Does Austin have a "gayish" neighborhood? (Houston, Dallas: how much, school)

[love roses]

Personally, I'd choose Austin or Dallas. My lesbian cousin lives in Dallas.

[jamesia]

What's the Georgetown vibe like towards gays? I work there and I really need to come out eventually... Everytime there's a work function like a BBQ or something, I'm always dodging the "girlfriend question". I really feel like I'm lying to people I consider friends, and the longer I wait to mention my boyfriend, the longer I am misleading everyone. It's gonna come out sooner or later, and I think if it's later they'll wonder about my integrity on other things. I don't go about proclaiming my homosexuality from every corner (my soapbox is too heavy to carry around!) ... but lying to a direct question seems wrong for more than one reason.

Unless you think I'd get stiffed when it was time for a raise, then I'll lie away.

Thoughts?

Oh, and so I'm on topic, Austin's real accepting. I don't need a segregated neighborhood, and most people are very nice. And if they aren't - screw 'em! It's not worth the heartache worrying if someone else likes you. Like someone else said, I'm a tree hugger / somewhat-hippie... that might matter more than being gay! It certainly does to me.

[artsyguy]

Georgetown is conservative. I would not come out to anybody there unless you know them to be truly liberal and open minded. If they are baptist types then I would not say anything.

Originally Posted by jamesia

What's the Georgetown vibe like towards gays? I work there and I really need to come out eventually... Everytime there's a work function like a BBQ or something, I'm always dodging the "girlfriend question". I really feel like I'm lying to people I consider friends, and the longer I wait to mention my boyfriend, the longer I am misleading everyone. It's gonna come out sooner or later, and I think if it's later they'll wonder about my integrity on other things. I don't go about proclaiming my homosexuality from every corner (my soapbox is too heavy to carry around!) ... but lying to a direct question seems wrong for more than one reason.

Unless you think I'd get stiffed when it was time for a raise, then I'll lie away.

Thoughts?

Oh, and so I'm on topic, Austin's real accepting. I don't need a segregated neighborhood, and most people are very nice. And if they aren't - screw 'em! It's not worth the heartache worrying if someone else likes you. Like someone else said, I'm a tree hugger / somewhat-hippie... that might matter more than being gay! It certainly does to me.

[allamericantx]

Why does Austin not have a "gay" neighborhood........

Before massives of people moved here, it was in a lot of ways, a small town. everyone was made to feel comfortable where ever they went. so, as it's gotten bigger, some neighborhoods like Wilshire Woods off 35, probably have the highest concentration of gays in the city. BUT, you have to remember that in Austin, you don't really know who's gay and who's not except in blatant circumstances. so, people really integrate. people don't really "hang with their kind" here like they do in other cities. people here mix.

so, no gay neighborhood. but lots of them everywhere. so, who knows. maybe one day we will have a gay neighborhood. but we like everyone mixed.

[soulful]

Can someone tell me about Wilshire Woods? Is this in Central Austin and a walkable or a more suburban neighborhood?

I wonder why gays are picking this area.

[love roses]

I'm going to go against artsyguys advise to you and say come out of the closet. Georgetown is not as conservative a place as some may think. There will be judgemental people of course, but where will there not be? Even central austin will have some. Most of the people that I know out here aren't the types to really care if someones gay or not. Now, if you went to Rockdale or Thrall or some tinier place, it could be an issue.

[geoquiz3000]

Wilshire Wood is a small neighborhood that the City of Austin neighborhood planning department lumps in with other nearby areas (Dellwood, French Place, Cherrywood) as "Upper Boggy Creek." These areas also form the zip code 78722, which is supposedly the "gayest" zip code in the City (2000 Census, same-sex couples according to the Gay & Lesbian Atlas). It is along Wilshire Blvd, Crestwood, Bradwood, Lullwood, Wildwood, Ardenwood and the northern part of Wrightwood Streets. If you're looking at a map of major streets, it's part of the wedge-shaped area formed between Airport Blvd, I-35 and East 38-1/2 Street.

There are perhaps just 100 or so homes in Wilshire Wood proper--large ranches often clad in local white "Austin limestone," with big mature live oaks and great lawns. It's these features that makes Wilshire Woods perhaps the most expensive homes in central Austin east of I-35. I've never seen one listed for under $280K, and most are mid-$300s and up. The whole area is very walkable with relatively quiet streets and a nice neighborhood park, Patterson Park, which has a small kiddie pool and tennis courts. It does however have a suburban feel due to the large homes and lots, and the neighborhood tends to be a bit more NIMBY about mixed land uses and things like garage apartments or duplexes than the areas to the south and east.

