how does iowa view transgenders? (Des Moines, Iowa City: job, university, suburbs)

[El Rhino]

[quote=SharpHawkeye;1910361], at least. Des Moines' is also up and coming. quote]


The Dead Milkmen chalk this up to something in the soil.

[mfrerkes]

It will take a long time for Iowa, and the whole nation for that matter, to change its view on homosexuals. There are only a few places in the country where gay marriage is being widely accepted. Places like San Francisco, Boston, and New York City are among the notables...but there are many large cities in the South and West that are decades from tolerating homosexuality in such a manner.

The intolerance of homosexuality is far from being unique to Iowa. It's still a nationwide phenomenon, which puzzles even a heterosexual male such as myself.

[dmguy30]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

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.

Sorry, what it means to live peacefully for a gay person is more than what county went blue or red.

As a gay man living in Des Moines for over 10 years, I've NEVER encountered a problem here because of my sexual orientation. I would argue that most places in Iowa ARE gay friendly. Most people could care less (including many Republicans). For most people, it's a non issue and they will accept you for what you are (as being gay or transgendered is only a piece of you). Of course you will find people that aren't comfortable with it, but you will find that ANYWHERE (NYC, Chicago, Alabama, etc.). I've found those uncomfortable are full of questions, not hate (and you are finding less and less of them). Those that are disrespectful to you are probably people you wouldn't want to hang out with anyway. It's not your loss.

With the changes and new laws that have been enacted STATEWIDE, I'm proud to be an Iowan. I know gay people who live in small towns and out in the country and they are making a great rural life for themselves (as well as those in urban areas). We may not have huge "gay ghettos" like Chicago-which are passe anyway-but we surely have very friendly areas throughout the state. Personally, I prefer Des Moines over any other Iowa city, mainly due to its size and job oppurtunities. The biggest gay population in Iowa is in Des Moines. Iowa City is great if your in college, but it is severely lacking beyond the college demographic (due to it's smaller size). If you want a "medium" sized Iowa city, I'd look at Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. For smaller towns, I'd look at Grinnell and Pella.

I wouldn't let these "stereotypes" of Iowa scare you off. As stated in the earlier post, most people will give you respect and you'll live your life peacefully.

Welcome to Iowa!


"Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain"

[dmguy30]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

There are only a few places in the country where gay marriage is being widely accepted. Places like San Francisco, Boston, and New York City are among the notables...but there are many large cities in the South and West that are decades from tolerating homosexuality in such a manner.

Only Massachusetts allows gay marriage (with Iowa pending in court) while nine others - including New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont - offer civil unions which grant gay couples the same legal rights as in heterosexual marriages. Currently, you CAN'T get "married" in NYC or San Francisco.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by dmguy30

Personally, I prefer Des Moines over any other Iowa city, mainly due to its size and job oppurtunities. The biggest gay population in Iowa is in Des Moines.

Mathematically speaking, Des Moines is the biggest city in the state...so it would stand to reason that it would also have the biggest gay population. I'm sure there's some statistic you'll introduce that proves gay people in Des Moines are "more gay" than those in Waterloo or Davenport. Tell us, does Des Moines have more straight people than any other city in the state, too?

Honestly, is there ANY SUBJECT that these pro-Des Moines types don't hijack and turn into an "Des Moines is awesome; every other place is beneath us" essay?

[RonnieJonez]

Iowa City tried passing it around the same time San Francisco did in 2003. Des Moines was 4 years too late, but they probably thought they pioneered the idea themselves.

There's also yet another fanatical push in Des Moines to define it as "progressively liberal" like Boston or San Francisco although it's just a regular "democratic" town.

They would pay some magical genie all the money in the world if Des Moines could become known as the "liberal" stronghold in the state over Iowa City.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Mathematically speaking, Des Moines is the biggest city in the state...so it would stand to reason that it would also have the biggest gay population. I'm sure there's some statistic you'll introduce that proves gay people in Des Moines are "more gay" than those in Waterloo or Davenport. Tell us, does Des Moines have more straight people than any other city in the state, too?

Honestly, is there ANY SUBJECT that these pro-Des Moines types don't hijack and turn into an "Des Moines is awesome; every other place is beneath us" essay?

You've got to be kidding me. The guy makes a simple post about Des Moines having the biggest gay population and then simply says he prefers Des Moines over any other Iowa city and you post something like this?

I think you've got a bad case of penis envy, mfrerkes. Way to fly off the handle over a very subtle pro-Des Moines post.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

You've got to be kidding me. The guy makes a simple post about Des Moines having the biggest gay population and then simply says he prefers Des Moines over any other Iowa city and you post something like this?

This tiresome "envy" label is becoming a boilerplate response every time somebody here points out the obvious. The issue isn't merely tabulated by which city in Iowa has the biggest gay population (as if that made-up statistic is even verifiable in the first place!) If you are going to base every single issue solely on quantity, then there's really no point to having a well-cultivated discussion.

He prefers Des Moines because that's where he lives. Great for him! Anybody else who might suggest anything different than Des Moines is immediately shouted down with contrived statistics and hollow assertions. Then when someone points that out, they are summarily labelled as envious.

I've seen it happen on dozens of occasions, and your response is just another one to add to that pile.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

There's also yet another fanatical push in Des Moines to define it as "progressively liberal" like Boston or San Francisco although it's just a regular "democratic" town.

They would pay some magical genie all the money in the world if Des Moines could become known as the "liberal" stronghold in the state over Iowa City.

That's something I tried pointing out with political statistics from our most recent presidential election. Johnson County has a much higher percentage of liberal voters than the bigger Iowa counties (I cited Polk and Scott as examples.)

Because I dared to challenge Des Moines' supremacy in all things gay-related, I have now been labelled as envious. Gee, that routine isn't getting old, is it?

[dmguy30]

That wasn't my intention at all. And no, I don't have some statistic to "back that up". I would just assume you could tell by going to a pride parade, look at how many gay bars are in town, etc. It's pretty obvious to those in the gay community.

What the hell is your problem with Des Moines? Suck it bitches. I'm not sorry for having pride in where I live.