how does iowa view transgenders? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: job, college, bars)

[stsmith]

Originally Posted by tmmoore63

i am wondering if iowa is a safe place and acceptable to the transgender community?
thanks,
tessa marie moore

San Francisco would likely welcome you with open arms. Why would you want to be anywhere else? Why Iowa? Why???

[mfrerkes]

Iowa is still a heartland state with many people who have an obvious dislike for anyone non-White, non-Christian, and non-heterosexual. If you are transgendered, Iowa shouldn't be placed very high on your list of accomodating places to live. 90% of the people here still think everything in the Bible really happened and that Jesus is coming back to destroy Nancy Pelosi. On the plus side, we're a little more open-minded than Alabama.

[WoodwardGirl]

I think it's interesting that we have people asking what transgenders are alongside people assuring that transgenders will be viewed as freaks. It reminds me of the time someone congratulated me on how well I supervised "that lesbian." A short, embarrassing interchange later, I had set the congratulator upon his ear without, I hope, giving away that the woman's sexual preference was news to me. And, given that we'd worked together several months so well, and that, on a daily basis, I pretty much assumed my own sex life would have no basis on my own job performance, I think the news didn't end up making any difference.

So, I think that overall, the reaction of Susan Meyer from Desperate Housewives is pretty common -- clueless but well-meaning. There are letters to the editor on a daily basis against gay marriage and homosexual relationships, but, really, those people are just sitting home and looking for something to be against all day, and, today, it happens to be that.

The Dragon night club recently closed in Cedar Rapids, not for lack of business but because the owner had an offer he couldn't refuse and wanted to try something new before the Dragon got old. I'm sure a lot of us went because we'd never seen a drag show, but also because it was good entertainment and not for any salacious or disapprobative reasons. The articles in The Gazette about the performers were well done and I don't recall any negative reaction to them. We do have a larger-than-average senior population and I doubt that they are quite as accepting of things like that. However, like me and Susan Meyer, first they have to realize they've encountered it and that can take a while!

[Tek_Freek]

Are you a nice person? That's all I care about.

I'm an Iowa Lifer, and I can tell you that the reaction will be as varied as the people you meet. Our state is not unlike any other: We have skinheads, bigots, idiots that wouldn't know a transgender if you spelled it for them, people who will accept you no matter what, give support, and help in any way they can. There are middle-of-the-roaders that won't hassle you, but won't want to be you best friend, either.

Got a chuckle from the Bible/Alabama comment. Has to be from a small, closed community. They don't hear much from the outside world. Easily confused when confronted with anything outside the "norm" for the immediate area.

We just put up with it. It's kinda cute, ya know?

[SharpHawkeye]

Ok. Seriously now. Let's set the record straight. 90% of Iowa doesn't believe in Noah's flood and Jesus having an ax to grind with Nancy Pelosi. It's true that parts of Iowa are more conservative than others, but we average out a little better than that.

I think you'd find that most people are accepting in most of the larger cities in the state. Des Moines and Iowa City are especially friendly cities. In the rural areas though, you are more likely to find idiots like ruralboy. (His name should tell you that much...)

The first answer here was the best answer:

"As a general rule, though, Iowans are usually not hostile to those who go about their own business and don't draw negative attention to themselves. Give respect, and you'll almost always get respect."

And for the record: Iowa is in NO WAY like Alabama!

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by SharpHawkeye

Ok. Seriously now. Let's set the record straight. 90% of Iowa doesn't believe in Noah's flood and Jesus having an ax to grind with Nancy Pelosi. !

Exactly. Iowa is pretty much a blue state. A lot of people on the coasts don't realize this.

Tek, not all skinheads are racist. Actually most aren't and there really aren't many in Iowa these days. Just some in Des Moines and some scattered around Eastern Iowa, that's about it.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

Tek, not all skinheads are racist. Actually most aren't and there really aren't many in Iowa these days. Just some in Des Moines and some scattered around Eastern Iowa, that's about it.

I stand (actually I'm sitting) corrected.

[Chicago60614]

I grew up in Iowa and was raised in a very blue environment. I certainly never viewed the state was conservative or republican.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

I grew up in Iowa and was raised in a very blue environment. I certainly never viewed the state was conservative or republican.

As a whole, the state does not swing very heavily to one side. It certainly is not like New York or Illinois (heavily Democratic) and it's not close to anything like Wyoming or Idaho (mostly Republican.)

However, there are small pockets of the state which come awfully close to mimicking the aformentioned highly-partisan areas. Johnson County, which includes Iowa City, is very "Blue" and goes 70% for Democrats. Numerous counties in northwest Iowa are Republican strongholds. For example, Sioux County voted for George W. Bush in 2004 by a margin of 86%-14%. Even more interesting is the fact two of Iowa's most populous counties, Polk and Scott only narrowly went to Kerry. (Polk went 52-48 for Kerry and Scott went 51-49) Other smaller counties where Republicans should've fared better, actually had higher tallies for the Democrat. Des Moines county (where Burlington is located) had a 60-39 margin in John Kerry's favor.

Generally speaking, most Iowans are traditional in their approach to issues like marriage. Several cities in Iowa have loosely organized "gay districts", but homosexuals are not fully accepted even in those communities. Iowa has a long way to go before it can be considered as gay friendly.

[SharpHawkeye]

If I had to call Iowa anything, I would call it purple.

Iowa is interesting in that it is so neatly split. The eastern 1/3 of the state is more like Illinois politically. Big union vote, old money dems, liberal colleges--so it goes Democrat. The western 1/3 is more like Nebraska or Kansas politically. Rural conservatives, very Christian--votes Republican. The middle 1/3 of the state is usually split pretty evenly. I mean, look at our senators---a fairly liberal Dem in Harkin, a pretty standard conservative in Grassley. In the house even you have the anti-war college professor Dave Loebsack in Iowa City and the neo-con arch-conservative Steve King out west.

I won't deny that most Iowans are pretty traditional when it comes to social issues. I would, however call the gay community in Iowa City strong, at least. Des Moines' is also up and coming. As for the rest of the state--well, it's not San Francisco by any means, but it's not Alabama either. So if it's not gay friendly would you call it at least gay tolerant? Or maybe gay neutral?