32, Single, Conservative, Straight White Male - Is Denver for Me?

[WestCoDude]

Originally Posted by denverian

There was ammendment 2, but that was many years ago. I don't think people are really hung up on that now. As a gay man, I love Denver and it's very open and accepting. My neighborhood is about 20% gay households and straight neighbors treat gay neighbors like equals. Many churches in the city are also accepting of gay people. And I'll also concede that it's wrong to assume that conservative equals "anti-gay", because I have conservative friends who aren't.

As least you concede that fact, denverian. Yes, you CAN be conservative and not anti-gay. And the fact that most conservatives get labeled anti-gay is really pathetic. I most definitely voted different than you on last fall's initiatives, but I certainly don't consider myself anti-gay. Just....anti-gay marriage. I think Colorado can pride itself on tolerance of gays while still holding fast to traditional ideas about marriage. It makes me proud to be a Coloradan.

That said....20%? Wow....are you in Cheeseman?

[denverian]

Originally Posted by WestCoDude

As least you concede that fact, denverian. Yes, you CAN be conservative and not anti-gay. And the fact that most conservatives get labeled anti-gay is really pathetic. I most definitely voted different than you on last fall's initiatives, but I certainly don't consider myself anti-gay. Just....anti-gay marriage. I think Colorado can pride itself on tolerance of gays while still holding fast to traditional ideas about marriage. It makes me proud to be a Coloradan.

That said....20%? Wow....are you in Cheeseman?

No, that area to me is more for young, single gay people. We live in Stapleton, will soon have children, and fit in very well here.

Personally I don't care about gay marriage, but I did vote for the domestic partnership referendum- or whatever it was. I saw it as a decent compromise, but apparently the majority of Coloradans didn't. I would be within ten yeas we'll see something like it pass though.

[lamandra]

My family and I just moved here 2 weeks ago, from a very conservative neighborhood in Houston (well, Houston is generally very conservative). I find it very different here, lots of gay people - more than I have ever seen in fact. I have lived in Florida, Washington DC, Houston, and now Denver and so far Denver is the most gay-friendly.

We live in SE Denver, in the Hilltop area.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by lamandra

My family and I just moved here 2 weeks ago, from a very conservative neighborhood in Houston (well, Houston is generally very conservative). I find it very different here, lots of gay people - more than I have ever seen in fact. I have lived in Florida, Washington DC, Houston, and now Denver and so far Denver is the most gay-friendly.

We live in SE Denver, in the Hilltop area.

They don't call it the "queen city of the plains" for nothing

That must have been sticker shock going from Houston to the Hilltop neighborhood.

[downtownnola]

I agree- I find Denver to be very gay friendly. I'm openly gay and I have many friends and acquaintances both gay and straight. In my experience, people here are very accepting.

[wilberfoss]

Originally Posted by immovingsoon

I do find it a bit odd that several of you seem so sensitive on the issue of how I view gays, especially since it wasn't a topic that I even made mention of. Is there some type of massive anti-gay war raging in the area or something?

TJ

It was probably just that you felt the need to refer to yourself as straight, as if that would somehow effect your ability to find happiness in a large metropolitan area.

Of course, since straight white males generally struggle to gain access to all the wonders that American cities provide, I can see where you might be coming from.

[wilberfoss]

Originally Posted by WestCoDude

I certainly don't consider myself anti-gay. Just....anti-gay marriage.

Well that makes perfect sense . I can see clearly how one could believe that American society would be threatened by allowing people of the same gender to find happiness in a committed relationship, without thinking that those people as individuals were doing anything wrong.

What's that? Some of your best friends are gay? Wonderful.

[Froud]

Originally Posted by wilberfoss

Well that makes perfect sense . I can see clearly how one could believe that American society would be threatened by allowing people of the same gender to find happiness in a committed relationship, without thinking that those people as individuals were doing anything wrong.

What's that? Some of your best friends are gay? Wonderful.

thank you.

i think it boils down to this.If marriage is religious and traditional,then my view of the seperation of church and state leads me to suspect the government shouldnt be in the "marriage" business at all.sure there can be weddings and marriages,but on paper,it needs to be a civil union,just like everyone else should be legally allowed to do including homosexuals or trans gendered couples.the government is not involved with jewish bar mitzvahs,nor should it be with a religious ie "traditional" wedding.Luckily people like Sally Kern agree with estcodude on this specific issue,further speeding the process,via public reaction,of of a more tolerant and less ridiculous mentality

[immovingsoon]

Originally Posted by wilberfoss

It was probably just that you felt the need to refer to yourself as straight, as if that would somehow effect your ability to find happiness in a large metropolitan area.

Of course, since straight white males generally struggle to gain access to all the wonders that American cities provide, I can see where you might be coming from.

Thanks for that amazing response. I was simply trying to be as specific as possible about my situation and who I am.

You obviously have some issues, I'll let you get back to those.

To everyone else (both gay and straight I might add) that gave constructive, friendly, useful advice... thank you. Much appreciated.

TJ

[WestCoDude]

Originally Posted by wilberfoss

Well that makes perfect sense . I can see clearly how one could believe that American society would be threatened by allowing people of the same gender to find happiness in a committed relationship, without thinking that those people as individuals were doing anything wrong.

Okay then. Let me clarify: I'm anti-homosexuality. Yes, I think it's a sin. But that's not really the topic, is it? In fact, I don't think anywhere in the OP's question was the word "gay" or "homosexuality" involved. Like most people in America, the OP is not obsessively fixated on gender identity and gay identity politics.

And, you should know, when Colorado rejected Referendum I--the civil unions amendment--it wasn't a referendum on the morality of homosexuality. It was about marriage.

Finally, Denver is a pretty tolerant place overall. If you want to be gay, nobody is going to knock your doors down for that. But that doesn't mean that it's a very pro-gay place, either. The city is very tolerant and open towards homosexuality. The suburbs are the rest of the state really don't care either way until you start shoving down their throats a la Ref. I.