Biography - Photos - References - Media - Contact - Appearances & Events - WilliamFuld.com Media Salem resident Bob Murch was upset by the number of folks that signed the initiative petition for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, which circulated through the state last fall. So he created GaySalem.com with the aim of showing his signature-happy neighbors just how gay the Witch City really is. The funny thing is, gay Salem isn’t all that different than straight Salem. That’s what Murch hopes petition signers will figure out after he mails each and every one of them an invitation to check out the site. What most gay people want out of their lives are the same things that straight people want — and P.S., there is no “gay agenda,” says Murch, who has been married to Gary Halteman since May 2004. “The gay agenda’s just about having the same rights as everybody else. That’s it,” he says. “Surprise!” After viewing GaySalem.com, one would be forgiven for concluding that Murch, who works in the financial services industry, is on the payroll at the Salem Board of Travel and Tourism or the city’s Chamber of Commerce. The website, with kitschy graphics reminiscent of the 60s sitcom Bewitched, is one-stop shopping for exploring, learning and living in the historic city, albeit with some very gay flourishes. “Exploring Salem, Massachusetts, where Return to Witch Mountain meets Brokeback Mountain, is an experience unto itself!” the site proclaims. Shopping: “Where Newbury Street meets Diagon Alley.” The Broom Closet witch shop? “The only closet to be in!” Visitors to the site will find comprehensive listings of just about everything the city has to offer, from its many museums, parks and historic graveyards, to local schools, health facilities, banks, liquor store and for those looking to walk the Pagan path — or just get a Tarot card reading — a catalogue of the city’s most prominent (living) witches and warlocks. Though GaySalem.com is geared primarily toward gay users, Murch says the site could just have easily been called JustVisitSalem.com. Gay or straight, he observes, “people look for the same things. They still go out to eat, like to have fun with their friends, like to shop. And I think that’s the point behind it.” OUIJA® and MYSTIFYING ORACLE® are both trademarks of Hasbro, Inc.
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