Is Chicago Gay Friendly? (Skokie: best neighborhood, transplants, home)

[sunsetrunjibbz8l]

I am a 26 year old single woman who is looking to locate to Chicago at some point during this winter. I am trying to research the various areas of the state and have been told that I may like different parts of florida. I do hold a degree in professional communications, but I'd ideally like to start graduate school within the next semester to pursue a degree in education. I'd like to teach younger children as a long term goal. I am looking for an area with DECENT public transportation as I unfortunately can't drive due to having Epilepsy (i am otherwise healthy). Also, I know some people say it doesn't matter, but I'm a lesbian so I would prefer to live in an area that is very "gay friendly". any information that you could give me about tampa neighborhoods, colleges, friendliness levels, etc would be greatly appreciated! i want to try to get out that way by April!

[Drover]

I'm a little confused here. You're asking about Chicago but want information on Tampa neighborhoods? Can't really help you on the latter, but on the former, yes Chicago is gay-friendly, and the best neighborhood fit for you would be Andersonville.

[Chicago60614]

Chicago is quite gay friendly. The mayor has been a big champion for gay rights since he took office in the 80's. The north side also has a very large gay community, and even through it's smack next to the trendy "straight college transplants" and very popular nightlife areas of the city - all groups involved tend to get along just fine. I have a ton of straight friends at work, and they all go out in areas that are right near the main gay area of the city. I never heard them say anything negative about all the gay bars or the hoards of gay people you see walking around in the area. I told my coworkers i was gay awhile back, and they were all totally fine with that and asked when I was taking them out.

I would say Andersonville. It's a nice, more quiet "cute" area, and is home to a large lesbian population as well. It's also right near good public transit including the red line - which will come in very handy.

[NYrules]

There are even starting to be more and more gay friendly burbs to to consider. Skokie for one is a very liberal Jewish community of which I often see openly gay people out at Old Orchard Mall. People don't seem to even notice that much. I notice because I am from a more conservative area on the south side where being gay is still kind of looked down upon, so for me to see people out and about being so "out" about their sexuality is kind of out of the ordinary for me causing me to notice more I guess. Its no big deal to me though.

Also I want to mention that even right downtown you will see a lot of gays walking around. Just on Christmas eve I saw many gay people just out doing their last minute shopping out on Michigan Ave. Again people didn't seem to mind. I didn't see anyone pointing and laughing or any of that, so I think Chicago overall is becoming more accepting of the alternative lifestyle.

[KevK]

The lakefront and the Loop are very gay friendly. Out in the neighbourhoods things can get a bit more dicey. There are a few that it might not be a good idea to walk hand-in-hand with your partner through.

[jessiegirl_98]

I'm assuming you actually wrote "tampa" because you are considering Tampa or Chicago? As someone who has lived in both, Chicago is gay friendly (Andersonville and Lakeview being the "gay neighborhoods"), Tampa is definitly not. I would really not suggest Florida if that is one of your criteria!

[Drover]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

I'm assuming you actually wrote "tampa" because you are considering Tampa or Chicago? As someone who has lived in both, Chicago is gay friendly (Andersonville and Lakeview being the "gay neighborhoods"), Tampa is definitly not. I would really not suggest Florida if that is one of your criteria!

Ever been to Miami or Key West?

[Chicago60614]

^ but outside of those areas...

I had 2 friends (they didn't know each other) who both happened to move to Tampa. I talked to them every now and again, and both of them stated that Tampa and Chicago/Midwest had very different views on gays. I haven't been there, so I can't say, but they both ended up moving back to Chicago after only 2-3 years. They said it was very unwelcoming.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by Drover

Ever been to Miami or Key West?

Ever see the movie "The Birdcage" ?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

^ but outside of those areas...

Yeah well you could say the same about Chicago and Illinois, but I wouldn't write off all of Illinois including the Chicago area because of it.