is Jax gay-friendly (Jacksonville, Orlando: neighborhood, law school, living in)

[silvio]

I might be relocating to Jax for law school w/ my partner. We currently live in Orlando. I visited the area a few times and it seemed fairly nice...much more affordable than Orlando. I know the Baptist church runs downtown and all, but for the most part is the city gay-friendly? More specifically, the Southside area around Baymeadows, St. Johns Town Center, etc. I was hoping I'd be done with rednecks in pickups...yes we have them here to but from what I heard there's more in Jax. Whatever anyone can say would be most helpful

[HIF]

Silvio-
Where I work, many of the folks say that homosexuals are possessed by Satan. My son's Big Brother (Big Brothers/Big Sisters) is gay and in a LTR, so he gets to have two Big Brothers- but the same people that I work with feel that I am bad for allowing it. They go to a church called Titus Harvest Dome-pretty scary.

Not sure that you will find it as accepting as other places- but Riverside is gay-friendly and the fighting fundies (fundamentalists) tend to be the squeaky wheels here- so I don't think it's as bad as it seems on the surface.

[Karla with a K]

silvio
I don't see where you will have any problems
especially on the southside/tinseltown/st johns area.
I have a few gay friends and they have never had a problem.

a early welcome to JAX
karla

[HIF]

Thought you would be interested in this, which appeared in Folio Weekly this week. I hadn't read it when I first replied.

32204: 13th gayest zip code in florida
… according to the 2000 U.S. Census, based on percentage of same-sex couples. (32204 — the gayest zip in Jacksonville — includes Riverside.) We can do better than 13th. Our economy depends on it.

That was a theme that Bryant Rollins, former New York Times editor and current head of the diversity-promoting MountainTop Institute, hinted at last night during his introduction of JCCI’s new issue forum, “Out in Jacksonville: Status and Impact of our GLBT Community.”

For a moment, set aside bizarre concepts like valuing human diversity and ensuring equal opportunity for all. We’re talking economics here.

In terms of things like business and (smart) growth, Jacksonville is not yet a first-tier city, most local urban advocates would concede. But such status is within reach. Could the missing link be a thriving creative — specifically, gay and lesbian — community?

There’s pretty convincing data showing that diversity is good for a company’s — or a city’s — bottom line. It’s why Shell spends $8 million a year on diversity initiatives. Maybe it’s also why Jacksonville, with only pockets of gay-friendliness and enough intolerance to go around, has yet to reach big-city status.

[silvio]

Thanks for the response. I feel Orlando is a bit like that. If it wasn't for the theme parks, this city would probably be no more gay-friendly than Jax. We've never had a problem, even in some of the "red burbs." Then again, we don't have rainbow flags flying on our car, house, etc. I've heard Southside is pretty good though, the "fundies" usually don't stray out there.

If anymore comments or replies, keep me coming.

[dizliz0925]

I live in Riverside, and there seems to be a pretty active G/L community.
Seems that everyone that lives in there area doesn't have a problem with it.

If they do, they should move!

There is a shop called 'rainbow and stars' 5 points
http://rainbowsandstars.com/shop/index.php

(Yes, I am full of links today, people! )

Funny side story about 5 points. I am originally from NY, and when I took my wife to NYC when we were first dating, we went to SoHo and the Village.
She remarked 'oh, this is like San Marco or 5 points.'

I told her it was the other way around.

Have a great weekend!

[silvio]

Thanks, I think I'd most likely be living in Southside. Coming from Orlando, it wasn't all that different...minus the theme parks which I don't even go to except when I have company from out of town.

[Karla with a K]

a early welcome silvio
when do you arrive?

I can tell you where to get the best pizza

karla

[HIF]

Originally Posted by myfask

a early welcome silvio
when do you arrive?

I can tell you where to get the best pizza

karla

oh, myfask, tell me, tell me...been here 2+ years and still haven't found a place that I think is great ditto for Chinese- the little neighborhood type

[Karla with a K]

hereinfla
I am a pizza nut.
what side of town are you on
i have found good pizza places in Orange park, the Southside and the beaches
lol so tell me where you live and I will tell you which ones I think are the closest to NY pizza
karla