LGBT couple looking for tolerant area near Lakeland (Tampa, Orlando: relocating, real estate)

[pirate girl]

I don't live in Lakeland but I do conduct a lot of business there. I call on one of the city's largest businesses. The majority of their employees are "natives" and they tend not to embrace new people. I've been working with these people for over 5 years and I still feel like a stranger. And I'm as waspy as they come- I have been successful of the other branches of that company in Tampa and Daytona but not in that specific facility.

I do have a friend who is in a lesbian relationship- they live in Riverview which is on the east side of Tampa- about a 30 minute drive to Lakeland. They enjoy acceptance and the atmosphere of that city.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

I used to work for a mental health insurance company...as such I spoke often to mental health providers around the US...the only PHD we had on the provider list in Polk county told me that Polk county was the most backward place she had ever lived and completely lacking in any cultural interest...she found it a very boring place to live...At the time I was not aware that Lakeland was home to a Fundamentalist Christian school, now that I am, I see her point...

I pointed out to her that they had a nice strawberry Festival (as a joke) and she laughed outright and said that was about the only cultural kind of thing they had...strawberries.

I believe she stated planly that they "lacked sophitication". She children come in for treatment because they were tormented by images of Halloween...as these were christian children tormented by images of Halloween...she felt the christian teaching was a little out of control, based upon what she had to treat patients for...

VERY SAD...

[roaring-rox]

hi gypsychic,

I've been to Chamberlain's in Lakeland. It is nice, but pretty small for a city the size of Lakeland. It is in an out-of-the-way location also. Been using the organic section of Publix, a life-saver to a degree, if not in a big city.

It's good to hear the different opinions/experiences with Lakeland.

[HockeyMom72]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

HockeyMom72 - you have made it abundantly clear from your other posts on this forum that you love New York and don't want to come to Fla., and don't have much good to say about it. That's fine, I just hope the originator of this thread will filter through some of these overly negative answers on this thread and dig a little deeper to find out if the beautiful city of Lakeland would suit them or not.

In the meantime I hope you find some peace and happiness.

Excuse me? I am not talking about a SPECIFIC locality. Do ALL communities in the entire state of Florida revolove around church activities? Are ALL areas in Florida "intolerant" of alternative lifestyles? I hardly think Miami or Jacksonville, for example, is that much different from New York City when it comes to CULTURAL issues. A big city is a big city is a big city - from London to New York to Miami.

As for me, and my husband who has lived there for 3 years now, we are just passing time until retirement. You should be very happy. We are people who don't want to retire TO Florida.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Lisa_from_Debary

I used to work for a mental health insurance company...as such I spoke often to mental health providers around the US...the only PHD we had on the provider list in Polk county told me that Polk county was the most backward place she had ever lived and completely lacking in any cultural interest...she found it a very boring place to live...At the time I was not aware that Lakeland was home to a Fundamentalist Christian school, now that I am, I see her point...

I pointed out to her that they had a nice strawberry Festival (as a joke) and she laughed outright and said that was about the only cultural kind of thing they had...strawberries.

I believe she stated planly that they "lacked sophitication". She children come in for treatment because they were tormented by images of Halloween...as these were christian children tormented by images of Halloween...she felt the christian teaching was a little out of control, based upon what she had to treat patients for...

VERY SAD...

What a totally ignorant post this is - the Strawberry Festival is in PLANT CITY (Hillsborough County) first of all, and Lakeland is only ONE city in Polk County. You should really do some research before repeating nonsense like this. This is my last post on the subject because I could care less if anyone likes this town or not, I just like to see ACCURATE info posted for the peopl who truly are asking questions.

Lakeland has TEN institutions of higher learning, and yes Florida Southern is one of them, a Methodist based college open to all faiths and designed by FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT (ever heard of him?) This is a very artsy town - you should check out the classy websites. IMO,it is the prettiest town in Florida, art all over the downtown, not to mention all the beautiful lakes and parks, it's wonderful. You people who have never been here and don't know what you are talking about will feel like fools if you ever come here and see how much sophistication there actually is here. Did you know that they have a beautifully restored vintage "atmospheric" movie theater here downtown (the Polk) where they show art films) and you should check out the gorgeous formal Hollis Gardens at downtown Lake Mirror. And all the swan sculptures sitting around among the meticulously restored historic buildings downtown, as well as many other public displays of art.

