Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Gayborhoods are kinda thing of the past these days in most metros. First, there's no reason for gays to live segregated any longer. Secondly, gay neighborhoods invariably became highly desirable and gentrified, so that they became too expensive for young gays to move into, hence becoming rich urban enclaves with some middle-aged to old gay men.
In Chicago it's actually the older gay men who getting priced out of Boystown and who are moving further north.
Lakeview, the neighborhood that contains Boystown, is a huge destination for young people in terms of living and nightlife.
I would not, but then again I generally avoid living in any sort of enclave whether it be based on wealth, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. I prefer living amongst a variety of people.
In Chicago it's actually the older gay men who getting priced out of Boystown and who are moving further north.
Probably because unlike NYC and San Francisco, Chicago doesn't have rent control, so it's easy to get gentrified out of a neighborhood if you're a long-time renter.
I lived in a gayborhood in Fort Lauderdale, FL and it was fun. It was kind of nice to live somewhere where you are surrounded by potential FBs. jk. But in all seriousness, it just depends. I would do it again, but that's not necessarily a goal of mine either, i've kinda grown indifferent, yet im glad the place still exists, so if I do want to go,... it's available.
At 23 I couldn't afford to even if I wanted to. Washington Square West (aka The Gayborhood) has become a gentrified, upscale Center City neighborhood and the most of the gays who live there now are older or more well-off young professional gays. The neighborhood is still very gay in character with its bars and clubs and different shops, and you'll always see lots of gay men in and around it, but you won't find many who actually live there anymore.
This is in stark contrast to 15-20 years ago when it was a seedy neighborhood known for drugs, prostitution, and back-alley BJs. haha
It feels like every neighborhood on the North side is gay tho.
I mean the North Side has both Boystown and Andersonville, in addition to gay residents and establishments spread out in Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park, so I can see why it feels that way.
Still, it's hard to beat the strip of bars on and near Halsted in Boystown.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton
Probably because unlike NYC and San Francisco, Chicago doesn't have rent control, so it's easy to get gentrified out of a neighborhood if you're a long-time renter.
Location: Baghdad by the Bay (San Francisco, California)
3,530 posts, read 5,132,725 times
Reputation: 3145
I'm straight. I lived in Montrose for several years in Houston. These days, it's pretty tame as gay neighborhoods go, but it clearly has the highest concentration of LGBT residents in Houston. It was the most interesting urban neighborhood in Houston, though it had lost much of its flamboyance. I liked it a lot. Montrose seems to be a pretty even mix of gay and straight these days. It would be considered a fairly nondescript straight neighborhood if it were in San Francisco.
The Castro here in SF has also tamed quite a bit by most accounts. Still, I have several gay friends here who tell me they would rather avoid living in The Castro. It's still too much for them. I can only imagine what it once was.
SF is a city of neighborhoods and one of the true pleasures of living here is walking out your door into a great mix of urban amenities. My gay friends prefer the more eclectic mix of other neighborhoods for where they live, while being close enough to The Castro to enjoy it on weekends.
Before The Castro was the epicenter of gay, it was lower Polk, or "Polk Gulch". There's a bit of the scene still there, but it has become more of a straight bar and club district these days. It's still a place to find hookers walking the stroll--more than half of which appear to be trannies to me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
