The County Where Gay People Don't Exist: VIDEO

Franklin County, Mississippi is ranked as one of the least hospitable county for gay couples because none were counted in the U.S. Census, so CNN's John Sutter went there to find out if that was the case:

I drove to this place of rolling hills and misty valleys with a few questions on my mind: Can there really be such a thing as an all-straight county? If so, what is it like to be someone who never has met a gay person? Do you just watch "Glee" and figure it out?

If there are gay people in Franklin County, what keeps them hidden?

I spent a few days searching for answers before I realized I was making the wrong assumptions: It's not that gay people here (or anywhere really) want to be in the closet, necessarily. It's the rest of the world that pushes them in and shuts the door.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Gallup Breaks Down Percentage of LGBT People by State in Largest Study of its Kind: POLL

Gallup is out with new poll results today based on responses to the question, "Do you, personally, identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender?" The question was asked in tracking interviews during the second half of 2012 and is the largest single study of the LGBT population distribution on record.

The District of Columbia was found to have the largest percentage of LGBT-identifying residents by far with 10%, and North Dakota the least, with 1.7%.

They note:

As was outlined in the first report of these data in October, measuring sexual orientation and gender identity can be challenging because these concepts involve complex social and cultural patterns. There are a number of ways to measure lesbian, gay, and bisexual orientation, and transgender status. Gallup chose a broad measure of personal identification as LGBT because this grouping of four statuses is commonly used in current American discourse, and as a result has important cultural and political significance. One limitation of this approach is that it is not possible to separately consider differences among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgender individuals. A second limitation is that this approach measures broad self-identity, and does not measure sexual or other behavior, either past or present.

Here are the results:

Every Person Counted by the U.S. Census: MAP

A fascinating image of human settlement patterns. Try zooming in here.

In First-Ever Count, Census Bureau Reports 131,729 Same-Sex Married Couples in the U.S.

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its first-ever estimated count of same-sex couples in the U.S.:

The U.S. Census Bureau released today new statistics on same-sex married couple and unmarried partner households. According to revised estimates from the 2010 Census, there were 131,729 same-sex married couple households and 514,735 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States.

The results of the 2010 Census revised estimates are closer to the results of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) for same-sex married and unmarried partners. The 2010 ACS estimated same-sex married couples at 152,335 and same-sex unmarried partners at 440,989.

The new, preferred figures revise earlier estimates of same-sex unmarried partners released this summer from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 because Census Bureau staff discovered an inconsistency in the responses in the 2010 Census summary file statistics that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples.  In addition, a breakdown of couples who reported as same-sex spouses is now available. The summary file counts originally showed that there were 349,377 married couple households and 552,620 same-sex unmarried partner households.

Statistics on same-sex couple households are derived from two questions on the census and ACS questionnaire: relationship to householder and the sex of each person. When data were captured for these two questions on the 2010 Census door-to-door form, the wrong box may have been checked for the sex of a small percentage of opposite-sex spouses and unmarried partners. Because the population of opposite-sex married couples is large and the population of same-sex married couples in particular is small, an error of this type artificially inflates the number of same-sex married partners.

After discovering the inconsistency, Census Bureau staff developed another set of estimates to provide a more accurate way to measure same-sex couple households. The revised figures were developed by using an index of names to re-estimate the number of same-sex married and unmarried partners by the sex commonly associated with the person's first name.

The Bureau adds: "The 2010 Census preferred estimates have been peer-reviewed by Gary Gates, a demographer with the UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, by Philip Cohen, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and by Megan Sweeney, professor of sociology at UCLA. These experts concluded the methodology behind these revised estimates was sound."

According to a separate release from the Williams Institute:

The Williams Institute conducted a survey of same-sex couples immediately after Census 2010 showing that most same-sex couples who described themselves as spouses are in legally recognized relationships, but not all are actually married. The analyses suggest that approximately 70% reported that they were legally married, and another 15% said that they were in civil unions or registered domestic partnerships. The remaining 15% indicated that while they were not actually in a legally recognized relationship, they considered themselves to be spouses.