Check out some of these nice websites and you will see some of what I am talking about:

http://www.polkmuseumofart.org/content/

http://goflorida.about.com/od/orland...lakemirror.htm

http://www.downtownlakelandfl.com/

http://www.polktheatre.org/

Hope a few of you who are actually interested in this town will check out some of the above and see a little of what Lakeland has to offer. And I hope everyone finds what they are looking for.

Peace....

[pirate girl]

Gypsy- I agree with you that Lakeland is a lovely town- I just don't know if it would embrace alternative families as was asked. I truly believe Orlando and Tampa areas may be better for them.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

What a totally ignorant post this is - the Strawberry Festival is in PLANT CITY (Hillsborough County) first of all, and Lakeland is only ONE city in Polk County. You should really do some research before repeating nonsense like this. This is my last post on the subject because I could care less if anyone likes this town or not, I just like to see ACCURATE info posted for the peopl who truly are asking questions.

Lakeland has TEN institutions of higher learning, and yes Florida Southern is one of them, a Methodist based college open to all faiths and designed by FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT (ever heard of him?) This is a very artsy town - you should check out the classy websites. IMO,it is the prettiest town in Florida, art all over the downtown, not to mention all the beautiful lakes and parks, it's wonderful. You people who have never been here and don't know what you are talking about will feel like fools if you ever come here and see how much sophistication there actually is here. Did you know that they have a beautifully restored vintage "atmospheric" movie theater here downtown (the Polk) where they show art films) and you should check out the gorgeous formal Hollis Gardens at downtown Lake Mirror. And all the swan sculptures sitting around among the meticulously restored historic buildings downtown, as well as many other public displays of art.

Check out some of these nice websites and you will see some of what I am talking about:

http://www.polkmuseumofart.org/content/

http://goflorida.about.com/od/orland...lakemirror.htm

http://www.downtownlakelandfl.com/

http://www.polktheatre.org/

Hope a few of you who are actually interested in this town will check out some of the above and see a little of what Lakeland has to offer. And I hope everyone finds what they are looking for.

Peace....

MY post is ignorant???

My mention of a strawberry festival was a JOKE as I mentioned in the previous thread AND given your ardent support for Lakeland/polk county are you one of the Fundementalist Christians we are talking about??

I believe what my PHD friend said, this woman was very educated and had been to several parts of the US, if she says POLK county lacks sophisitcatin then I believe her...the tone of your post seems to uphold that.

[gypsychic]

Before you accuse someone of lack of "sophisitcatin" you should learn to use spell check. The word is "sophistication." And it's "fundamentalist" not fundementalist, and no, I am not one, I don't go to church and practice no organized religion.

Over and out!

[DeLaSalle]

Originally Posted by OREGONRAIN

Lakeland would have to do a whole lot more than get a grocery store and some added restaurants to be another Asheville, It would have to have a huge influx of more tolerant people. Lakeland is an extremely conservative place in a state where people pour in from all over, That should tell everyone something. People pouring in, and remaining so conservative decade after decade translates into a lack of diversity in both Lakeland as well as Polk county and to a larger extent central Florida as a whole. Someone gay moving to that area, and especially from elsewhere could have a very difficult time with comfort in environments like that. I agree Lakeland is nice, I wish it had a more tolerant population, but it is very limited in that dept, and can make life very lonely for a gay person in Polk County Florida

Folks that leave work as Adam; And Return the next morning as Eve...Especially for elementary school kids...

[pirate girl]

In defense of Lisa- she made reference to the strawberry festival and although it does not take place in Lakeland, it takes place in an adjacaent town. I wouldn't beat her up for that- I live in Flagler County but I still think of the Daytona 500 as a hometown event even though it's 30 miles away.

Knowing what I do of Lakeland, I have to say that the Strawberry Festival is probably one of the larger events that immediate area has on an annual basis...