Gay Friendly NC? (Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro: relocate, gated, jobs)

[NCFLMix]

Does it exist?


My wife and I currently live in Rock Hill SC. We are about 5 minutes from Charlotte NC. We are a gay couple.

We are expecting our first child in Feb 09 and have decided we no longer want to live in the Charlotte area.

Im hoping to find some quaint area where there may be a small gay community as I havent really been able to find a large one. Or perhaps a liberal area of a mix of folks that isnt crime ridden. Thats my main concern, CRIME, and the safety of my family.

Background info: Im from Ft Lauderdale, relocated here by my job which is another consideration. I need a job in the IT realm if I can help it. After the baby that may change but its the goal for now. I have a great job but I am ready to get the heck up outta this area.

My partner is from the NC Mountains, small town, Sparta.

We dont care where in NC, were hoping for western but are we wishing for too much. Ive heard nothing but bad about Asheville now, that was our first consideration as was Boone ( maybe too expensive and no jobs ). My in laws live in the mountains still we would like to be atleast within a drive if we can.

Maybe somewhere someplace we can unearth atleast a friendly town? Were good people, with good ethics, do we want too much?

[SunnyKayak]

Are you looking into the triad since you posted in this forum or across the state.
For about same cost of living the Triad would be ideal and it is toss up between Winston and Greensboro with the same but little less conservative attitude you are finding in Rock Hill I highly suggest explore both, and both areas you will get more house and land for your money worth however I think the tax burden of NC will be more for you than you are use to in SC.
Ideally Chapel Hill or Asheville are the most liberal minded cities but so is the cost of living.

[flipster]

Originally Posted by NCFLMix

Does it exist?


My wife and I currently live in Rock Hill SC. We are about 5 minutes from Charlotte NC. We are a gay couple.

We are expecting our first child in Feb 09 and have decided we no longer want to live in the Charlotte area.

Im hoping to find some quaint area where there may be a small gay community as I havent really been able to find a large one. Or perhaps a liberal area of a mix of folks that isnt crime ridden. Thats my main concern, CRIME, and the safety of my family.

Background info: Im from Ft Lauderdale, relocated here by my job which is another consideration. I need a job in the IT realm if I can help it. After the baby that may change but its the goal for now. I have a great job but I am ready to get the heck up outta this area.

My partner is from the NC Mountains, small town, Sparta.

We dont care where in NC, were hoping for western but are we wishing for too much. Ive heard nothing but bad about Asheville now, that was our first consideration as was Boone ( maybe too expensive and no jobs ). My in laws live in the mountains still we would like to be atleast within a drive if we can.

Maybe somewhere someplace we can unearth atleast a friendly town? Were good people, with good ethics, do we want too much?

Sorry to say, but majority of IT jobs are in Charlotte and Triangle.
I would still think about the smaller towns around Asheville, if you don't want Asheville itself. I think that area would be more gay friendly than Boone. Too bad Sparta isn't good for jobs. I love it there myself. Good luck in your search.

[yourhometriad]

The "gay bars" in Greensboro are fewer these days. Game Time Lounge downtown is still going, albeit a far cry from the old Palms. That place was nice. But they still have the occasional Drag show. The Warehouse 29 is still open but it has become a meat market in the last few years. Still fun on occasion.

I proudly admit that I have lots of gay friends in this area, and I find it to be a fairly tolerant place, and a nice community of G/L folks live here. Come on down and give it a try.

PS- there are IT jobs here, just not as many as in the Triangle.

[NCFLMix]

My in laws live in sparta! I would love to move there seriously if we could get jobs!.

I think were more looking in the triad if we can to be close to the western mountains.

I didnt think it would be this hard to find an area that atleast had some gays that congregated, maybe a gay friendly church ect. Its so hard here without anyone to relate to. Were lucky we have great straight friends. I dont care whether someone is gay or straight but my wife needs to have a sense of community.

Thanks everyone for your input. xo

[nyxmike]

Have you actually looked at living IN Charlotte opposed to Rock Hill? Plaza Midwood is good area. There are several gay friendly churches in Charlotte. Raleigh is farther from the mountains too.

[yourhometriad]

There are some Unitarian churches in the area- best choice for gay friendly churchgoers. I have friends who go to the one in Jamestown and they are quite happy. It's the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro on Hilltop.

[absentchaos]

I stumbled upon this magazine's website today, you two might be familiar with it from being in Charlotte, but it's called Q-Notesand has all kinds of articles about LGBT living (tho mostly in Charlotte). It probaby has commentary on which towns are more "gay friendly" than others. Hope this helps!

[SunnyKayak]

This is off the us census it was done in 2000 and I quite sure the population will have only increase in each of the counties.
There is a map on the state forum if you need to know where a county is.