>>> April 18, 2002
Switching lanes

It took the determination of 19 brave homeowners with a petition to convince commissioners of Montgomery County, Ohio that the time was upon them to do away with the name “Gay Road” and find something a little less embarrassing.

“The repercussions of living on a road called ‘Gay’ are not pleasant,” read one petitioner’s submission. “The snide remarks and thoughtless comments… are intolerable.”

It was more than giggles that led to the switch, though. According to the locals, the Gay Road sign gets stolen almost monthly—a problem they expect solved by the new moniker of Green Apple Road.
As gay as the reaction to the change was for residents, Ohio activists are less jubilant, saying it’s indicative of the intolerance homosexuals face. A spokeswoman for the Gay and Lesbian Task Force also pointed out that it might not be “much of an improvement to go from Gay to a fruit.” :

—Scott Saxon