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Hi there. We're considering a move from the NYC area to Saratoga Springs and I read mixed messages on this board. Some say that the Saratoga Springs area is conservative and religious, making me think it wouldn't be a great place for a same-sex couple with two kids. Other people seem to think it's progressive and would be comfortable for a LGBT couple. Just wondering what people think... Thanks!
It would depend on who you talked to I'd think. New York in general is progressive and more open minded than most areas but Saratoga is also more affluent and blue-blood so there's also some stodgy conservatism in parts.
In general though I think you two would be fine. Just don't expect to join a country club I guess.
Saratoga Springs is probably the most LGBT-friendly town in the area. That said, it's not NYC, by a longshot. There is still a lot of provincialism and, to be frank, it's not a diverse community in any sense - racially/ethnically, economically or with regard to gender identification or sexual preference. The community has undergone a pretty huge demographic shift over the past 10-15 years and is increasingly a wealthy enclave with a lot of well-to-do "retirees and returnees". The presence of higher ed and cultural/arts institutions ensure pockets of liberal/progressive thought in the city, but it's still upstate NY. I'm also contemplating a move to the area from NYC and increasingly feel like Saratoga Springs is a nice place to visit, but doesn't quite have what we're looking for.
I would contact the Capital Pride Center, if you haven't already. They are one of the oldest LGBT organizations in the country. Although based in Albany, I think they have a pretty big reach. I have found their staff to be very helpful and welcoming. I mainly know them through their work with teens of color, but whoever answers the phone is almost always great. The Center often has events aimed at families. It looks like they even have an affiliate in Saratoga, but I would start with the Albany office since that's where they bulk of their staff is. My guess is that they could give you some good leads and would be honest with you about the real scoop.
Saratoga Springs is probably the most LGBT-friendly town in the area. That said, it's not NYC, by a longshot. There is still a lot of provincialism and, to be frank, it's not a diverse community in any sense - racially/ethnically, economically or with regard to gender identification or sexual preference. The community has undergone a pretty huge demographic shift over the past 10-15 years and is increasingly a wealthy enclave with a lot of well-to-do "retirees and returnees". The presence of higher ed and cultural/arts institutions ensure pockets of liberal/progressive thought in the city, but it's still upstate NY. I'm also contemplating a move to the area from NYC and increasingly feel like Saratoga Springs is a nice place to visit, but doesn't quite have what we're looking for.
I'd say the LGBT community in Saratoga is about the same as the LGBT community in Ithaca. Neither city has a gay bar. Ithaca is a very hippie-like city, wheras Saratoga is very "fancy-pants," but both cities have open-mindedness as a strong point. Saratoga did just have its Pride festival a few weeks back, and last time I was there, they still had all the flags up, so there is a strong LGBT presence there. I don't know enough about the community to know of any LGBT-friendly bars or clubs there, but I'm sure they exist.
Saratoga does have a more intense nightlife than Ithaca, with bars staying open until 4 am and the streets being jam-packed with 20-somethings, especially during the summer. It's where I go when I feel like doing rich people things, like buying $8 shots and walking through stores filled with things I could never afford. I'd say Saratoga has one of the highest standards of living in Upstate NY outside of NYC/Long Island. At least the county is: New York locations by per capita income - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whoever told you Saratoga is conservative was a moron. The entire Albany area is very liberal. I'd say the most conservative areas in the region are the suburbs in between Saratoga and Albany (Burnt Hills, Clifton Park), but even then, it's not like they don't tolerate homosexuality.
Albany does have a much stronger LGBT community than Saratoga, and being in Saratoga, you'd be close enough to Albany to partake in this community. There is one bar in Lark Street that ckhthankgod mentioned, but the actual gay community in Albany is toward the end of Central Ave, where there are two gay bars right across the street from each other, which often hold events together, sometimes every night of the week. Bars in Albany also stay open until 4 am so things can get quite intense.
I know the nightlife probably isn't what a parent like you is looking at, but it does show that there is a strong LGBT presence in the area, and it's tolerated well by the locals.
I'd say the LGBT community in Saratoga is about the same as the LGBT community in Ithaca. Neither city has a gay bar. Ithaca is a very hippie-like city, wheras Saratoga is very "fancy-pants," but both cities have open-mindedness as a strong point. Saratoga did just have its Pride festival a few weeks back, and last time I was there, they still had all the flags up, so there is a strong LGBT presence there. I don't know enough about the community to know of any LGBT-friendly bars or clubs there, but I'm sure they exist.
Saratoga does have a more intense nightlife than Ithaca, with bars staying open until 4 am and the streets being jam-packed with 20-somethings, especially during the summer. It's where I go when I feel like doing rich people things, like buying $8 shots and walking through stores filled with things I could never afford. I'd say Saratoga has one of the highest standards of living in Upstate NY outside of NYC/Long Island. At least the county is: New York locations by per capita income - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whoever told you Saratoga is conservative was a moron. The entire Albany area is very liberal. I'd say the most conservative areas in the region are the suburbs in between Saratoga and Albany (Burnt Hills, Clifton Park), but even then, it's not like they don't tolerate homosexuality.
Albany does have a much stronger LGBT community than Saratoga, and being in Saratoga, you'd be close enough to Albany to partake in this community. There is one bar in Lark Street that ckhthankgod mentioned, but the actual gay community in Albany is toward the end of Central Ave, where there are two gay bars right across the street from each other, which often hold events together, sometimes every night of the week. Bars in Albany also stay open until 4 am so things can get quite intense.
I know the nightlife probably isn't what a parent like you is looking at, but it does show that there is a strong LGBT presence in the area, and it's tolerated well by the locals.
I threw out Ithaca because of its very liberal vibe, which is hard to match in Upstate NY and the amount of concstruction and growth in its Downtown. It is also a more culturally diverse city and that is even visible within its government and school district leadership. Its nightlife is good, but its last call isn't as late as Saratoga's. Cornell, Ithaca College and TC3 brings a younger vibe to the city/area as well, which of course is much more visible during the academic year.
With all of this said, I think Saratoga would work and I don't think that people should sleep on the other cities in the metro either.
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