North shore suburbs that are LGBT friendly (Chicago, Arlington Heights: how much, houses)

[JONOV]

Originally Posted by BrianRF

You're the first person who has mentioned Glenview and you referred to it as more conservative. Why do you feel that way? (Not saying you're wrong- just curious).

Its really hard to put my finger on, and I don't mean to describe it as some conservative bastion. Just that it seems to be of the same vein as Winnetka, Wilmette, etc. Perhaps that so much of it seems "Newer" that it seems more suburban (Not that the other places aren't very suburban.) I think that has more to do with the redevelopment of the Naval Air Station, which lends to a newer conservative suburb vibe.

Also, how big of a lot/yard are you looking for? Is it completely impossible to find in Evanston or OP/RF? I mean, I grew up on a 1/3 acre lot and it was big enough that Dad bought a commercial mower to mow the lawn, certainly big enough for us kids to play in in with a big sandbox, swingset, climbing rope on tree, etc...

But that was in Lake County, so it may be that you CAN'T find it there.

[BrianRF]

We would LOVE a 1/3 acre lot but they're just not in Evanston. Everything is 8-10k square feet... which of course, first world problem, is a nice sized lot but we're looking for something bigger. There are some 1-acre lots in Northfield, Northbrook, and Glenview which would be amazing. Just gathering information at this point; thanks again for your insights.

Originally Posted by JONOV

Its really hard to put my finger on, and I don't mean to describe it as some conservative bastion. Just that it seems to be of the same vein as Winnetka, Wilmette, etc. Perhaps that so much of it seems "Newer" that it seems more suburban (Not that the other places aren't very suburban.) I think that has more to do with the redevelopment of the Naval Air Station, which lends to a newer conservative suburb vibe.

Also, how big of a lot/yard are you looking for? Is it completely impossible to find in Evanston or OP/RF? I mean, I grew up on a 1/3 acre lot and it was big enough that Dad bought a commercial mower to mow the lawn, certainly big enough for us kids to play in in with a big sandbox, swingset, climbing rope on tree, etc...

But that was in Lake County, so it may be that you CAN'T find it there.

[chitownperson]

Your claim of what kinds of people my friend and her child is only shows the type of out of touch moral blank you are. You act like you know something about them and make a lot of assumptions about what they haven't done to rectify their situation, just because you can't accept that he's been around some truly horrible people.

Wheaton North's white student population is 73%, OPRF's is 53%. That difference, in towns of their sizes, are not drops in the bucket. As for the low income student populations, you're over simplifying complex issues to make a point. The social and economic impacts of low income minority students is different in comparison to non-minority low-income students. Comparing them the way you're doing, as if they have the same hurdles, shows a complete lack of awareness of the issues… but I'm not surprised in the least. Do you live in Wheaton? If so, are you representative of the attitudes expressed there? All I can say is I hope you're not a school councilor.

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough. This friend is moronic and so are the parents:



And I stand by my claim that those "friends" are not emblematic of my town of nearly 60,000 people.

I think you're sorely misinformed about where your friend lives. Ethnically, Wheaton's schools are nearly as diverse as Oak Park's, and they actually have greater economic diversity. Sure there's a heavy WASP component, but the idea that your friend's son is in a school bereft of Latino kids is misguided. When I said, "get involved," I was not at all suggesting your friend or her son "adopt that which is culturally acceptable to the majority," but instead just get involved anywhere, including with other Latinos around Wheaton. Find a niche, volunteer, build a network. Connections don't happen while sitting on haunches. There are literally dozens of community organizations, youth outreaches, and charities around town that would be ecstatic to help your friend and her son connect with peers. Do they go to church? Several Wheaton churches have well attended Spanish language services. Even Evelyn could be a resource. She's frequently in Wheaton and has open meetings with residents. You may not like who she "works for," but in her pursuit of cultural balance for her own children (in Wheaton), she likely created a Rolodex of resources and connections. Heck, even someone like this guy, who runs a Spanish school and is involved with different Latino meetups around town, could be a valuable resource:

!OLE¡ Wheaton | Contact Us

Without knowing your friend's current or future needs:

DuPage Center Wheaton | Metropolitan Family Services
Immigrant Solidarity DuPage | Who We Are
People's Resource Center: Our Partners
Wheaton Youth Outreach
World Relief DuPage: Stand With The Vulnerable
DuPage United
ICIRR March | Saturday, October 5th, Wheaton
Iglesia del Pueblo| Wheaton Bible Church
Puente | Community Unit School District 200
"Engage 200" Community Engagement | Community Unit School District 200
Latino Outreach Center | College of DuPage
B.R.I.D.G.E. | Wheaton College
Democratic Party of Milton Township - Meetings
Welcome to Wheaton! | ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS
There's Room at the Table | ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS
"Wheaton Reads 2015" aims to celebrate diversity | Daily Herald
Immigrants seek refuge, resources in DuPage County | Suburban Life
Supporters hope new Wheaton mural celebrates diversity, togetherness | Daily Herald

FWIW the city puts on an annual diversity fair:

Wheaton World Tour 2015 - City of Wheaton
Wheaton celebrates diversity with third annual Wheaton World Tour | Suburban Life
Community Relations Commission - City of Wheaton

She may not need the above services, but she and her son might find friends in the Wheaton residents running them.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by JONOV

Its really hard to put my finger on, and I don't mean to describe it as some conservative bastion. Just that it seems to be of the same vein as Winnetka, Wilmette, etc. Perhaps that so much of it seems "Newer" that it seems more suburban (Not that the other places aren't very suburban.) I think that has more to do with the redevelopment of the Naval Air Station, which lends to a newer conservative suburb vibe.