Same-sex couples can marry in six states and the District of Columbia. Thirteen states offer non-marital forms of relationship recognition like civil unions or registered domestic partnership.

The Williams Institute estimates that about 50,000 same-sex couples have married in the following states, and in the following numbers: Massachusetts (2004-2009) 16,129; California (2008) 18,000; Connecticut (2008-2010) 6,752; Iowa (2009-2010) 2,099; Vermont (2009-2010) 1,425; New Hampshire (2010) 1,805; District of Columbia (2010) 3,500. Data on marriages in New York are not yet available. In addition, as many as 30,000 same-sex couples may have been married outside of the US. The Williams Institute also estimates that approximately 100,000 same-sex couples are in non-marital forms of relationship recognition like civil unions and registered domestic partnerships.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #629

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CUBBY SQUIRES: The bear cub version of Lady Gaga's "Telephone".

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News: Nicolette Sheridan, iPad, Jeff Koons, Zurich, NYPD

David Shuster suspended from MSNBC indefinitely after shooting pilot for CNN.

My big failed gay exorcism (warning: site nsfw).

Nicolette Sheridan files suit against 'Desperate Housewives' creator Marc Cherry, saying he slapped her across the face.

Because he's a homosexual man.

Human Rights Campaign loses director Brad Luna and deputy director Trevor Thomas of its communications department.

Third poll in a row shows majority of Californians supporting marriage equality.

Annie Leibovitz financial troubles get deeper: "The investment firm that was tasked with managing the mismanaged fortune of Annie Leibovitz is suing the celebrity photographer, alleging she owes them a whopping $800,000 in unpaid bills for their services."

Jersey Shore cast moves in to South Beach digs.

WATCH: Chace Crawford plays a drug dealer in Twelve.

Did One Life To Live get too gay for daytime TV?

Gay Polo League's debut draws large crowd: "A crowd of nearly 1,500 polo fans and Gay Polo League supporters were on hand for Saturday’s festivities..."

The first iPad in-car dashboard mount.

Jeff Koons reveals design for BMW.

Providence mayor David Cicilline raises $700,000 in congressional race efforts.

Census seeking better count of gay pairs: "For the first time, the bureau has deployed a team of professional field workers - about two dozen - to reach out to gays and lesbians. On Monday, the bureau released its first public-service videos encouraging gay Americans to mail their census forms."

Cheyenne Jackson in comedy pilot about gay couple trying to raise son.

Help jumpstart Haiti, through art.

SAGE opens office in Washington D.C.

Magazines are missing the point of the iPad: "Turns out the magazine powers that be concluded in their infinite wisdom that the iPad was actually just exactly the same as a real life newsstand…at least where pricing is concerned."

Photos: First look at 'Promises, Promises' on Broadway.

Marcos Mercado found guilty in Christmas Eve killing of Thomas Szadkowski: "The jury found Mercado guilty of felony murder and first-degree robbery The two men met online and got together at Szadkowski's apartment to have sex. After they were done, Mercado got an assault rifle from his car and shot Szadkowski once in the face. Before leaving, he took an Xbox computer game console and gave it to a friend."

Off-duty undercover NYPD: "This fag establishment should be closed."

A music video for Constance McMillen.

Gay Zurich nightclub evacuated after bomb threat.

Catholic group calls for protest of Corpus Christi production at Gallaudet University: "Ritchie quotes Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk as his moral authority in calling this protest: “Corpus Christi seems to go out of its way to present Jesus and His story in the crudest and ugliest of ways,” said Pilarczyk in 2003, “I believe that this play will offend the sensibilities of most people who reverence the Lord Jesus in any way.” In a week when it has been revealed, top Vatican officials — including the future Pope Benedict XVI — did not defrock a priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys and that they covered up the rape of even more deaf kids in Italy, I find it astounding that this clown would even think about showing his face at this school, since Gallaudet University is the nations premier institution of higher learning FOR THE DEAF."