Wilshire Wood abuts Dellwood, which has generally smaller homes, and an interesting area called Duplex Nation, which is more affordable if/when something comes onto the market (Kirkwood, Maplewood, Ashwood are the main streets). It's also immediately south of the new Mueller neighborhood, built on the former site of the City's airport--new Dell Children's Hospital, shopping centers, houses all planned following "new urbanist" principles (alleyways, front porches, no cul-de-sacs, etc.)

Wilshire Wood has a lot of gay folk--I know a dozen gay owners there--and they used to have semi-regular get-togethers at local restaurants. My neighborhood, Cherrywood, which extends south of 38-1/2 Street along Cherrywood Road (the area between Cherrywood Road and I-35 is often referred to as French Place) is also pretty gay for Austin, I'd guess maybe 1 out of 8 homes but that's just a ballpark. It's more mixed in terms of renters/homeowners, with a popular restaurant row on Manor Road and some services, bakery, grocery on 38-12 Street. I think you'd feel at home in any of these eastside areas.

Here's a great link to the history and general feel for these eastside areas including Wilshire Wood: City of Austin - Upper Boggy Creek Neighborhood Planning Area The first two PDFs contain histories and backgrounds for the various areas.

[purplecow1]

I spent the first 18 years of my life, and came out, in Dallas. It was a wonderful city for gays, and I felt very comfortable there. However, Dallas is also one of the most religious cities in the country, with one of the highest per capita church attendance rates. There are definitely very conservative people in Dallas that are just not around in Austin. Even the conservative people here in Austin, where I've now lived for 18 months, are accepting and open-minded.

The reason Dallas has a gay area is because it's so big. That's really the only reason. Everyone in Austin is mixed together like a true melting pot. As a gay guy, though, it does get irritating that there are not "gay" coffee shops that I can chill in, etc. like in Dallas. I don't fancy picking up guys in clubs much, and there isn't much else to do. However, I feel like no matter where I am in Austin, nobody is going to get on my case like they might in Dallas.

[allamericantx]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

Austin is not more liberal than Dallas.

I've been in Austin for practically a year and most of the gays are still half way in the closet, even the ones at the gay bars feel uncomfortable with their homosexuality. How do I know? Because when you start to mingle, you start to realize little by little. They got issues. That should tell you that homosexuality still isn't truly "approved" or "accepted" when the gays arn't feeling good about themselves. No gay pride.

I do care if there is a district. It is way better to hang out in a large gayborhood than in Austin where all you can do is go to a few dance clubs/bars that are located smack dab in the middle of a straight area and then mingle with a ton of spaced out strangers. Does that sound fun to you? The nude beach in Austin is mostly for the elderly.

At least in Dallas you can stay away from the conservative counties/areas because there are very republican areas surrounding the city of Dallas.

In austin you never know who you will run into.

no offense, but you sound like a Dallas baby. all my life, listening to people who come from Dallas, glorify that city as if it is the end-all, be-all gets so damn old. go back to Dallas if you're not happy in Austin.

truly, what I have learned in MY experience living around the U.S.......is that gays who CANNOT live outside a gay community or gay neighborhood or gay coffee shop, etc, probably have an issue with their sexuality, not the other way around. people here in Austin probably pick up that you're really, really, really gay, and that unbalanced lifestyle isn't attractive to people with a more "balanced" approach to life.....in other words, there's life outside of being gay and going to stare at other men, and going to gay coffee shops and gay stores, and gay cruises, and damn it, I mean, how much attention do you need?! well, then again, you are from Dallas. the most high-maintenance city in the entire state. it makes you sound "unable" to operate with others.

In Austin, we all integrate. sounds like you have an anti-social behavioral problem. or, you just need to pack up and go home to Dallas. it's a free country. lift your butt and move out. we don't need you with that attitude. the only thing keeping you here is your key hasn't been inserted into the ignition. oh, do you need a gay mechanic to fix that for you as well? you sound one dimensional.

[artsyguy]

never had an issue in dallas.

In austin where do you find gay guys to date besides a bar? Where? Help me out here?

Originally Posted by purplecow1

I spent the first 18 years of my life, and came out, in Dallas. It was a wonderful city for gays, and I felt very comfortable there. However, Dallas is also one of the most religious cities in the country, with one of the highest per capita church attendance rates. There are definitely very conservative people in Dallas that are just not around in Austin. Even the conservative people here in Austin, where I've now lived for 18 months, are accepting and open-minded.

The reason Dallas has a gay area is because it's so big. That's really the only reason. Everyone in Austin is mixed together like a true melting pot. As a gay guy, though, it does get irritating that there are not "gay" coffee shops that I can chill in, etc. like in Dallas. I don't fancy picking up guys in clubs much, and there isn't much else to do. However, I feel like no matter where I am in Austin, nobody is going to get on my case like they might in Dallas.