Good Places for Gays (real estate, place to live, shop)

[Kereczr]

Originally Posted by wallstreet1986

Hi I'm your atypical gay male.

I could not stand to live in a San Francisco or Washington or New York. It is super stressful to me and super expensive.

Tell me about gay stuff I dont know -- like Asheville or Tulsa (from what I've heard Tulsa has a good gay population.) I want a liveable place. A nice affordable place. And as much as I would like to live say in South Carolina I'm afraid that my sexuality would hinder my ability to be successful in my career of law because of discrimination and that I wouldnt be accepted down there. So do share.

I'm a very masculine guy with the same interests and stuff as any other straight guy. God just happened to make me gay and it makes it hard. I love having a romantic time with another guy and to me it feels quite normal. I dont like the stereotypical gay community nor its trappings.

Well I am a gay male who acts straight, and I am in college so we are similar as well. I'm looking to move to NC and hold similar fears as you. I might end up going to columbus, oh for a little while...its actually one of the most gay friendly cities it this part of the country, I really enjoy visiting on the weekends. It actually has little gay sections made up of mostly gay males, the lil village things.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Kereczr

Well I am a gay male who acts straight, and I am in college so we are similar as well. I'm looking to move to NC and hold similar fears as you. I might end up going to columbus, oh for a little while...its actually one of the most gay friendly cities it this part of the country, I really enjoy visiting on the weekends. It actually has little gay sections made up of mostly gay males, the lil village things.

You know what I'm slowly yet surely starting to realize? There is no such place as "utopia" for anyone, let alone gay twenty-somethings. All this talk about "gay-friendly" places is starting to grate on my nerves a bit. The three of us should just move to an area that feels like a good fit for us as individuals, not based upon where we think we might "fit in." Gays aren't very well embraced in Scranton, for example, but it's home to me, and I want to join the growing revolution of younger professionals who are working to enrich our region. Who cares if some of the local low-class people think it's "fashionable" to gay bash? Will I ever find a boyfriend around here? I doubt it (I have the same problem here with those creepy overweight, hairy, balding, married guys hitting on me). However, I think I'd be happier living here and being lonely than moving to a place like Greenwich Village, finding true love, but hating everything about where I lived.

Don't let anyone else influence your destiny. If you think a place like rural Alabama or South Carolina would be your dream city, then go for it---don't hold back for fear of being lynched. Why should you allow the narrow-mindedness of others hold you back from living your dreams? I'm not letting the low-class locals in Scranton hold me back from making my area "work" for me; why should you both be any different? Follow your heart, not your fears!

On a side note, I think Kereczr, WallStreet1986, and myself, who are all "straight-acting college guys", should form our own club! Who knows? Perhaps NAH would finally find his way in as well? LOL!

[lammius]

I've heard good things about Providence. It's a great mid-size city (1.6 million metro or so?) with a vibrant downtown. It's got a lot of gay bars stuff, but it's nothing like the GAY cities of NY, DC, SF. I've never been out on the gay scene in Providence, but it's on my "I want to go sometime" list.

I've also heard good things about Atlanta's gay community, but I know I wouldn't be happy living down there.

[Yac]

Guys, stick to the topic, please.
Yac.

[ontheroad]

I lived in Providence for quite a few years, and New York City for many; also elsewhere in the States, and I would rank Providence in the top 5 for ease of living--generally, and very highly for gay-friendly.

More than hang-outs, of which there were quite a few for such a small city, it had a positive attitude both socially and politically.

And, one of the reasons I'd rank Providence so highly is that being "gay" or "straight" didn't seem to be a menu-item. It appeared to run along the lines of some of the more sophisticated European cities--where you are you--not a label. Gay Pride in Providence was everyone's pride.

Originally Posted by lammius

I've heard good things about Providence. It's a great mid-size city (1.6 million metro or so?) with a vibrant downtown. It's got a lot of gay bars stuff, but it's nothing like the GAY cities of NY, DC, SF. I've never been out on the gay scene in Providence, but it's on my "I want to go sometime" list.

I've also heard good things about Atlanta's gay community, but I know I wouldn't be happy living down there.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Trident

Now you girls go where you feel comfortable and "urban renew" the place.

Do you think Scranton would look more "fabulous" with periwinkle or lavender drapes on the upper-story windows of the Federal Building, you big silly buns?

[MattDen]

As far as medium sized cities go Denver, Minneapolis, Columbus (OH) and Louisville seem to be good places for gays. Ive also heard some good stuff about Cleveland having a good sized gay community on the westside up into the Lakewood area I have to check the area out sometime.

I have heard some good stuff also about Kansas City having a fairly large gay community, it looks like that might be in and coming place for the gay-friendly cities.

I have to say Denver is a easy to fit in as far as the gay community. The gay community is very, very friendly. The overall city is quite gay friendly also. It has a gayborhood called Capitol Hill which is a really nice neighborhood with lots of victorians and some fairly affordable apartment buildings and in Capitol Hill one doesnt need a car either.

Also La Crosse, Wisconsin is supposedly a very gay friendly small city. It looks like tons of great hiking also and being from Colorado I love the outdoors and that area is just full of beautiful scenery and it also has a high concentration of 20somethings in that area also. I just wouldnt move to La Crosse because its too small. The reason why I wouldnt move to cities La Crosse size is between Lincoln, Nebraska and Fargo, North Dakota I just seem to not fit-in or enjoy smaller cities overall, I am usually happiest in a metro area of at least a million people.

Personally, Denver and Columbus, Ohio are my favorite gay friendly cities. They are fairly affordable for medium-sized cities, slow paced with friendly people and just overall nice places to live amongst open-minded people.

[Kereczr]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

On a side note, I think Kereczr, WallStreet1986, and myself, who are all "straight-acting college guys", should form our own club! Who knows? Perhaps NAH would finally find his way in as well? LOL!

Lol, sounds like a Plan to me, what will we call it?

[brikag]

Originally Posted by wallstreet1986

Hi I'm your atypical gay male.

I could not stand to live in a San Francisco or Washington or New York. It is super stressful to me and super expensive.

Tell me about gay stuff I dont know -- like Asheville or Tulsa (from what I've heard Tulsa has a good gay population.) I want a liveable place. A nice affordable place. And as much as I would like to live say in South Carolina I'm afraid that my sexuality would hinder my ability to be successful in my career of law because of discrimination and that I wouldnt be accepted down there. So do share.

I'm a very masculine guy with the same interests and stuff as any other straight guy. God just happened to make me gay and it makes it hard. I love having a romantic time with another guy and to me it feels quite normal. I dont like the stereotypical gay community nor its trappings.

This is back from the original post.
Check out this web sites for your own conclusion.

http://www.hrc.org/
http://www.gaydemographics.org/

Both have been very important tools for my partner and I. We are torn between DIA, MSP, ABQ and CMH.

Good luck my GLBT friends!

[wallstreet1986]

Originally Posted by brikag

This is back from the original post.
Check out this web sites for your own conclusion.

http://www.hrc.org/
http://www.gaydemographics.org/

Both have been very important tools for my partner and I. We are torn between DIA, MSP, ABQ and CMH.

Good luck my GLBT friends!

Thanks. Gay guys anywhere.