Despite the 'Gay Gore' reputation, Census New Zealand results have revealed that there are just three lesbian couples, and no gay male couples living together in the South Island town. Local wedding celebrant Peter Crake, originally from Hamilton, told the Sunday Star-Times Gore is not gay-friendly. "Down here it's like the deep south of America. Homosexuals are frowned upon... if they are that way inclined, they keep to themselves." Gore's sensitivity around gay issues was revealed after it was ridiculed by television personality Mikey Havoc and his sidekick Jeremy "Newsboy" Wells. Gore joins the Hawke's Bay and Kaikoura as one of New Zealand's least gay areas. On the other end of the scale, Auckland has the largest number of same-sex couples. Although the numbers only take into account same-sex couples who live together, they are the most accurate statistics indicating the number of gay people in New Zealand, since there's no question on New Zealand Census forms about sexual orientation. Ref: Sunday Star-Times (m)