Also, how big of a lot/yard are you looking for? Is it completely impossible to find in Evanston or OP/RF? I mean, I grew up on a 1/3 acre lot and it was big enough that Dad bought a commercial mower to mow the lawn, certainly big enough for us kids to play in in with a big sandbox, swingset, climbing rope on tree, etc...

But that was in Lake County, so it may be that you CAN'T find it there.

You grew up in Lake Co, at a time when it was possible to get a "commercial mower" to cut 1/3 acre lawn and now you're weighing in on how the redevelopment of Glenview Naval Station, that happened in the 90s, has made that town more conservative...

Beyond "subjective" and in the realm of something else.

[BrianRF]

I don't have any context for whatever it is the two of you are talking about... so, chet, you don't agree that Glenview is more conservative than surrounding areas?

Originally Posted by chet everett

You grew up in Lake Co, at a time when it was possible to get a "commercial mower" to cut 1/3 acre lawn and now you're weighing in on how the redevelopment of Glenview Naval Station, that happened in the 90s, has made that town more conservative...

Beyond "subjective" and in the realm of something else.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by BrianRF

I don't have any context for whatever it is the two of you are talking about... so, chet, you don't agree that Glenview is more conservative than surrounding areas?

I have never seen any correlation that lot size effects political / social views. There are plenty of hippies on big parcels and an equal number of bluenosed throwbacks living in zero-lot-line developments. And vice verse...

If anything, the only correlation I have seen is that lower income areas are generally more likely to have residents motivated by fear / distrust than higher income areas.

If you find a home in Glenview or Deefield that is in a neighborhood similar to Willmette / Highland Park (and you will...) there is a high probability that neighbors will have very similar political / social views ...

[Lookout Kid]

Hey, if you get a big enough lot further west in Lake County, it won't matter what your neighbors believe because you'll never see them.

[BrianRF]

Ha, not looking to go west though.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Hey, if you get a big enough lot further west in Lake County, it won't matter what your neighbors believe because you'll never see them.

[Slate Moonstone]

Originally Posted by BrianRF

You're the first person who has mentioned Glenview and you referred to it as more conservative. Why do you feel that way? (Not saying you're wrong- just curious).

As someone born and raised on the North Shore, let me sum it up this way:


Most of Chicago's northern suburbs are generic and whitebread. Basically, people moved from the city to out there to get away from "the city" (i.e., crime and - if you drill down further - blacks.)


Most of these suburbs were at least passively hostile to other minorities as well, including the Jews. (Kenilworth, and possibly others, actually barred Jews via covenants.) So Jews that were leaving the city tended to congregate in certain locations - e.g., Skokie, Glencoe, Highland Park.


In part because of their recent history as a minority group facing discrimination, Jews in the US tend to be more socially liberal than other white subgroups. Also, the fundamentalist Christianity that animates most anti-gay animus in the US doesn't really apply there. So that's why places like HP are generally pretty easygoing when it comes to gays.


Glenview hasn't traditionally had a large Jewish population, although that's changed a bit as Jews have spread out around the entire North Shore and NW suburban belt. I wouldn't suggest that it's actively hostile to gays, but it seems to me - in an admittedly anecdotal sense - that it's just more of a typical, postwar, whitebread suburban monoculture.


Also, as another poster mentioned above, HP also has a relatively large Hispanic (Mexican) population, so there's some economic diversity as well. Part of that probably has to do with the fact that HP is an older suburb that has a sizable downtown centered around the railroad station. The fact that there was a preexisting base of older, smaller (and cheaper) houses presumably made it an attractive place for lower-income immigrants to land. Anyway, my point mentioning that is that HP - despite its reputation - is far more diverse than its John Hughes/Risky Business rep might lead an outsider to believe.


EDIT: Deerfield hasn't been mentioned much, but it's very similar in culture to HP, has good train access to the city, and is perhaps somewhat less expensive.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Slate Moonstone

Also, as another poster mentioned above, HP also has a relatively large Hispanic (Mexican) population, so there's some economic diversity as well. Part of that probably has to do with the fact that HP is an older suburb that has a sizable downtown centered around the railroad station. The fact that there was a preexisting base of older, smaller (and cheaper) houses presumably made it an attractive place for lower-income immigrants to land. Anyway, my point mentioning that is that HP - despite its reputation - is far more diverse than its John Hughes/Risky Business rep might lead an outsider to believe.

The central part of Highland Park is not particularly Hispanic, but Highwood is. And Highland Park High School includes Highwood students. There are also some Hispanic enclaves more on the affordable edges of town, largely concentrated in a couple of elementary schools.

Highland Park High School made national news a few years ago when Arizona was passing a lot of anti-immigrant legislation. The principal was concerned about athletic teams traveling to Arizona with Hispanic students and cancelled a trip by a team. Most of the community rallied behind the team and supported the action.