillars of Hercules Estate Blog
Non profit Sims dedicated to GA
- Gay Archipelago (OS)
- GA Welcome Hub
- Pride (FP)
- International Welcome Hub
- Sandbox Archipelago (HS)
- Public sandbox
Shopping Sims (PG rate)
- Crazy Garden (HS)
- Flowers, plants, trees
- Flag Factory (HS)
- Flags, banners
- Jameson Architects (FP)
- Prefab residences and condominiums
- Miscellanious (HS)
- Prefab residences and misc. landscaping
- Custom Designs, Parcels, Sims, Scenes, by Lauritz Larsson Architecture
- Pandore (FP)
- Multi-mainstores sim (Fashion accessories, Prefab homes, Textures full perm, Boats/barges)
History
Fabrice Snook launched Pandore, the first sim in the Gay Archipelago, in May, 2007, as a friendly gay village (today it is a shopping sim). Fabrice then opened Gay France, in July 2007, then Oboulaba, a babylonian themed sim. Oboulaba is now called Chilipepper with shopping, residences and clubs.
In 2008, Sasha Laval, owner of Gay Zone Estate, and Fabrice decided to connect their 7 sims in a new area on the SL grid. Later that year, Badpuppy and Citegay, two sims linked to well-known gay Internet portals in USA and France, joined them.
The continent continued to grow with Gay Europe, Gay Japan, Toozepolis and other new sims. Sascha Laval launched Gay Zone Atlantis, Gay Zone Neptunia, DJ World and Aqua Lounge.
As the Archipelago grew, the emphasis was on cooperation, coordination and unity beginning with Gay France and later with Gay Europe. Today, "SL Gay Cooperation" is today a non-open group that manages the new Gay Europe sim, an openspace that connects the German and French regions.
Also in 2008, IGBC Gay Rehoboth, Jameson Architects, Ferik Island, and Flag Factory opened in the Archipelago. That year, the Gay Archipelago was not more only focused on european range, and GA has choosen to be the first sponsor of the Second Pride Festival in June.
At the beginning of 2009 and after the Lindens’ decision to increase the fees by 66%, many homesteads were closed. At this time, the virtual worlds did not appear so attractive to many professionals and CiteGAY closed its sim as well. Fabrice left SL for several months because of Real Life (RL) commitments. Upon his return, he found that the cluster had decreased to just 8 sims. But with the continued effort of Fabrice and others, Gay Europe was revived and IGBC extended its domain with new sims connected to Pandore. Oiswiss Decuir, owner of Gay Fun World, joined what was now called the Gay Archipelago. Arnel Choche’s Crazy Garden was opened. Later in 2009, Dom Bamatter, owner of Pure Indulgence Estate, joined the group - today Dom Bamatter is the largest land owner in GA with 38 sims.
In autumn of 2009, discussions began with the new Board of Second Pride to define common goals.
By the end of 2009, the Gay Archipelago had 34 sims. Its first winter Festival, The Gay Archipelago Days, was held from December 12th thru 19th with many events and attractions on each sim. The festival ended with a contest for the first Mister Gay 2010. Ardaric Larsson was the winner and all celebrated with a grand party.
In January of 2010, Linden Lab offered to move all sims in the Gay Archipelago to a new, empty area of the grid, favorable for expansion and unencumbered by neighboring sims with no connection to the GA. Linden Lab also facilitated the moving of sims to join Gay Archipelago: Pillars of Hercules, Vulcania, Lothlorian, Gay Italy Friends and Romanum. The move took place on January 12, 2010.
Shortly thereafter, Marcus Steeplechase and Philip Eubanks, owners of Warehouse Plaza and a group of 5 sims, joined the Gay Archipelago. They dedicated one of their sims, Pride, for the site of the then proposed Gateway and Welcome Center for LGBT people entering Second Life. The sim is located in the heart of the Archipelago.
The LGBT Gateway was approved by the Lindens and launched on April 6, 2010. This beautiful building was constructed by Van Auster and provides a beautiful setting for an excellent service. Shortly after, the showcase Community Center was completed by Oxphalaver Moose. This unique design houses the GA Council Chamber, the Womyn's Center, an annex for the Second Pride organization, the Transgender Hub, and public meeting rooms.
In the next months, the Gay Archipelago expanded to 130 LGBT sims. But even as this growth continues, The Gay Archipelago encourages diversity of location of gay sims throughout SL and has never desired to be the only location for LGBT sims. It exists only to enhance the Gay Archipelago Way of Life: opportunities to meet, to share, to learn, to support talent, to have fun, relax, and build a great continent with many links to all of SL and to Real Life as well.
In May of 2010 the 13 sims of the United Continent of Gor moved to the GA. Not only is this the largest cluster of gay Gorean sims, it is the largest cluster of all Gorean sims in Second Life. From a single sim, Tabor has expanded to now include 14 Gorean sims. This move marks the GA as a major center for role play in Second Life and enhances the diversity of lifestyles within the GA itself.
In the January quarter of 2010, the Gay Archipelago launched its first Council organization. This first Council was chaired by Fabrice Snook. The immediate tasks of the Council were to provide liaison between Linden Labs and the Gay Archipelago, to help and support the Second Pride Committee, and to be useful and efficient for the owners, residents, merchants and visitors to the Gay Archipelago.
The Second Pride Festival 2010 was held in the Gay Archipelago and began on May 29, 2010. A water parade beginning at the Pride sim commenced the festivities. The theme was Venice and the festival stretched across six sims. In addition to the parade, the festival included concerts and dances.
After founding the GA and guiding it to its current level of success, Fabrice Snook handed the reins to a new Chairman, Wendell Thor, on June 26th, 2010. Wendell is an Estate Owner in the GA and manages the 38 sims of B&V Enterprises (Dom Bamatter).
The Travel & Tourism Agency had its grand opening on July 10, 2010. The T&T promotes the services and businesses of the GA by providing, in a pleasant and interactive environment, exposure of and links to those services and businesses in a non-profit and non-partial manner.
The history of the GA is vibrant with growth and promise. It speaks to the LGBT peoples' desire for and appreciation of community. Megotta Zula, the current Chairman for Public Relations & Marketing, says, "The purpose of the Gay Archipelago is to create a community of like-minded individuals and connect them for the pleasure of both our community and SL at large."